welcome, advent, welcome.

advent is here.  we begin a time of anticipation and preparation.  i love the rhythm of the liturgical calendar, with the church's new year beginning today.  the flow still moves through my spiritual life and ritual in the same way the academic calendar is a part of life.  this is the first year in over five that i am not robing each week to lead in worship.  it's difficult.  

my hopes for this advent include decorating our home with sights, signs, and smells of this holiday.  we will share stories, continue tradition, and begin new rituals.  each day jo will find something new.  today a wreath for the front door.  tomorrow decorating with the many cards and photos of the past years.  other decorations will be hung, ornaments will be made, and doors of the advent calendar will be opened.  

we continue to add to our decorations by making new using materials we already have.  we also attempt to use the previous' years decor in new ways.  as we place these items in our home, we both honor our life together as a family and we create a spirit of anticipation and excitement.  we create a way of breaking forth from the darkness of winter.  we move forward.  we look for and to the light that shines bright come christmas, from the star to a child incarnate.

we celebrate advent today with hope.  we hope for the light that comes, for we know the end of this story.  we know that at the end of these four weeks of advent, we find ourselves at christmas eve, christmas day, and christmastide.   i will include you along our family journey. my hope is that something along the way brings hope.  my hope is that something along the way brings life.  my hope is that the light that shines from across the distance will dawn upon your space, your home. 

today we light a candle, a candle for hope.