Slow in Chaos

This past weekend while I was downtown I noticed snowflakes hanging across the city streets, not yet lit but hung in preparation for the The Season. 

It’s a season that so many of us want to love but if we’re honest, it just leaves us overwhelmed, busy, or just flat out sad and lonely. 

A few years ago, I was sorting through what the holidays meant to me and what I wanted them to mean for my budding family. I knew I longed for more than the morning rush to the Christmas tree but I felt clueless amongst a sea of Target commercials and American Girl magazines arriving in my mail box. 

In an attempt to shift our mindset, we kept gifts simple, gave to others in need, and focused our attention on time with family. These were wonderful things that I am thankful to continue today, but it still felt as though something was missing. 

 After continuing this “simplified and thankful” approach for a couple years I noticed this past year that a mama in our homeschool community, Jennifer Naraki, had decided to put together an advent program. I had heard of advent before but for whatever reason I had never thought to try it. So finally, after some delay on my part and several inspiring Instagram pictures from her, I decided to purchase the packet a few days into Day 3 or 4 of advent. I knew I was late but was intrigued and had hope this might bring a newness to our celebration of Christmas. 

Friends! (If I could I’d add the little emoji of the girl holding out her hand!) Can I tell you what Advent did for our family? This was the key that unlocked the door to my wrestling heart. What I had bee missing was intentional focus on the real reason for the season. I was missing the slowing down. I was missing the reflection. I was missing Christ in the midst of Christmas. 

Even though in years passed I was attemping to do all the “right” things for the holidays, my focus was still scattered and wandering. This past year, we had a peaceful, joyful, thoughtful welcome to the culmination of Christ’s birth. 

As Jennifer Naraki shares in her slow + sacred ADVENT, “Our culture invites us into a time of rushing. Advent invites us into a time of waiting. Our culture invites us into a time of desire. Advent invites us into a time of anticipation. Our culture invites us into a time of stress. Advent invites us into a time of stillness. Hope. Peace. Joy. Love. Let us mindfully weave these into each of our days as we celebrate. Keeping our hearts and homes focused on such things will create an atmosphere ready to welcome the Christ child.”

After it’s beautiful impact on us last year, we will most certainly be repeating slow + sacred ADVENT again this year. But I’m not trying to just push this one experience. My encouragement is that you might explore and read about different Advent experiences and see what could be an encouragement for you and yours this year. Make room and time for anticipating, reading, meditating, and worshiping. 

I promise you wont regret it and may just find it’s the best way to celebrate The Season.   

For the link to the slow + sacred ADVENT, please click here. 

*Pictures are from last years advent experience.