Preparing

I love the Christmas Season, don't you? Even more than Christmas Day itself, I love the preparation that precedes the big day! All the preparations may seem a little hectic, but they just seem to fit into the overall joy of the season. We prepare. But have you ever stopped to wonder what exactly we are preparing for? Sure, we prepare by shopping for the perfect gifts, getting the perfect tree, listening to our favorite Christmas music or watching out favorite Christmas TV shows. We prepare by decorating our houses with enough lights to be seen by the International Space Station. We prepare by scheduling family get-togethers that will build up enough "credit" so that we can avoid visits the rest of the year. We prepare. And prepare. And prepare. But what is it that we're really preparing for? And more importantly, what are our kids preparing for?  

Advent is a season of preparation. The first Sunday of Advent was Sunday 12/2, and will continue through Christmas Eve. I just finished writing and updating daily reflections for the first week of Advent on my other blog, Naked Theology, and will continue writing through the Advent Season. Basically, the word Advent comes from the Latin word "Adventus", which means "coming". It's a time of reflection and repentance as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ. It's a time for us to slow down and redirect our priorties on what truly matters in our lives. It's a time to remind ourselves that Christmas is not about all the "stuff" that goes with the season, but a time to remember the real reason we celebrate. 

Now, do we need to disregard all the decorations, gifts and festivities of the Christmas season? Of course not. Christmas is also a time of fun, especially for kids. But by meditating on the stories of Christmas through the Advent Season, it gives us and our children a daily reminder of what preparing is really all about. Are we preparing for the coming of Christ? Are we making straight paths for Him? Or are the paths blocked with packages, gifts, decorations and strings of lights?  Are we preparing?

Consider starting here:  Advent Reflections