Sunday, November 30, 2008
Advent [1]
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Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the season of waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ. I love the Church calendar - Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and now Advent. Advent is perhaps the most recognizable of all the church "seasons" because the rest of American culture changes as well. The stores put out the Christmas decorations and lights, all of the ads have settings of snow with familiar carols for the background music, and it just "feels like" Christmas.
But Advent is about so much more - and I want it to be about more in my life as well. It is about expectant anticipation. It's about eagerly awaiting a drastic change in your life and in the world around you. It's about the person of Jesus Christ - who is so unbelievably different from anything anyone would expect, you almost have to believe he is real.
I hope to post some thoughts about Advent leading up to Christmas - thoughts about anticipation and expectation, where I see God amidst all the American "Holiday" shmooze. I hope that I can tap into a belief and faith that is sub-cultural - it is below the surface of what everyone else is celebrating. I don't eagerly await Christmas day; I eagerly await the birth of Jesus more fully into my life. I really connect with the counter-cultural aspects of Advent.
On that note, two things: 1) Check out Advent Conspiracy, an emerging church challenge to "worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all." They have a great video, connections to helping provide clean drinking water for people across the world, and a place to share Advent stories. 2) Watch the Seinfeld clip below, celebrating "A Festivus for the rest of us!" (there's an invitation to some party at the end....I don't know what that is.... :)
But Advent is about so much more - and I want it to be about more in my life as well. It is about expectant anticipation. It's about eagerly awaiting a drastic change in your life and in the world around you. It's about the person of Jesus Christ - who is so unbelievably different from anything anyone would expect, you almost have to believe he is real.
I hope to post some thoughts about Advent leading up to Christmas - thoughts about anticipation and expectation, where I see God amidst all the American "Holiday" shmooze. I hope that I can tap into a belief and faith that is sub-cultural - it is below the surface of what everyone else is celebrating. I don't eagerly await Christmas day; I eagerly await the birth of Jesus more fully into my life. I really connect with the counter-cultural aspects of Advent.
On that note, two things: 1) Check out Advent Conspiracy, an emerging church challenge to "worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all." They have a great video, connections to helping provide clean drinking water for people across the world, and a place to share Advent stories. 2) Watch the Seinfeld clip below, celebrating "A Festivus for the rest of us!" (there's an invitation to some party at the end....I don't know what that is.... :)
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