'Tis the Season to be Scattered

This Sunday, November 30th, marks the beginning of Advent for the Western Church. It's a time when Christians have traditionally set aside four weeks to reflect, anticipate, and prepare for the coming of the Christ child. It a good exercise, because it mirrors the anticipation that the Israelites were to have that a Messiah would come to rescue them and be their king, and it also reminds those of us who live post-Christ's birth that we are to live in a constant state of advent as we eagerly look with expectation to the time when Christ will return judge the world, usher in the new heavens and the new earth, and when we'll live with him for all of eternity. It's a great idea, this advent. The only problem is, it comes right in the middle of the Christmas season! I mean, with all the parties, buying, decorating, baking, Christmas movies, traveling, etc., who has time to think and reflect?! Really, wouldn't it be better if Advent came sometime in June when I had the time to slow down and focus?

So, two years ago, I began picking one thought, one idea to reflect on throughout the Advent season. I had to. My mind can become so scattered this time of year, and even if I only focused on the spiritual, Christian aspect of the holiday, there was way too much to choose from. Angels, Bethlehem, virgin births. It's enough to make your head spin, and way too much for me to think about at one time. But, I also found myself falling into the sentimentality of the season. It's so easy with the same stories, decorations, songs, routines, recipes all so familiar and swirling around me to feel like I'm having some warm fuzzy "holiday experience," but to really not be engaged with anything. I need to have my mind honed in on one thing that I can reflect on and develop.

And so, here's the thing I'm thinking about this Advent season: how the absurdity of the Incarnation gives me great hope. I'm really excited about this year's concept, and can't wait to see how it plays out over the next few weeks. Hopefully I'll be blogging about my thoughts as they develop on this, but I want to encourage you to join me in doing something like this. It's really not hard, you just pick something to think about and think about it. It doesn't have to be sophisticated or whatever. (You can even use mine if you want. . . Merry Christmas!) But, if you're like me, you run the risk of going through the next few weeks from this to that, and having very little "on your mind." As one buddy of mine said the other day, "I guess I don't really think about much of anything this time of year." I feel his struggle and appreciate his honesty. It's so easy to go on auto-pilot this time of year. So, as you're out buying, wrapping, baking, decorating, singing, or listening, also be thinking.