Advent, Day 30: Advent isn’t done with you yet

If I can say one thing about this Advent season, it’s that I’ve certainly not been alone.

You, dear friends,

have journeyed long and hard with me,

from the end of our Thanksgiving feasting to the quiet of Christmas Eve,

to the celebration of Christmas Day

and beyond to the next day.

Now it’s close to New Year’s,

and although this journey has meant

something incredibly special

to me,

I’m examining myself.

The four tenants of Advent are Love, Hope, Peace or Justice, and Joy.

What are you missing most?

The New Year is coming, so

some of us hit restart,

while most of us just hit keep going.

What I need to keep myself going is more joy

in my day.

Less stress, more laughter.

Less frustration,

more forgiveness.

I’ve felt my eyebrows furrow and my shoulders hold tension a little too much the past

few weeks,

and so I need to let go.

Look inward, friends,

and let Advent take you further than these thirty days.

Let Advent lead you on,

let Advent help you

to keep going.

Ask this season what it wants for you in the new year,

and let things happen for yourself.

Let good things– hope, joy, peace, and love–

become a part of your every day,

and may we seek these things for each other, as well.

What a glorious journey this has been.

Let’s trust that Advent isn’t done with us yet.

Hallelujah and Amen!