Advent is here.
Traditionally this is a season of waiting and preparation. Waiting with Mary as the infant grows in her womb. Preparing for the wonderful birth of the Christ child.
Yet sometimes all our many preparations preclude any real waiting.
There is so much to do. My family’s schedule is full of Christmas gatherings. Meals must be planned and made, babysitters contacted or the children prepared for travel. Gifts are being imagined, and sales are pursued (quite vigorously at times). Even planning for the way we intend to live Advent with the kids becomes an item on the to-do list. Waiting can seem wasteful when there are so many preparations to be made.
It is easy to be so caught in the future, getting ready, that we miss the present. Read More →