Aha! Christmas is coming! Decorative lights adorn houses and businesses. Toy catalogues and sale bills are jammed into the daily newspaper. Travel plans are secured. Colorful paper and bows await packages to be wrapped. A tree, ornaments, a crèche and keepsakes begin to find their way into position. Christmas songs are playing on the radio. Cards begin to arrive via the mailman. The sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies wafts through the house.

But wait! Have we rushed ourselves too quickly? Did we forget that very special, short season of the church year? Have we taken time for Advent? Are we preparing our hearts and minds for the joyous occasion that is soon to come? Have we truly stopped to ponder the love and joy we are to receive in the birth of Jesus, the Christ? Are we remembering to slow down and savor the gift of the Light of the World that comes in just a few short weeks?

Well, yes, it is quite simple to lose our good intentions, careful upbringing and family traditions in this busy, crazy world. It is not difficult to get “swept up” in the gift shopping, celebratory gatherings, card writing frenzies, cookie exchanges and a million more activities that we do at Christmas. We forget to delight in the prelude, the season of Advent. We tend to focus mostly on the main event, Christmas.

Do not misunderstand me. I, too, love the gaiety of the Christmas season. I enjoy the delight of spending time with loved ones, listening to beautiful music, enjoying festive trees and decorations, receiving greetings from friends and sampling a cookie…..or two with a good cup of coffee. But, I believe, it is important for each of us to spend just a few minutes in the “hustle and bustle”, amongst the throngs of people and the roar of advertisements, to stop.

Yes, stop! Really stop….just for a bit…….and think about God's remarkable gift to us, Jesus Christ. Stop and think about God's promise to Isaiah and all of the people who held fast to that promise for hundreds of years. Stop and think about God's news for us---news of hope, joy and blessings. Stop and think about an entire lineage of people very much like you and me, sinners of a forgiving God. Stop and think about “the light that shines in the darkness”, a gift for you and for me.

Enclosed for each day of our spiritual journey this month is a slender pamphlet called “Unexpected and Mysterious”. May it open our hearts and minds this Advent as we prepare for the coming celebration of our Savior's birth.