advent reading today. excerpts below. comments following. italicized comments mine.
'we create holy ground and give birth to Christ not by doing but by believing and loving the Infinite One who stirs within. (this requires paying attention to the stirring, if there even IS stirring) This requires trust that something of great and saving importance is growing and kicking its heels in you. The angel summoned Mary, betrothed to Joseph, from the rather safe place of conventional wisdom to a realm where few of the old rules would make much sense. She entered that unknown called 'virgin territory.' She was on her own there. No one else could judge for her the validity of her experience.
She can measure her reality against Scripture, the teachings of her tradition, her reason and intellect, and the counsel of wise friends. But finally it is up to her. The redemption of the creation is resting on the consent-the choice of this mortal woman to believe that what she is experiencing is true.''Mary offered only space, love, and belief...in the end when other human gifts have met their inevitable limitation, it is the recollected one, the bold virgin with a heart in love with God who makes a sanctuary of her life, who delivers Christ, who then delivers us.''what if by instead of doing something, we were to be something special. Be a womb. Be a dwelling for God. Be surprised.'
i decided to write about this here season after reading a blog by the Screaming Kettle that i found through my friend Michelle. he's funny and has a cute wife and baby. and i need to write this.
i'm trying to be open minded about christmas and what can be gained from celebrating it. i don't want to miss something. i mean, there's gotta be something, right? i just heard that Target is staying open til 9pm on christmas eve. so obviously they think it's about shopping. gifts. buying. spending.
i am rehearsing for a christmas eve service at work. and buying christmas presents from the comfort of my bed online (thank you God for the internet.) and trying to find a simple cool way to decorate my house. (don't judge me. it's important to me and i hate doing the same thing every year. right now i have a tree with lights on it. that's it.)
and i can't just check out. i can't say 'i'm not going to decorate or buy gifts or work or go to christmas parties. so how can i celebrate?
i'm doing a lot of doing. but i'm not being...not even sure how to be. just ask anyone who knows me. but i want to be. i want to make room for Jesus to live in me, to live through me. to find balance and joy in the craziness. so i'm going to try to find time everyday to BE.
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