The Coming of The Wonderful

The readings for this last Sunday of Advent are a confirmation of the abundance that we have been expecting.  The wonderful is already here.  It was created in our dreams and through our faith and expectations.  That for which we have been longing has arrived.

The excitement that is felt by Elizabeth and Mary as described by Luke in his gospel message is undeniable.  Their joy cannot be contained.  Mary's announcement is received even by the baby in her cousin's womb.  Deliverance is at hand.  Everything that was hoped for is present in the very room where they are gathered. 

The truth of this advent story is the fact of our own lives.  The most wonderful things happen when we give up the doubts and misgivings that we harbor.  Light shines in the darkness.  Day overcomes night.  Want gives way to abundance.  Christmas is coming.  Nothing will stop it.  Love each other, celebrate, dance and join the feast.

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice is upon us.  It is the shortest day and the longest night.  The days light has become shorter and shorter since Midsummer and now seems to rise and set in the same place for several days.  For more than seven thousand years human beings have been marking this occasion as the birth of the sun and light.  Life begins anew at Christmas and Hanukkah.  The sun begins it's journey South and creation celebrates.

This is a time to remember the ever turning wheel of life.  Our journey is mixed with darkness and light, struggle and triumph, sadness and joy.  It will never be overcome with the dark but could not be appreciated without it.  We need to honor the presence of grace during both.  One of the ways to acknowledge this truth is to light a candle at the winter solstice.  Take a few minutes to reflect upon your life and its rich flavor of sweet and bitter spice.  Nothing stays forever.  We can be sure that the sun will make its journey back.  The daylight will lengthen.  Spring and Summer will return. 

"May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door and happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas!" ~ An Irish Blessing

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.

Noticing Advent

The Season of Advent is a celebration of the small things. We live in a world in which our focus is on the big, the conspicuous and the newsworthy. The noisy and gregarious grab our attention. Advent is a reminder that the miracles are all around us. We do not wait for some spectacular presentation from God. We take time to appreciate that which we have left un-noticed. We begin to understand that the smallest things are usually the most important representations of hope. What seems to be bigger and better might not actually be so important and are usually just temporary.

It has been demonstrated time and again that God uses the little and insignificant to prove that there are no limits to our lives. There is always the expectation of the wonderful. Advent is a time to not only pay attention to the incredible amount of goodness everywhere, but to expect the announcement of miracles. Watch and listen. We are surrounded by them. The faith in this truth is the foundation of Advent. The longing that we have for deliverance and freedom from want is already answered. Light always overcomes darkness. All that we must do is find a candle.

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.

Black Friday

Today, the day after Thanksgiving, has come to be known as Black Friday. It is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in our country. Retailers have identified it as the day in which their operations become profitable, going from the red to the black. It is a tradition that has been growing since 1924 when The Macy’s Parade began.  The Great Recession has left many without jobs and even more of us with few discretionary dollars. Our personal and national wealth and poverty are both keenly felt on Black Friday.

The quality of our lives and the sacredness of Thanksgiving and Christmas do not hinge upon our ability to buy. What we purchase is only an illusion of real prosperity. Abundance is not a bad thing at all, but in order to fully receive it we must be grateful for what we have. Our family, our friends and our traditions are sacred. The things that are not for sale, for which no value can be assigned, are the most important. We can go forward into the shopping season with joy and anticipation when we make this spiritual truth the underpinning for our actions. We will begin to attract real abundance into our lives.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for family and friends. It elicits memories through smells and familiar surroundings. We bring out traditional items that only appear at this time of the year. We set our expectations on something wonderful. We anticipate goodness and abundance. It is a great time to write a gratitude list, call family members who are far away on the phone, and celebrate who we are. Thank you for this holiday.

Thank you for my parents and grandparents, uncles and aunts. They were such great people. It seems like everything they did had a spirit of kindness and generosity. Holidays were always fun. There was a sense of happiness in the air mixed with the aroma of roasting turkey and clinking glasses.

Thank you for my wife. She is my rock and my love. Her faith in me, abiding affection, and her good nature has given me the ability to live, serve others, and celebrate life. None of my successes would have been possible without her. There is none with a better heart.

Thank you for my children. They are a continual source of pride. We are not near one another, but I feel their presence every single day. Their life journeys are inspiring. I never get enough of them. I love all three of them more today than they will ever guess.

Thank you for my huge family. My brother and sister who are gone but remembered with great affection.  My dear cousins who gathered in Peoria this year, my nephews and niece with their children and grandchildren, all of those with whom I am in touch and those who are more distant. I cannot begin to express the happiness that they have brought to me.

Thank you for my friends. My dear loyal friends from boyhood are still a part of my life. We seem to be as connected, albeit with miles between us, as we were when we were kids. They have been another family for me. My new friends are a blessing as well. Steadfast, welcoming and accepting, my friends are always there.

Thank you for my work and for my co-workers. We engage in a difficult but rewarding vocation. Let us never forget to be equally thankful for those that we serve. The truth is that they are the rich blessing in our lives.

Thank you for this life. It is good. It is marvelous. Thank you, God.