ornaments, tree lights, banners, and wreaths being stocked by somewhat frantic store elves. I thought to myself in irritation, "It's not even Halloween!"
For much of our lives, we never live in the moment because we are too eagerly anticipating what comes next. I remember when I was younger thinking, "When I am 16 and can get my driver's license, then I'll be happy." And then after I got my license, I was thinking, "When I graduate from high school and get to college, that's when life will really begin for me!" And then it was, "When I graduate from college... when I finish my masters degree... when my kids are a little older... when my kids are out of college..." And so it goes. Sound familiar to you?If you are like me, then Advent, that begins Sun., Dec. 2, is a season tailor made for you! It is the time when the Church urges us to slow down, wait, rest... something wonderful is right around the corner. We try not to get too busy or distracted by all the ads and the tinsel and the parties. For Episcopalians, it is a quiet time of joyful anticipation.
While we still put up our Christmas lights and trim our trees and shop, we balance all that with peace and waiting... because we know there is a great miracle right around the corner, and we don't want to miss it.
