Oh, my dear beloveds… will you humour me in a little exercise? Take a big deep breath in through your nose and fill up your lungs to the deepest capacity … now let it all out in a big ol’ sigh. I don’t know about you, but I needed that after the last few hours. The weather outside has been “frightful” here in the last day or so, and old man winter is certainly making his presence known in our neck of the woods. Normally, I don’t mind too much… but last night both my hubby and my eldest son were out driving in it. Late, after dark, alone. And as much as my dearests tell me not to fret, the all-season, I repeat, not-official-snow-tired-car with ABS brakes make me nervous to drive in … for fear I am the only woman driver on the road who will find the obscure patch of black ice and go crashing into a telephone pole. Or worse still, a rambunctious reindeer who recently escaped from a small town Christmas parade finds my son on his way home in said unsafe car…
Anyway, you get the picture. I worry a bit about bad weather. I worry a lot about driving in it. I think I am getting old. Grandma genes are starting to settle in. And there is nothing like a taste of old lady frailty (read anxiety) to rob you of that peace within. I know you know what I am talking about. Seems fitting that this second week of advent is “peace” week. A gentle reminder to me to attempt to bring my heart back to that state of peace. Especially as we anticipate the nativity scene… all babies wrapped in swaddling clothes, quietly sleeping amongst the barnyard animals. (All the moms out there recognize that this, too, is far from a realistic scenario… barn animals, people… and what newborn isn’t screaming for food in the middle of the night?) but the story of Jesus’ birth brings our focus to a unique place: Bethlehem.
Let’s look at it a little shall we? I did a little digging and here are some”fun facts” I dug up about “Bethlehem, in the land of Judah”. In Hebrew, it is called “Beit Lechem” which roughly translates as the “House of Bread”. Perfect for Christmas holidays, I’d say. Warm toast brings me peace! Bethlehem is home to approximately 25 000 people… both Christian and Muslim. Interestingly, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the U.S. is home to 800 000 Americans… who probably see just as many tourists!
The proposed “exact spot” where Jesus was born is marked by a silver star, that leads to an underground grotto or cave. Of course, the surrounding area is the tourist mecca for those seeking Christian history. With a large market for trinkets and a chance to profit from the bus tours. Maybe as much as Bethlehem, PA. I’m guessing either would be a cool place to visit… (dreamily look off into the distance… House of Bread… Amish baked goods…) Still, the Middle East has been far from a “symbol of peace” in recent years. Or the U.S.A, for that matter. Which brings us back full circle.
As you continue on in your Advent journey of faith, may you be prompted with thoughts of peace this week from the only One who gives true peace. And may your anxieties be comforted … even as you drive along the icy roads of life.
Photo: wiirocku Tumbler
Sharing is Caring! Click here to share one of these posts with others:
I was sitting on the couch a few days ago working on a crochet project I have going for Christmas. As I was flicking my fingers and yarn, I got thinking about patterns. Patterns seem to be everywhere! When you learn to crochet or knit or paint or even write, you start with a pattern. You learn basic stitches or strokes and then adapt those into complex arrangements of the pattern. Sometimes the patterns repeat over and over again. Those complex arrangements become the intricate design that, eventually, becomes your masterpiece! If you look closely enough at a masterpiece, you will see the tiny repetitions within. I love a good pattern. It makes everything so neat and tidy. I like even numbers and ducks in a row. I’ve mused about it before (check it out here).
Thanks for the doodle, Ruth!
Have you seen it? Repeating patterns in buildings, flowers, clothing… almost anything both man-made and natural contain these “repeats”. I think God liked patterns too. We’ve seen how He gives us colours, symbols, numbers and the like to point us in the direction to go. (check out our “colouring party series” of posts here) Some small details paint a bigger picture of something. Some small details make up a larger masterpiece. Let’s go back to painting for a minute. Simple strokes of the paintbrush and basic colours are usually the start of a painting. Then, as more blending of strokes and colours happens, a more complex picture shows up… a tree of bushy branches, a rocky creek of shadows and depth, a sunset of layers of colours on the horizon. Fabulous, isn’t it? Are you seeing it?
Now. Let’s imagine you are writing a letter to someone you care about, but you want the letter to contain notes from all your friends to that same someone special. Everyone will have their own unique take on the message, but the “theme” of the note will be the same… the pattern’s building blocks with “the basics” will be intertwined throughout the note. Do you see where I am going here, my friends? Of course! The Bible is God’s love note to us! Yes, different writers have had their part to play in the history lesson, but God’s love letter is full of patterns!
I learned a unique way of Bible study some time ago that showed me just how to see these patterns in the passage I was studying. Take a handful of pencil crayons and as you read, start circling or underlining phrases or words that mark the building blocks of the pattern. For example, green for places, black for a time, circle people, highlight promises or commands or warnings. Then, as you flip through your pages, the patterns begin to emerge. Ever wonder why the authors repeat themselves? Are they making an important statement? One, we perhaps need to pay attention to? Trust me, you’ll begin to see the masterpiece emerge from the basic stitches repeating over and over again!
I saw the Bible described this way:
The Bible is a compilation of 66 books written over 1,600 years by 40 authors, all inspired by the Holy Spirit and beautifully telling the Big Story of God.
This Big Story is sometimes called the metanarrative of Scripture. It’s the story of how God works in the world through creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. (onethingalone.com) Each little story falls into place in the Big Story.
