Happy third week of Advent. Time for a a little Joy. And a little twinkle, too.
on fire for Christmas!
How’s your Advent been?
I’ve had one of the calmest, slowest (in a good way), simplest Advents in a very long time. An Advent filled with prayer and holy reading. An Advent that has touched me in moving ways I couldn’t have anticipated. In short, it’s been a month of such peace and quiet in my heart and soul that I hate to see it go.
John and I have been taking turns reading from Lisa Hendey’s O Radiant Dawn and enjoying, so far, 21 candlelit dinners. It’s been a lovely way to slow down in the evenings, especially in a time in our lives when it would have been easier to take dinner in the living room while watching The X-Factor.
I do believe that the discipline of using a prayer resource, together, contributed to the overall simplicity of this season.
Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a little drama in there. I did set fire to the Advent wreath today. We were just having a nice brunch…the usual, some eggs, a little bacon, some tasty home fries.
And then the conversation got a little weird, even for us.
John: Is there water in that vase with the tree cuttings?
Me, pleased with my amazing Pinterest-inspired creativity: Nope, I used those pretty, clear little stones.
John: I think it’s burning.
So, I set fire to the Advent wreath.
Yeah. That.
Don’t worry, all is well. I’m just saying that book should carry a warning label.
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and so…Advent begins [up-dated]
Hey! Go visit the incredible Advent Wreath Link-Up event at Catholicmom.com. Clickie here.
One of the things I’ve discovered about the empty nest is that we celebrate things — whether holidays or special events or even the daily non-celebrations — differently. Not better or worse, just — different.
I enjoy it, as one enjoys the different seasons. So this season in our lives is slower, less complicated by hustle and bustle. And, to my amusement (and no doubt my mother’s relief) a lot neater.
I don’t think I would have ever attempted to throw together the clippings from the Christmas tree into a vase, and work around some Advent candles. That’s a fire waiting to happen on that dinner table. That’s why we keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen — you know, this propensity to have a nice quiet dinner go up in flames.
And so, we begin Advent today with joy, and hope, and a little bit of wonder and anticipation.
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