Volume 38, No. 23
A Different Kind of Christmas - As we enter this Advent season, I have been reflecting on what this time of year has meant to me over the chapters of my life so far.
Though I find myself grasping for the childhood wonder of my youth, I often fail at sustaining that feeling of magic that used to feel so accessible. Though I catch glimpses of it through the eyes of my young children, the complexities of “real life” and the busyness that comes with this season weigh more heavily.
For many of us, our sense of joy becomes crowded out by stress, loss, or unexpected changes. We are bombarded by the demands of our jobs, our families, even our own emotions. Life doesn’t seem to slow down during the holidays for us like it used to and all we want (all I want) sometimes, is a little bit of peace.
While Advent means many things to each of us, I cannot help but return to one of the most basic Christian images again and again – one of an unexpected baby born in an unexpected place to an unexpected couple.
That singular image is a seed of hope when all else seems to be falling apart. This year, my prayer is that we let that image work on us. Advent is a season where we can recognize that though life may not proceed as we planned, we might just find hope and transformation where we least expect it.
Warmth and peace this season,
Tori Jones
Ministries and Communications Coordinator