As a little weekly tradition, I am going to start instituting a "This Moment" post. The idea is from Amanda Soule at SouleMama. The idea is to post:
A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
It's a Friday weekly ritual--I know, I know it's Saturday today! But I woke up this morning with a need to remember that life is not about DOING but about BEING. I started off this Advent Season with anticipation and joy--I was happy about it and looking forward to the holiday for the first time in many years. Stress and struggle are quickly diminishing any feelings of hope for the Season I had. Hustle and bustle, a pervasive feeling that I need 'to keep up with the Jones', doing, doing, doing---or not being able to do, which seems to be more of the case--the list of tasks to complete or gifts to gift getting ever longer. That feeling of materialism and commercialism eeking it's way back into the sacred holiday I was trying to have this year.
This morning I woke up, once again, needing to just take a moment to surrender all to God.
I have done this a thousand times in my life and will probably need to do it a few more thousand before I die. I get so busy with life, so caught up ruminating about what I need to do, what we don't have and what we can't have right now, that Jesus begins to get pushed out of my life. Not on purpose; slowly and quietly though His presence is pushed out of my consciousness.
So it may be Saturday, and this week I may not even have a photo to share. It's a mere realization, and bring back to, the "Reason for the Season" as they say. I may not have a lick of Christmas shopping done, cannot even begin shopping for another week, am only getting a Christmas tree today-and even that tree is a sacrifice. None of that matters. What matters is that I am waiting for my Savior to be born. I sit in the dark, empty, awaiting my light. In actuality, I should appreciate and be grateful that I am to share in, getting to experience along with Mary and Joseph being empty of "worldly" things so that I can be filled spiritually with the coming of Jesus. This is a moment I want to capture from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. My life right now is not about doing anything in anticipation of Christ, but simply being in anticipation of Him.