Advent 2022

It's here. This sacred time between the already and not yet.   It's supposed to be a time of slowing down...a time of contemplation...a time to stop and breathe...but society doesn't support this.  Success outside of the walls of the church equals a four letter word B.U.S.Y.  It's almost as if it's a competition.  When we ask our friends "hey! how are you doing?" chances are the reply will be "good...but busy."  Why is that? 
When is the last time you stopped to marvel at all God has made?   I thank my Granddaughter, Zara Belle for making me stop to enjoy the  little things. When one takes a walk with a five-year-old, things look infinitely different. The stick we walk past suddenly becomes a magic wand. The leaves we complain about ...you know, the never-ending battle with the rake...and just when you thought you had them all bagged up, a brisk wind blows by...yeah, those leaves...LOOK at those amazing colors! Gold, red, brown, yellow...and we must collect several of every color.  And the clouds! "Grammie, do you see the elephant in the sky?"  Yes, Zara...I see the elephant AND a puppy!
Y'all...time is fleeting and we  do not know the day nor the hour of the coming of the Son of Man but what we do know is that God has given us each day as a gift. Slow down. Enjoy it. Take a walk. Normalize saying I love you. Make it weird. Eat good food. Give away something that you value simply because someone says oooh! that's pretty! (you can't take it with you)...Compliment someone, let someone go ahead of you in the grocery line.  Say hello to your neighbors (get to know your neighbors!!) Go take a ride and look at the Christmas (Advent!!!) lights.  Say I'm sorry (and mean it).   SING!!!! (ps, if this is your gift, we need you at SA!!) Text a childhood friend.   Be the light in the world and remind people that they matter, because they do...and so do you, Beloved Child of God.

God loves you, and so do I. 
Peace be with you in this season of Advent.+
Pr. Suzanne