What do the words Expand, Focus, Experience, Become, Beautify,
Heal, Thank have in common? At first glance, probably nothing. I remember an
exercise that we had to do in school though. Do you recall having to take your
spelling words and make sentences, or a sentence, from them? I wonder if
teachers still do that today…? This week’s words could make a very inspiring
sentence when put together like that.
“During Advent we take
time to Expand our Focus, in order to Experience God’s love, and Become
more fully a person who will Beautify
and Heal the world, because we Thank God for all we have and all we
are.”
Looking at the images that spoke to me of these words, we
might have inspiration from the individual words, too, as we think about them.
The icon ornament of Mary and the Infant, combined with
lectionary readings of Mary’s acceptance of her call to be the Mother of
Immanuel is a way to Focus thoughts
on the real cost of saying ‘Yes’ to God. Where do I need to say ‘Yes’ more
eagerly and with faith?
In the Experience
of God’s creation, like the image of the mountains near Taos, we also look
beyond ourselves into the wider world and find hope for the future that is
promised by the coming Babe.
Rahab, in this image from another blog, speaks to me of the
reality that God doesn’t classify us by religion, or gender, or color. It sometimes
seems, when you read the Bible, that God purposely choses those that society
might consider less or useless. God chooses outcasts, murderers, youngest sons,
prostitutes, and liars to Become the
ones chosen to tell the story of Love. Gives hope to you and me, doesn’t it?
Despite what we see as failures, God can use us in wonderful ways!
Advent is also a time when we Beautify our homes by putting up decorations. Pausing to take time
to Beautify our souls is the goal of the season, too. It is hard to be
counter-cultural and take time to do that important work, but it is worth it.
Part of the work of Advent may involve taking time to Heal from the rough times of the past
year. Advent is, after all, the church’s new year when we can begin again. This
lovely bed says to me, perhaps that healing will take the form of a retreat of
some sort, or just taking time to relax.
Finally, we must learn to Thank
God for the Love and Grace and overflowing bounty of our lives. Even if we are
poor in material things or think we are one of the ‘least’ we can be reassured
that we are truly called Beloved by the one who comes as a Baby in a manger.
Putting it all together, we can try to live so that “During
Advent we take time to Expand our Focus, in order to Experience God’s love, and
Become more fully a person who will Beautify and Heal the world, because we
Thank God for all we have and all we are.
Next week we will finish this calendar with a few final
images, culminating in the Love we will Receive on Christmas. Blessings to each of you as we move toward the Manger.