We have officially entered the season of preparation. Oh, I know, Advent (the liturgical season of preparation for the birth of Jesus) isn’t until December 1st this year. But we are in the “getting ready” mode. We have Thanksgiving coming up, and getting our holiday decorations, and deciding what gifts need to be purchased, and who might be our visitors. I have all kinds of “to-do” lists taking up real estate in my mind as I am sure you do also.
It seems to me a reasonable question to ask: “How do we navigate this extra activity and maintain some sense of equilibrium in our lives?” I probably don’t have all the answers, but here are a few thoughts.
Think of the joy! One of the things that we like about the holidays of November and December is the joy – the happiness – the laughter. We will be hosting two families this Thanksgiving. We have been sharing Thanksgiving for over thirty years. So as I pull out our good china and plan the ingredients for our dinner, I will also be thinking of sharing a meal with lifelong friends. I’ll remember we were together in Panama, newlyweds looking at catalogs and picking the china we will be using.
Think of the giving! Giving suggests we are thinking of someone other than ourselves. Sometimes we can hardly wait to see the expression on the faces as they open something they have wanted. Think about those times in your life. I remember a doll I got as a little girl. I saw her in a store window. I thought she was beautiful. I know now that my parents couldn’t afford it. I never knew it then. They made the adjustments so that Marsha could join our family. Giving does not need to be a burden. Just as in the O. Henry short story, sometimes it is the thought that counts.
Think of the music and the decorations! Here in the deep part of winter darkness we will be seeing the lights and colors of decorations. The lights remind us that the Light shines even through short days and long nights. The music reminds of the story we have to tell the world – the Christ was born in Bethlehem.
In this season of preparation let us enjoy the joy and laughter. Let us enjoy giving – both the gifts and the giving of ourselves for others. Let us listen to the music and see the Light of the World in the decorations.
Let us let this season of preparation prepare us for the work we will do in this new year – the work of love, kindness, joy, laughter, caring, and justice-making.
Let us approach this holiday season as a gift to us.
Rev. Clara
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