I did not grow up with a religious tradition that focused on Advent. However, I am increasingly drawn to it. I've collected a few quotes, some links, and a poem that I am enjoying during this season of Advent.
1. From my small devotional book, Christ the Light of the World by Thomas Kinkade:
"... in the days to come I ask you to sit quietly with the images from my brush and imagination, images that are meant to beckon you into a world of stillness. Allow your heart to wander on a reflective journey through the season of Advent even as you attend to the demands of December. 'The journey begins with Advent,' wrote author Jan Richardson. 'Advent is a dance set to the rhythm of waiting. We wait for the holy, we wait for the birth, we wait for the light . . . Advent reminds us that we are a pregnant people, for God calls each of us to bring forth the Christ.'"
I love the words, "Allow your heart to wander on a reflective journey..."
2. This concluding paragraph in the essay "Dirty Feathered Hope" by Lorren Lemmons from Wayfare:
"Jesus brought unfaltering hope into the world quietly. Only those who were already oriented toward Him could see it at first: the magi watching the skies; the shepherds who followed the angelic summons to witness Him in the manger; the imperfect but willing mother who risked her social standing, her marriage, and even her life to bring the Savior into the world. Hope might have felt far away to the families whose babies were killed in Herod’s decree or the followers gathered at the foot of the cross in Golgotha. It might feel far to you as you navigate the bruises and pains of mortality, tangled in situations that feel like they have no solution. But Jesus Christ keeps His promises. We can’t see the way it will all work out quite yet, but we can hope with surety and without shame. The Light has come into the world. Every one of us will fly again."
3. Poet Georgia Heard's newsletter Tipping toward Hope, packed to the brim with 10 heartbeats worth sharing. Don't miss her gifts near the end of the newsletter: A Daily Advent of Writing Invitations and Poems and Invitations for the Solstice and Returning to Light. Her newsletter is a resource to treasure.
4. This poem (which I first shared for Poetry Friday in 2014) from the book Christmas Blessings: Prayers and Poems to Celebrate the Season compiled by June Cotner:
For Christmas
May you have joy
in the mad rush
of preparation:
may you know peace
in the tiny margins
of time around
the busy days;
may you have star-shine
in clear night skies
for looking at:
may you have silence
now and then;
and above all-
beyond all else-
may you have love
to give
and to receive.
- Elizabeth Searle Lamb
Dear blogging friends, I wish you joy, peace, star-shine, silence, and
love "...in the tiny margins of time around the busy days..."
Enjoy this season of darkness while waiting for the light!
Dear Ramona, I wish you all the same loves and wonders. Great to see you here! xo
ReplyDeleteRamona, the passages you share are so fitting for the advent season. We waits and as we await the holy birth we quietly reflect on the joy that is to come. We hope for peace in our lives as well as in the world. In the mad rush of the holiday season we seek quiet time for ourselves so that we can reflect on what truly matters. Wishing you the peace and joy of the season. Bob
ReplyDeleteLove that you posted, Ramona. Thank you for all the goodness you've shared with us, and wishing all back to you!
ReplyDeleteRamona, Thanks for sharing this post. I am enjoying a bit of quiet with the tip-tapping of rain on this winter morning. Then my kids will arrive and silence will be no more. (The joy of grandchildren is the noise!) I also love Georgia’s calendar. I need to be better about writing each day. Her prompts are so accessible.
ReplyDeleteRamona, I didn't grow up in a tradition of advent either - but my husband has brought it into our Baptist church where we serve. It invites an needed, intentional focus on the deep meanings of the season. I particularly like this portion you included from 'Dirty Feathered Hope': "But Jesus Christ keeps His promises. We can’t see the way it will all work out quite yet, but we can hope with surety and without shame. The Light has come into the world." - yes, he is our hope. Our only hope. I always appreciate your wise gleanings and gentle reminders. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. I grew up with advent and didn't manage to keep the tradition very well with my rambunctious family. But, I love the feeling of expectation, of hope and the peace of waiting for Christ. Thank you for all the lovely references and quotations. I love them. Linda M.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing from Jan Richardson during Advent. Are you familiar with her Women's Christmas? https://paintedprayerbook.com/ Thank you for your post, for sharing and receiving love!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, Ramona! Thank you. Sending all your good wishes back to you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful reflections that you shared, Ramona. I especially love the images of biblical characters in the raw -- their humanity. It reminds me that they waited just as we wait. They long for the silence, the stillness, the hope, the peace, just as we do. Blessings to you this Advent season.
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