That “metanarrative” is the masterpiece encompassing all the little brush strokes and basic stitches contributed by 40 authors in 66 books. Cool, eh?
So, maybe next time you sit down to study you’ll give this colourful pattern hunting a try. Supplement it with journal keeping, or doodling or whatever you like that draws your attention to the Big Story of God’s love for you! You’ll be glad you did.
Then, you’ll begin to see the patterns everywhere… trust me.
Sharing is Caring! Click here to share one of these posts with others:
For this week, I thought I would do a little throwback to pre-Covid; to an earlier, simpler time before pandemics, mask-wearing and mass vaccinations. This post was originally posted in November 2018. Apparently, it was so good, I reposted it again in December of 2020. So, you’ll forgive me if I indulge you again in my great literary skills. As we enter this year’s advent season, the principles still stand. Maybe the thought of “preparation” and “waiting” is even more prevalent for us today. I’ve added some thought-provoking questions I found from a devotional of Will Graham on the topic of Mary. Y’all know I love Mary’s character. As always, I love to hear from you. How about telling me about your advent season? Be blessed this week, my friends!
image by Kelly Sikkema (unsplash)
I hate waiting. I hate waiting in line, I hate waiting for my food to be cooked, I hate waiting for the kids to get out of school. I just don’t like sitting around with nothing to do when something else should be happening. I bring books or snacks or my phone or a crochet project on long car rides because my hands need to be doing something (or else I crash into a nap… which is a whole other story).
So, when I discovered that the real meaning of Advent was anticipatory waiting… I wasn’t too keen. I don’t think many of us are good at waiting. Have you noticed that radio stations are playing Christmas music already?! The stores have been in Christmas mode since the day after Halloween! The marketers out there certainly don’t like waiting! They want us to be spending our dough faster and faster these days… no waiting! Order now! Direct ship! Buy online! Available 24 hours, seven days a week!
Let’s step back for a minute. In case you are not familiar with the term “advent”… it is a traditional practice of the Christian church to anticipate the coming of Christ at Christmas, and then, in turn, His final return to earth. Similar to the practice of Lent before Easter, it gives us a chance to slow down, think and ponder, and hope for the future. It’s something I have to work on… this waiting.
My first exposure to advent was those cardboard chocolate calendars.
My first exposure to advent was those cardboard chocolate calendars. The ones with the little doors you would open every day from December first until the 25th. Back then, I didn’t understand what it meant… I simply enjoyed the treats every day! Later, we began to celebrate the four Sundays of Advent at our church. It was then, that I understood the symbolism, the tradition, and the true meaning of the practice. It is something I have come to cherish as an adult. It’s a discipline that that reminds me to slow down, to appreciate my family, to encourage my church family, and to rejoice in the season — and not to be so caught up in the rush of the “stuff”. It forces me to focus each week on learning to wait. To anticipate. To revel in the beauty of hope.
Here’s what I have learned about the traditional advent symbolism: it begins with an evergreen wreath… the symbol of a circle of eternity. Our Christ is timeless. He’s been around much longer than the babe in the manger. Surrounding the wreath are four candles and one central candle. Each candle is lit on the four Sundays of Advent and culminates with the lighting of the white, central candle, which is lit on Christmas eve. This central candle is sometimes referred to as the Christ candle… and represents His purity and the sacrifice He made for us on the cross.
The first candle is purple. It represents “hope” and the prophecies that Isaiah spoke about when He described the coming of our special Christmas baby. The second purple candle represents love and is sometimes referred to as the Bethlehem candle or the manger candle. So much love happened in that lowly stable… I imagine my own beloveds and how the whole world fell away the moment they were born and I saw them for the first time face to face. Can you imagine Mary’s first glance at her special baby? Yup, love for sure. The next candle is pink… and represents joy. It is the shepherd’s candle. It embodies the joy and celebration the shepherds must have felt when they were given the good news that a Saviour had been born! The last candle is also purple and reminds us to be peaceful. This “angel” candle points us to worship, to reflect, and to remember that the season is not about gifts under a tree, but the ultimate gift given to us. The One the angels were made for… simply to worship for eternity.
The following is taken from Will Graham’s book, In the Presence of the King.
“And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.’” —Luke 1:46-49, NKJV
After her initial response {of fear}, Mary embraces her calling as the earthly mother of Jesus. In what is called “The Song of Mary” (Luke 1:46-55), we see a young woman who considers herself blessed, who rejoices!
Of course, the story doesn’t end there, and things don’t get any easier. Mary, at the end of her pregnancy, must endure the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, at the end of which she delivers the Christ child in a manger.
As you enter this Advent season, maybe this year hasn’t gone how you planned. Maybe you expected your life to be much different than it is. Perhaps you’re even mad at God and blame Him for your circumstances. In what ways has the past year been a struggle? How have you seen God work through your situation? Are you able to worship Jesus amid the challenges?
So… as you prepare for your Christmas season, and you rush out here and there, be reminded of the advent tradition of waiting. Take time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas… Christ’s coming. Anticipate through hope, love, joy and peace, and the pure and holy sacrifice that Christ paid for you. May you be blessed, my beloveds, as we journey towards the holidays together. Take time to rejoice in waiting. Oh… it shall be no easy task! Especially if there are Christmas cookies in the oven! But we can practice it together, shall we?
Sharing is Caring! Click here to share one of these posts with others:
mittonmusings 