Advent Beginnings

Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent, a very significant day in Sweden and many church traditions worldwide have special celebrations to commemorate the day. In Sweden of course, the candle lighting associated with Advent was a welcome tradition due to the lengthy darkness that envelopes the day at this of year. Here in (mostly) sunny California, we are not craving warmth and light in quite the same way but I still can't get away from marking the weeks leading to Christmas with my own 4 advent candles. 

Still happy to count the Sundays and remember that the light shines in the darkness even where it's sunny.

Traditional Christmas decorations have been popping up around town and we attended a Lutheran Church yesterday where the Advent focus came into view. We sang O Come O Come Emmanuel, lit the first candle, and sang Joy to the World. So I was motivated to listen to Christmas music today and get decorating.
I have not seen my Christmas decorations since December of 2014. When we packed everything up after the holidays, the boxes were set aside to go straight into the shipment from Sweden. Given that we were unsure of how long we were going to be in London, we didn't pack any Christmas decorations. So today when we dragged the boxes out of the garage, it really was like Christmas morning as I opened up and unwrapped treasure after treasure. I had forgotten about certain things and others evoked strong, deep, nostalgic emotions. It was quite fun trying to figure out how to decorate our California home with traditional decorations! 

We've been having some chilly, blustery weather out here...45-60F/8-15C...I know, I'm wimpy now, so Doug even got the fireplace going tonight. It is super cozy and allows us to keep the heat off! 

I grew up in southern California so the backdrop of sunshine and palms mixed with Christmas isn't totally foreign to me. It is however Doug's first go 'round with a warm weather Christmas. It's really not all that hard to take, although admittedly today whilst decorating, I did put on a snowy slideshow from Christmases in Sweden. I will miss the Christmas markets, the coziness of candlelight in every window, the lovely decor all over the city, the warmth of an afternoon coffee and delicious treat and celebrated traditions that we enjoyed with our church in Sweden. But I am also excited to be in our own home, to establish some new traditions, to go to parades and light displays here in the desert, to play December golf. 
Truth be told, we're now closer in climate to Bethlehem than the snowy Burl and Ives Christmas scenes so that's kind of interesting. And those in the southern hemisphere have always celebrated Christmas in the dead of summer. Because let's face it...no matter our circumstances in life, preparing for the incarnation has little to do with what's going on on the outside and has everything to do with what's going on in our insides. May your journey be filled with new experiences, wonder in small things, hope, joy, peace and love.

First of Advent 2011

We have arrived once again at the start of a new church year and the much anticipated season of Advent.  I am going to try and blog daily in the days leading up to Christmas.  It feels like a worthy goal and a great way for me to focus on what's happening throughout these days.
In our staff devotions last Wednesday, the Swedish choir director pointed out an interesting play on words that had never occurred to me.  (Plays on words are hard in foreign languages). She spoke of how Advent and att vänta are interconnected!  The verb, att vänta, sounds a lot like Advent with an 'a' added onto the end.  It means to wait, and well, the season of Advent is all about waiting...waiting with great expectation and hope for the incarnation of Jesus Christ to pierce our darkness and flood our world with light and grace.  Taking time in the midst of the chaos of Christmas that surrounds us to consider the coming light of Christ will increase your ability to appreciate Christmas.  There is nothing worse than being sick of Christmas by the time the main event occurs!  I have no doubt that everyone has plenty to do in the coming weeks, but I urge you, as I urge myself, to find some quiet time in each day to consider the spiritual realities that are surrounding us at this time of year.  Wait, with eager anticipation rather than impatient frustration, for all that awaits us in the coming weeks.  The first candle has been lit.  May its small flicker of light point you in the right direction throughout this first week of the Advent season.

Advent Begins

Today is the first of advent. We lit the first candle this morning and now wait and prepare with eager anticipation of the Christ child's arrival. I forgot to take a photo of our candles at church so this one from last year will have to do for today.
This is the prayer I prayed in our worship service this morning. May your advent days be filled with a heightened awareness of the light of Christ that surrounds us.

Our loving and gracious God,

We now begin the advent season with eager anticipation of the celebration of the birth of Christ. Lord, we are always aware of the presence of Christ that surrounds us but during this time of year we are reminded in specific ways of the light that Christ has brought to the world through his coming to dwell among us. As we celebrate the coming light of Christ, may we be mindful of the ways in which we too can be lights to our dark world, people of hope who bring the good news of salvation to those who so desperately need to hear it.

Lord, the advent season is a season that is filled with waiting and preparation. Our lives are filled with a range of emotions and sometimes we worry that the stressors that we face will be too much. In the midst of the demands of the next several weeks Lord, alert us to what you want to be doing in our lives. Help us to intentionally seek out quiet places where we will allow you to speak to us. Empower us to be open to the ways in which you want your light to shine in our lives that we might make a impact on the world around us. Lord, help us to be more attuned to your presence even in the midst of all that will clamor for our attention in the coming weeks.

Lord, we know that for some, this season represents hardship and pain. We pray particularly for those in our midst who are suffering from loss and perhaps wondering how they will face this advent and Christmas season without their loved one.

. We ask dear God that you send a special measure of comfort to those who are suffering from grief. Give them your hope that is rooted not in the things of this world, but rather in love and grace of Jesus Christ, a love that extends beyond the grave.

Lord, we ask that you help us all to be good stewards during this season, careful with our money, willing to spend within our means. Make us mindful of senseless consumerism that doesn’t feed our spirits and instead instill within each of us a desire to be generous and to give in tangible and servant filled ways.

Lord, for those who are ill and struggling to feel good enough to even enjoy the gifts of each new day, we ask for your healing touch. Bring encouragement where there is discouragement. Grant patience and peace where frustration boils over.

Lord, for those who feel lonely and out of sorts, we ask that you bring them comfort and companionship. May we as a church be aware of the ways in which people are isolated and seek to be a warm and welcoming presence for them. God we ask that the light of Christ shine brightly in our lives that we might be used by you to draw others to the body of Christ and find hope, healing, and friendship instead of suffering alone.

Lord, the hopes and expectations of the season are many. But the disappointments and fears of the season also abound. In the midst of all that we face in life, we pray that the promise of the Christ child will be our strong center. As we light candles and prepare for Christmas, may we be ever mindful of the ways in which Jesus is coming to us through the ordinary events of each new day. Lord, may we wait with eager anticipation our celebration of Christ’s birth, even while we celebrate the joy we have in knowing that Jesus dwells among us each and every day. We pray these things in name of Jesus, the light of the world whose presence among us we celebrate. Amen.