Advent is one of my favourite seasons of the Christian calendar.

Why?

This year I am finding myself quite off-kilter as I anticipate Advent and Christmas.  Walter and I have experienced so many changes in our "normal" in the past year that I am having to re-examine why for a lot of things.

Why am I in the ministry?  Why do I find change difficult?  Why do I like people and hate computers?  Why do I like church?  Why do I enjoy music, writing, baking, birds, flowers?  Why do we live where we live and do what we do?

So as I see some snow on the ground and hear Christmas carols playing in the grocery store, I am feeling out of sorts from the usual excitement of the holidays.  Because what we used to do in the Advent season is now a thing of our past.  Our familiar traditions are being replaced by new ones.  Embracing the new means stripping away the former and prioritizing what was important about the old.  What do I keep from my traditional Christmas habits and rituals?  What can I remove, let fall by the wayside as I experience a new church body and our new additions to our family?

Why has Advent been a treasured tradition to me?

I love decorating our home and the Christmas tree.  The dining room we built on our house is transformed from the Thanksgiving fall theme to a twinkling, green and red extravaganza!  We play familiar Christmas CD's or albums on my phone through a Bluetooth speaker.  We reminisce of Christmases past when children were little and sometimes repair ornaments that have been well-loved over the years!  The memories we have made stir up joy and love.

I love when our family is together.  Our Christmas plans are different every year, but at some point our kids will congregate here.  We will add a daughter-in-law on New Year's Day so that is something new and beautiful to anticipate!  Extended family usually join us for some festivities and it is a blessing to use our home for the ministry of hospitality.  The food, the laughter, the movies and the games we play are annual traditions that are especially part of our family celebrations.

But of course, my favourite part of Christmas is the reason we celebrate:  JESUS.

When my mom and sister and I lived in Kisbey, we started a tradition that I have continued.  We made a series of letters that spell "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" out of old Christmas cards and strung them on yarn or string.  We hung it in the living room of our mobile home.  I think since our first or second Christmas, Walter and I have hung our own birthday sign in a prominent place.  Occasionally people will come into our home and ask "Who's birthday is it?"  Then when it dawns on them that it is Jesus' birthday, they go, "Oh, right!"  It is a wonderful reminder of why we celebrate this holiday.

"I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You, all about You, Jesus..." (Matt Redman)

"Jesus, be the center; be my source, be my life, Jesus.  Jesus, be the center, be my hope, be my song, Jesus.  Be the fire in my heart, be the wind in these sails, be the reason that I live - Jesus, Jesus.    Jesus, be my vision, be my path, be my guide, Jesus."  (Michael Frye)

Yes, I am holding on to Jesus in the midst of the changes and new traditions flooding my life.  I am holding on to the blessing of my husband and family as we continue to build new memories.  And I am going to give and serve and sing and rejoice with the church family God has given us because it is all about JESUS!