Let the waiting begin…
30 Nov 2008
It’s still not quite the end of November but today is the first sunday in Advent. The four sundays leading up to Christmas are traditionally a time to pause from the rush of preparations and packagings and reflect on the true christmas story (if you need a refresher try this version).
Part of me is already resenting christmas, the pressure to spend money on presents, the haggling with families for eating arrangements, are wearing out my patience and good will! All set against the backdrop of scarcity, the fear of recession, the growing pressure to hold until what I have got rather than practising giving away what I have.
So this Christmas the story of God with us, is even more resounding for me. God, in Jesus, becoming like us to save us. Emptying himself. Giving away his rights. Holding nothing back in his embrace of humanity so that in him we can find true humanity.
It’s a story I need to stop and reflect on, in my fear driven selfish headlong rush. In the frantic pace of my life I need to slow down and stop trying to work out how this year I can get more and give less. I need to remind myself thatGod’s economy in his kingdom does not run on scarcity and fear but radical generousity and sacrificially giving away of the best. I need to find space to embrace the giving not getting nature of Christ and to learn again that the way of the cross begins in surrender of my whole self to Christ.
The 4 sundays of advent are something we chose to celebrate within our own faith community. However there are plenty of on-line resources as well to help us. Here are a few suggestions:
Advent reflections & resources
What does the season of advent mean for you?
Tagged: advent
10 comments
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Comment by Lyn
8.40 pm on 1 Dec 2008
[i]“Part of me is already resenting christmas, the pressure to spend money on presents, the haggling with families for eating arrangements, are wearing out my patience and good will! All set against the backdrop of scarcity, the fear of recession, the growing pressure to hold until what I have got rather than practising giving away what I have.”[/i]
Oh I so relate to you Paul. Last year we tried to give less and use most of our money buying world vision gifts for people – surprisingly, we seemed to end up offending people by doing this. This year I’ve tried a different tactic – most things have come from Tradicraft.
I need to reflect on Advent as I get so frustrated with what Christmas has become. I don’t know if you’ve seen the Advent Conspiracy (dot org) but they have some really interesting ideas for families and church groups. Thanks for the links, I really like the Why we are waiting one.
Comment by Paul
8.40 am on 2 Dec 2008
Hi Lyn, thanks for your thoughts and the web link. I don’t want to ban christmas but it is a tempting reaction to say “why bother…” At least reflecting helps me remember why I am bothering.
Comment by Lyn
9.09 am on 2 Dec 2008
No, I don’t want to ban it either, as your wrote, it’s good to sit and think about why we are bothering.
Comment by lynn
1.57 am on 3 Dec 2008
Hi. It’s International Blog Comment Day and I’m trying to make the blogworld a little more conversational in the spirit of John Smulo’s idea – http://helpiworkwithchildren.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-gadget.html
But anyways, your post really interested me as I have just written some thoughts on advent over on Hopeful Imagination (1 Dec entry). I thought I wouldn’t copy and paste it over here as I’d take up too much of your column space. You probably know all of the other contributors! I’m in a little corner of Scotland and I assume all you Down South guys know each other
I was also going to suggest a link for Christmas – my church is participating in http://www.justchristmas.org.uk where we spend half of what we would normally do on food/drink/presents etc and each person brings that 50% in to a special offering – last year it was to build a school for the Dalit people in India and by this summer this had been completed.
Thanks for the other links, these look fantastically helpful to me.
Blessings upon you!
Comment by Paul
1.34 pm on 5 Dec 2008
Thanks Lyn, great link
Comment by lynn
2.00 am on 3 Dec 2008
Advent blog – http://www.hopefulimagination.blogspot.com
from the other lynn
(true lynfest)
Comment by Paul
1.35 pm on 5 Dec 2008
so many Lynn’s so many great links, ty
Comment by Trish
10.51 pm on 6 Dec 2008
that made me laugh that Paul
Comment by Brunettekoala
7.49 pm on 5 Dec 2008
This year I’m thinking of what Mary must have been going through. Like if I was in my last few weeks of pregnancy the last thing I’d want to be doing is traipsing across a hot dusty desert country.
Lynn has already directed you guys to our church’s version of the Advent Conspiracy – Just Christmas.
This year I’m forgoing presents and asking people to give money to the charity I work for (we really need it) which is a pregnancy crisis centre trying to be ‘Jesus’ to people struggling with unexpected pregnancy (appropriate for this time of year I feel!) through my JustGiving page…
http://www.justgiving.com/koalachristmas
And ok, ok….I’m a heathen…I secretly think Advent is GREAT purely for the whole chocolate advent calendar thing.
Comment by Trish
11.00 pm on 6 Dec 2008
Amongst my complete busy – ness I have had a little time to think about Mary too – the journey to see Elizabeth, the journey to Bethlehem, the journey to Egypt – I mean who feels like going anywhere when they are pregnant? All a woman wants to do is stay home eat chocolate, drink tea (after the first trimester) and make a little nest. So how on earth she coped with all that is a mystery to most of us. However Im amazed at Gods utter determination to protect this baby from the enemies around them. So to all of you who are carrying a “baby” be assured in this season of advent of Gods utter determination to protect the baby (he who began a good work in you is faithful to bring it to completion) – in the right time as ever!
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