Book Ende

The word "advent" is a noun - it means "coming" or "the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event" but in our house, "to advent" is a verb. It is an action, or, rather, a deliberate cessation of action for 10, 20, maybe even 30 minutes every evening. We read, we sing, we pray, we laugh, we talk, we listen... listen to each other and listen to God...we wait, and we advent.

It's hard to wait. Our culture doesn't wait. We, as Christians, forget what it is we are waiting for. What is it that is suppose to be coming? A Savior? In one of my favorite children's books, The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, a woman hears news that a magician has conjured an elephant and the elephant fell straight through the roof of the opera house. The woman's reaction? Cynicism. Unbelief... "Who expects something special nowadays anyways?" said the woman. "Not me. I've worn myself out expecting something special." And she continues purchasing fish from the market.

There is another character in this little book- Leo Matienne, the policeman. Leo Matienne has three questions that he asks over, and over again throughout the story, "What if?" "Why Not?" and "Could it possibly be?" This man's heart sings, he hopes, he waits for the extraordinary.

For the next week, in the frenzy leading up to Christmas, in the midst of "the most wonderful time of the year" I pray that I would not grow weary of expecting something special, that I would continue to wait, and wait expectantly for the Advent of Emmanuel, God with us.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone... For to us a child is born,to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." -Isaiah 9