The waiting of Advent.

We are beginning a brand new study of the Advent season in our formation groups at church. I am very excited about this opportunity to learn not only from a couple in our church but also through a book written by a man named Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who only lived to be 39 years old during Hitler's regime but believed in much and was executed only weeks before freedom was his.

This study requires daily readings and touch bases with your inner thoughts. I thought what better way to do this than through my own blog. Share here and maybe just maybe bring folks along with this portion of my journey. I have neglected this blog for quite some time and sadly miss it very much.

SO last night we talked about "Waiting" and what that means for Advent. Nathan mentioned that we should treat Advent much like we treat Lenten season...a time of reflection and for fasting. A time when we wait upon the greatness of the arrival of the Christ child. Christmas has so quickly become the hurry up, hurry up and hurry up...go get this...for this person...who wants it NOW. We are living in the most selfish time of our existence. We want it, when we want it, and we want it now...and can pretty much get it at that pace nowadays with technology and speed.

We have even lost the message behind Thanksgiving, now that retailers have broached the "We might as well open up and fill our coffers with more sacred cash" rather than allowing our employees a day of rest and thankfulness. And sadly folks, we will never see that day go back to what it was. History is in the making this 2013. We will never go back to allowing this day for rest, good food, relaxation, and being thankful for what we have. Our communities walked out and stood in line and were ready when then the stores opened their doors and retailers will do so in years to come.

Can you imagine being locked up in a prison cell and forced to wait? How despairing this must have been...yet this man still finds, through his letters, the chance to find joy in the beauty of the message of what true Christmas spirit should be. Perhaps we should look forward with anticipation.

I will slow myself down and wait for God to speak to me about what he wants me to learn. I will take his message in and wait with anticipation in what the beauty of that shining night in Bethlehem has in store for me this holiday season.