Preparing, Watching, Waiting

Tomorrow starts the season of the church year for many known as Advent.  Advent is the season of preparing, watching and waiting.  Every child understands it as preparing, watching and waiting for Christmas.  I mean, that is the important part, right?  We prepare the house for company and for little kids -- preparing the Christmas lists for Santa.  We watch as it gets colder and snows (if you are in the right parts of the world).  We watch the sale papers to get the best deals.  And the waiting...  Children wait in line to sit on Santa's lap.  We wait for Christmas dinner to be ready.  We wait for .... well lots of stuff (as Cade would put it) during this month.

So is that really what Advent is all about?  Is it all about getting to Christmas Day and all the stuff that goes with that?  I surely hope not.

Preparing -- How is the right way to prepare during this season and throughout the year?  We constantly avoid our God time.  We constantly worry about self gratification instantly instead of concentrating on our gratitude and giving that blesses others as well as blessing us. We need to prepare our hearts for God and not constantly worry about preparing our priority lists and our next big function.

Watching -- The more I know about God in my own life, the more I see God.  The Glory of God is EVERWHERE.  If we just would take time to relax and enjoy life, we would really see God.  (Yes, I am speaking to myself in alot of ways).

Waiting -- This is the hardest for me.  Much of my faith has questioned what exactly I am waiting for.  I understand it but I don't and I think that is ok.  I am waiting for something bigger than myself.  I am waiting for what is to come and even though I don't have words to express that in many ways, that makes the waiting that much more interesting.

Now, there are alot of other "ing" words during this season that I do think have their importance in my life and my faith.
Giving and loving - These are things we should ALWAYS do.  GIving of ourselves, giving to our friends and loved ones...give.  And love?  I could not exist without love.  In my own capacity, I am put on this earth to love others always unconditionally.

Wanting -Cade has figured out the wanting side of Christmas.  I want that, mommy.  I want that, mommy.  I really want that.  I hear it at least 10 times a day.  More than wanting, I think we long for something greater.  We long for a better life.  We long for what is to come.  I remember a song from National Youth Gathering a few years ago, "Bound for Greater Things" by Ken Medema.

We are bound for greater things
Bound to want a higher goal
Joined by dreams and led by vision
we will know the Grace of God

There are wonderful things that go into this season.  This Advent season helps to remind us of important parts of our faith.  We should really, though, focus and remember these things everyday of our lives.  As we go through the preparing and experiencing the sights and sounds of Christmas, let us each be mindful that we are preparing, waiting and watching for something WAY bigger than December 25.

AMEN