SO. MUCH. PREPARATION.

It’s Christmas time! Yay! Let’s decorate the tree, hang lights, find those black Friday deals, force your kids to take a picture to put on the card,  check your Elf on the Shelf, buy the teacher presents, volunteer for the class party, get the kids to their practices, check the Elf again, grab the gift you forgot, donate time to those in need, make cookies, go to work, spend time with the family you don’t see often, spend time with the family you see too often, throw the Elf in the garbage (but change your mind and put it back on the shelf), and then finally, before you know it, wake up and Christmas is here!  SO. MUCH. PREPARATION.  So much EXTRA STUFF on top of the already busy lives that we lead.

We spend so much time prepping our homes, families, classes, etc.  to experience the joy of Christmas that we forget to prepare ourselves to fully experience the true joy that only comes with having Jesus present in our daily lives.  In our readings this week, we see that John the Baptist was encouraging repentance and preparing the world for Jesus’s arrival.  But today, the Lord is not “coming soon” like a feature presentation at the local movie theater, or like a distant cousin that only comes around once a year and eats all the apple pie.    The Lord is already here.  He is all around us and within us, waiting for us to quiet our minds and bodies to connect with him in each moment.  To seek his guidance in our daily life choices.  To prayerfully reflect and show gratitude for this life, where we get to love, learn and experience all the joys and sorrow of being fully human.

To be human is to love, fail, learn and grow in spirit (the ultimate goal).   We must have faith that we are here to learn the lessons in life that God wants to teach us to bring us closer to him (and to each other).  In this 2nd week of Advent, we are going to light the “Candle of Preparation” or “Bethlehem Candle” which represents FAITH and is a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.  As Mary prepared for the coming of her child, she had faith in the Lord and his plans for her life.

During Advent, I look to my own mother for inspiration on preparation and faith.  December 7th is her 75th birthday and she is one of God’s most faithful, humble servants. Each morning she prepares herself and unites with God in daily devotion and prayer.  Just 10 min a day in the morning and she sets herself up for a day of walking with the Lord by her side. He is present in her decision making, in her reactions to stressful situations, and in her words.   While I have tried meditation, prayer and downloaded the “Jesus Calling” devotional app on my phone (hey – no judgments on the phone usage), I have gotten so busy during the holidays that I have forgotten to continue to focus regularly on connecting with the source of true Joy, God.    I need to slow down, breathe deeply, sit with the Lord and be thankful for the many blessings in my life.  If I do this as a regular practice, I can be more like my mother and recognize His presence in every moment.  I will be calm, grateful, more giving, kind and less stressed.  And maybe, just maybe, the Elf on the Shelf will make it to December 26th.

Reflection by Gretchen O’Donnell