This Week at the Winter…*Table
Ack! How is it even possible that we humans live in a place where when we get less of the sun the temperature can plunge from summer highs of over +30 to winter lows of below -30? One of our favorite household humor columnists, Scott Feschuk, wrote this past week that “the reduced number of daylight hours can prompt subtle changes in human behavior.” He offers this illustration:
Incident: Clogged sink
Summer reaction: Purchase and use drain-clearing liquid
Winter reaction: Weep uncontrollably for three hours; then go to bed.
He goes on in this vein for three full columns. It’s funny/sad, depending on how harsh the impact of the change of seasons is for the individual doing the reading. I think it’s safe to say that from the onset of winter, most of us are to some degree waiting for it to be over.
Which brings me to Advent…sort of. Advent has two important characteristics in common with the above musings. First of all, in our climate Advent occurs just as winter is getting seriously underway. It is a kind of “mirror” of a change of seasons. Second, it is a time of waiting. Just because some retailers think August is an appropriate month in which to put out seasonal decorations and crank up “Santa Got Run Over By A Reindeer” doesn’t mean that it’s almost Christmas. The “good news” that we mark with the Christian calenders celebration of the birth of Christ is almost a blip on the radar, compared to how much time we spend waiting for it.
So can the waiting itself be part of the good news? Or does that just seem too unlikely, too untenable, to consider? This Sunday, we shall give that question our attention…at least for a few minutes. We will gather at Independent Jewellers at 10:30 a.m. I hope you can rise above the challenging realities of the season to be there.
Important Details:
The Kid’s Table – next dates are December 7th and 14th. If the community would like to see this happen every week, Amy is going to need some more help. Talk to her on Sunday, or reply to this email and I’ll pass it along to her.
The Christmas Party – mark the evening of Sunday, December 21st for our Christmas gathering. We will only meet in the evening on that Sunday, not in the morning. Sign up this week for the various tasks that need to happen to get this party started!
Peace,
Tim Plett