O W
creativity, contemplation
O come, come,
SHUTTERSTOCK Use these practices for an Advent state of mind
e hear in sermons what the liturgi- cal calendar tells us: we should approach Advent with a contempla-
tive pace. It’s what we long for—to have time to watch for the Messiah. But we’re so tired. There are Christ- mas cards and packages to get to the post office. We need to bake two more batches of cookies before we can get some sleep. We’ve double-booked ourselves again and wonder how to gracefully attend both events.
Like me, you’ve probably read the magazine articles that order us to prune
Berkey-Abbott is a freelance writer in Hollywood, Fla. By Kristin Berkey-Abbott
our expectations by doing only those things we decide are important. The authors cheerfully assume that if we stop giving gifts or tell our relatives they can’t come visit this year, everyone will understand. But in the real world, most of us find it impossible to pare our December to-do lists. It’s time to think about this issue differently. Although it might seem counterintuitive, this year let’s try adding some contemplative and cre- ative activities in the hopes that it will carve space in our schedules to steer us back to the true purpose of Advent. We already have some tools to help us in that direction: Advent cal- endars and wreaths. It only takes a little time to light the candles on the wreath or to open Advent calendar windows.
Make a simple wreath If you don’t already have an Advent wreath, it’s easy to create one. To make a traditional wreath, bend evergreen boughs around a wire circle. Or take a simpler path. Buy or gather four candles you already have.
18 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
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