Advent-uous!

Making room is not easy. It is stressful, uncomfortable, and is accompanied by loss: loss of time, space and stuff. In more traditional churches (and even in some homes) the first day of December begins what is known as the Advent season; this is celebrated by the Advent calendars (little boxes opened to reveal a portion of the Christmas story and in most there is a candy in each day… except in the case of the calendars my parents would buy. Those had pretty exciting pictures instead of chocolate) and the Advent Wreathes where a candle is lit every Sunday. The entire advent season is an opportunity of preparing our hearts, “making room” for Jesus.

I have been experiencing my own Advent this December. Clay and I have decided to open our home to one of my sisters. She is moving in, ironically, on Christmas Eve. We decided the move-in date the first Sunday in December when she and my Dad, Mom, Mother-in-law, and one of my other sisters came down to watch me play in Handel’s “Messiah.” So, this entire month has been dedicated to moving everything in my house around in preparation for her to move in.

Consequently, this has me thinking of ways I am preparing my heart for the Christmas season. I love Christmas. The time of year my heart is heightened to the physical collision of heaven and earth. God came to the earth He created because of ferocious jealousy while we were helplessly wandering towards our own annihilation. I try every year to comprehend His love: paradoxical, magnificent, fearsome, and unspeakably amazing. As a Christian, I am supposed to strive to become like Jesus. My heart is supposed to be in a constant state of Advent-ful anticipation of His invading my life. It is uncomfortable and stressful as I grow and change, and I lose stuff: my selfishness, pride, some dreams, stuff I have no business owning if I am to live a life of simplicity as I pursue Jesus. This past year has been reflecting this process but I did not recognize that until I began rearranging my life this Advent season.

I am excited to start this new chapter of my life with my sister living with Clay and me. I am well aware that there will be a significant change to our current life rhythms, having an extra person living with us will cause some stretching and adjusting. But, I will have two of my best friends living with me (my hubby and my seester). This coming year will be an adventure.