Getting Ready for Christmas

Yesterday I talked with a friend in Galveston about the Christmas rush. She's ready to give it all up. Too much rushing around and pressure.

Galveston was hit very hard by hurricane Ike, and many people at my old church have decided not to return. Those who are staying are struggling with rebuilding issues or insurance issues. The insurance companies define "flood" in very particular ways, so that if your flooding doesn't come from rain falling from the sky, you might not be covered. It was the storm surge and high tides that covered much of Galveston, so now many are fighting their insurance company just to cover their losses. Sea water mixed with sewage sitting in your home for a week, whether an inch or several feet, means that you lose quite a lot.

Into that reality comes the typical Christmas rush. Pageants, parties, services, gift exchanges. Organize this group, rehearsals here and there. Bring a tray of cookies, a casserole or finger foods.

For people who work in the church, this is high pressure season. Proofread this, fix these typos, print the bulletins, newsletters, mailings. Discover yet another typo after printing. Order enough candles, check on the costumes, find volunteers, writing sermons, serving at four or more services on Christmas eve, seeing the family only as they sit in their pews and you're up front.

For people who don't work in the church, the pressure of the season to look "normal", to shop yourself silly, to be at all the parties, dress up just so, have the children behave, be cute, be at all the pageants and see Santa, bake the right cookies - all this can be overwhelming.

It's so easy to be caught up into the frenzy, to lose sight of what the season is all about.

Advent isn't yet Christmas. Advent is the season before Christmas, the season in which that frenzy sneaks up on us and takes us unaware. But we can be intentional about slowing down, taking a step back, thinking about what this season means.

Waiting, preparing, anticipating... we are called to be still in this season, to make our hearts ready for the Promised One. We are called to step out of the world's way of doing things (that frenzy) and listen for God. God spoke to Joseph in a dream, to Mary through an angel, to the shepherds through a chorus of angels and brightly shining stars.

These were ordinary people, hard working people. Reminds me of the people in Galveston, working hard to re-build their homes, their buisinesses, their churches. I pray that they can slow down and hear the voice of God this season.

Here where I am, it is the season of longest nights. The sun sets early, we average about seven hours of sunlight a day. It would be easy to let that Christmas frenzy take over, to let the rush of church planning take over, let the pressure to have the "most wonderful time of the year" take over, let the busy-ness compensate for the darkness.

I want to resist the frenzy. Rather, let the season of darkness slow me down. Light candles. Ponder scripture. Be still. Pray. Listen. Watch. Wait. Look at the stars. It's a peaceful way to get ready for Christmas.