Lord, teach me. . . .

From the beginning of literature, poets and writers have based their narratives on crossing borders, on wandering, on exile, on encounters beyond the familiar.  –Jhumpa Lahiri Welcome to Advent, the season during which we ponder and wait. A time when the world seems to pick up speed; yet as Christians, we yearn to slow down, to remember again the world-changing events of over 2000 years ago. On the first Sunday of Advent we will light the candle of prophecy and hope. The story begins in a manger or stable—or does it? Prophets like Malachi, Isaiah and Zechariah told of the Messiah, the one to come, thousands of years before a virgin named Mary was visited by an angel named Gabriel. Ours is an ancient story. Ours is a story of longing and unrest, of rescue from exile. As we begin the journey again, that slow, deliberate journey to Bethlehem, we remember and weep with those women who lost their young children at the hands of a murderous king. We gaze in awestruck wonde...

You take it on faith, you take it to the heart. The waiting is the hardest part. –Tom Petty Tom Petty, pop theologian, really got it right when it comes to Advent. The season seems to come earlier every year. Thanksgiving has been ingloriously shoved to one side. After all, Christmas is coming, right? It’s true. Christmas is coming—but it’s not here yet. So let’s slow down and wander to the manger together. Instead of tearing into the Gift that awaits us, pause for a bit and admire the “packaging.” Wait expectantly with Israel as we sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel . Feel the desperate longing in their hearts. When, O Lord, will you return to your children? Listen with the shepherds. What’s that fresh, unusual sound? The gentle flutter of angels’ wings? Lifted voices of a cherub chorus? Understand the words by listening with the ears of your heart. Hold your breath with Mary as Gabriel appears. Rejoice at the unexpected miracle of birth with Elizabeth. (Can you ...

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.  –Newt Gingrich Following Jesus is hard work. And it is never done. We are pulled in so many directions in life, with our jobs, our families. It seems, some days, as if every single minute is filled; yet there are still only 24 hours in a day, only seven days in a week—and only so many dollars in our paycheck. How are we supposed to get it all done, give to those who are hungry or needy, and still provide for ourselves and our families? I wish I had an easy answer. But here’s a place to start: Take a d-e-e-e-e-e-p breath. Listen as the air fills and leaves your lungs. Pause and appreciate the miracle of life itself. Give thanks to Creator God for such a gift. Now remember that God truly loves you, just because . How can you best respond to that unconditional love? The greatest commandment, Jesus reminds us, is to love God, then love one another. In loving God,...

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not ask. The spring rains will come again. –Sarah Ban Breathnach Help? Thanks! Wow. . . . Anne Lamott* wrote a book about the three most basic prayers everyone prays in the course of their life. Whether we are active, conscientious pray-ers, or occasional supplicants, we tend to turn to God (or to whomever or whatever one prays) in three basic circumstances: We turn to God in crisis; when we can no longer take it, or are unable to make it alone, we beg for mercy or assistance from the One who, in all things, is greater than we are. We reach out and ask for help. We reach out to God in gratitude when life goes our way, or when we feel God has shown us favor in answering a prayer for help. And we pray when we cannot help ourselves, when the goodness of God or the beauty of creation is simply overwhelming. Our souls burst just a bit, and we are compelled, lit...

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more. –Jonas Salk Are you a list-maker? (I probably should be.) Sometimes, it’s absolutely necessary, if I expect to have a successful day or week, I have to make a list. Otherwise, I wind up standing in Target looking around like a lost child, trying to remember what I came in for. Really, so much of Life goes easier with a list. We should focus our spirits on making the world a better place. So if you’re struggling today to remember what it means to be a follower of Jesus, I’m offering you a list as a starting point: L ove your neighbor. O pen a door. V olunteer to help with a community meal. E at lunch with a friend. O ffer a smile or a hug. N etwork together. E xpress gratitude. A dvocate for justice. N ever go to bed angry. O rder take-out—and share with a neighbor. T ake a pet for a walk. H ave coffee with a long-lost friend. E xpect a miracle—and you will see one. R emember, not everyone is a mind-re...