Hey all – in a culture that doesn’t know how to wait for anything (all right – that’s a little harsh), Advent is WEIRD! I mean, we know how the story ends, right?  Right?  So let’s get on with the party!

Well, that’s all fine and good, but what happens when knowing the version of the story that seems to suggest all is well as soon as the baby shows up doesn’t seem to be working. That’s when a season in which we choose to live between realization and expectation can feel like a place we need to be. It can feel like a good fit for those of us that look around at the world and say, “That’s not all o.k….”.

Does what we often call the “Christmas story” have something to say to that? I think it does, and I believe an important part of hearing that message requires a season in which we choose to wait – to NOT charge ahead into “it’s all good”, but to live in the tension of seeing intimations of light, not basking in the full glow and warmth of day.