By the Way: Expect the unexpected
By Medicine Hat News on November 24, 2018.
We went to the beach to look for turtles and came home with lion. Seriously. Last month I vacationed with my kids and grandkids in Hawaii. Instead of turtles, my grandson discovered a plastic toy lion in the sand. Not quite what we had expected. It kind of fits in with the Christian liturgical calendar as we shift from the celebration of Christ’s sovereignty into a new beginning with the start of Advent. Of course. That’s how time passes, astonishing us with occasional irregularities. I hunch that’s the whole point. Advent is the season to rethink and reimagine our place in God’s plan of Creation. We go out seeking and God surprises us with something strange and exciting: God’s realm emerging within us, challenging us to be aware and attentive to God’s Spirit moving in, through and around us. Examine your conscience. Is your holiday a frantic rush to shop extravagantly, bake traditional treats, plan a dinner to impress the in-laws? Or can you relax and let nature take its course without your intense micromanagement? One of my favourite Christmas memories is the time when I had prepared Christmas dinner for 24. Half an hour before dinner the women in our extended family were relaxing with their feet up and a glass of mulled wine in hand while the menfolk were busily carving, mashing and stirring. Perfect! Maybe if we let go of some of our Christmas compulsions we will be able to embrace the real reason for the season Scripture says “prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Wise advice, but how do you prepare for an unknown, unexpected surprise? And that, indeed, is the point of the nativity narratives. Back then, as now, we are challenged by a perfect storm of taxation, a miraculous pregnancy, “no room in the inn,” ending with birth in a humble stable and amazing visitors. What are the chances of all these factors coinciding? Or even more, how can you plan around such unusual circumstances? The wisdom for us is to learn how to live in a state of perpetual readiness, always alert to any whispers of the Spirit’s presence. One way to do this is to constantly question what you see, hear, experience. Think of pictures in profile: When you focus on the object, what are you missing in the background? You hear noise, but what about silence? Make an effort to see what’s not quite there, to hear the raucous silence, to smell the aroma of crisp fresh air. Let the Christmas spirit touch you gently in astonishing ways. Be attentive to the curious oddities of life. Like when you pop into the store to pick up something you need, and exit with an armful of unanticipated surprises. Or when all your best laid plans are upended but the party is even better than planned. Wake up on Christmas morning to welcome the Christ Child born anew in your heart, inviting you to follow an exciting new path. Merry Christmas! Jan Stevenson is a retired minister from Westminster United Church. 11-10
