What words, sights, sounds and smells come to mind when you think of Advent? I think of my childhood and the lighting of the candles every night and the reading of Scripture. What about when you think of Christmas? Maybe it's your favorite time of year and you go all out or you might dread this time of togetherness, tradition and toasting to indulgence. Many of us are probably somewhere in between.

Tsh Oxenreider in her book Shadow and Light: A Journey into Advent says this, "No matter your position, Advent is a gift. It's an invitation to move slowly and methodically, looking inward with honesty about your relationship with God incarnate. It doesn't matter where you begin your advent journey. What matters is that you're invited."

Tsh Oxenreider goes on to say, "Advent means arrival and it speaks of a beginning, the beginning. Not only is the start of Advent the first day of the liturgical calendar, and thus a New Year's Day for Christians, but it also assumes the arrival of something, or someone. Advent is more than counting down the days until Christmas with paper cutout doors revealing chocolate, biding time until more children's favorite day of the year finally dawns."

This year, Advent starts on Sunday December 3rd. We all have a choice. How will you spend your Advent season this year? Will it quickly disappear into all your Christmas preparations; wrapping, decorating, shopping, or will you spend this Advent growing closer to Jesus?

This Advent, I encourage you to take some time with God. Spend a few minutes reading the Advent devotional and praying. Take some time for quiet and peace. Make some small efforts to resist the cultural ways of celebrating and instead spend time waiting for our Lord. Come to worship on Sunday mornings, as we study the angels of Christmas.

Joan Chittister says, "Advent comes, relentlessly and throughout life, with its words of hope and faith - shepherds and magi, crib and star, Emmanuel and glory - and stirs our hearts to pinnacles of possibility one more time. The real Christmas gift, for which Advent is the process, is learning to hum hope, learning to dance the divine."

Everyone at the Pedersen house would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas season!

Pastor Caryn   Ed    Abby    Osiel    Tony    &    Neyali