Following The Questions

Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis ~ Photo by Steve Magin

Our times have been filled with economic difficulty, violence and deep concerns about security. The author and spiritual mentor, Henri Nouwen once said that “We are tempted to grasp rapid solutions instead of inquiring about the validity of the questions.” The desire to find immediate answers and to act with impunity is overwhelming. We want an end to discomfort and worry and we want it now. Rushing to the quick fix, however, rarely provides lasting healing. We discover that promises for a better tomorrow, which are to be delivered in short order, empty and disappointing. We are left with even more worry and insecurity.

The questions that we formulate and ask contain the most important clues to our solutions. How can I find economic safety for myself and my family? How can I be secure without sacrificing my freedom? How can I put an end to the violence in my life which results from anger? It is our mission to follow these questions with deliberate action. We live out the action daily, one day at a time, until someday we find ourselves living a life that is free from the problems that seem so persistent.

We should also understand that the desperate need for answers will seldom be found in our own construct. We come to a growing awareness that God is in charge of the outcomes. All we have to do is the next right thing. Solutions or closure will unfold somewhere in between “already” and “not yet”. We must be patient and have faith.

Advent and Overcoming

The Frauenkirche, Dresden

The spirit of optimism that anticipation offers can enable us to overcome obstacles that might have seemed overwhelming or impossible.  Advent teaches us that waiting in expectation of the wonderful will yeild miraculous results.  Patient waiting for promised salvation was given fruit on Christmas Day in Bethlehem.  People could not force its' early arrival.  It all happened when conditions were right.

One of the modern day examples of determined anticipation can be found in the meticulous rebuilding of a treasure destroyed by war.  The city of Dresden was firebombed by The Allies on February 13, 1945.  The East German Communist occupation of the next 45 years discouraged the rebuilding of the baroque Lutheran Church, The Frauenkirche, which had dominated the city skyline since its' completion in 1743.  Hopes and dreams, faith and determination overcame all obstacles.  The rebuilding began after the reunification of Germany in 1989 and was completed in 2004 on D-Day.  Tons of rubble and remnants were pieced together and fitted with the new.  Now the beautiful spiritual centerpiece of Dresden stands as a promise fulfilled.  Christmas traditions in the city are celebrated as in few other places.  The Striezelmarkt is the oldest Christmas market in Germany and turns 575 years old this year.  Dresden celebrated by contructing the world's largest usable Christmas arch on November 26, 2009.  The red roof tiles and rustic construction of the area are a testimony of patience and determination. 

Advent and Christmas are alive and vibrant where destruction and despondence once resided.  This is the season of the promise of the wonderful.  Just wait.  It is coming.

Waiting For The Wonderful

The period of time before Christmas, known as Advent, is a time of patience, expectation and anticipation.  My life-long best friend calls it "waiting for the wonderful".  The practice of waiting for the wonderful creates an atmosphere of childlike joy in people.  Seasonal music and poems like The Night Before Christmas reminisce about visions of hope and miracles. Decorations and festive gatherings remind us that something extraordinary is coming. We know that abundance, happiness, friends and family are just around the corner. Our waiting takes on a joy of its’ own.

Our eager expectations are always fulfilled if we remain hopeful and keep our eye on the possibilities. We should have learned that good things are coming. Patience toward the waiting, and eagerness for what lies in the future set up an entirely different manner of living. There is always a reason for optimism, hope and opportunity. The dynamic of positive expectation sets up a scenario in which we simply attract great things. Abundance begins to literally fall into our laps as it never did before. Advent is here right now. We can look forward to the realization of our dreams and the coming of our salvation. There is no reason that this should be limited to a seasonal celebration in December.  It is all about waiting for the wonderful.