Advent - day by day

[Bababa]

Hello.

Would anyone like to join me with thoughts / meditations / prayers for Advent time?

I've not consciously celebrated Advent for YEARS but feel a strong need to do so this year. Been fairly dark times inside me recently (Pnd) and it's dark outside too (live in the north of Scotland) so I have been much occupied with images of Light and Hope and Life returning through the darkness.

I am just beginning to feel that I may well be a Christian still (or is that again?) after being very put off by dogmatic upbringing - but it seems that so many themes of Advent are human and universal so welcome all and everyone and all your thoughts!

I'm going to post daily thoughts and see what happens...

Count me in! I'll happily read your posts and I"m sure I'll learn something from them.
Thanks for doing this.

CS

CS

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. In my mind Advent is a time of waiting, but not in a passive way. Its waiting is also expectancy and anticipation; a leaning forward of the soul towards the Light which will come.
The difference between a potato and a green shoot in the dark earth.

I only realised it was Sunday by teatime, as it was a very bad/confused/stressed/not-coping day; I didn't even get round to lighting a candle as I couldn't find the matches under piles of dirty dishes. But by the end of the day I was heartily fed up of dwelling on how crappy I felt. I have had months of this passive waiting: waiting for the baby to burp, to wake up, to poo, to cry, to stop crying; waiting for DH to get home and give me a break; waiting for the day to end so I can sleep.

Enough! My Personal Advent Resolution (!) is this: whenever I think a potato-thought I will pray to the God of all Light, to make my mind into a place of green shoots leaning towards Him through the darkness.

Potato face smiley...

I enjoyed what you've written ---v thought provoking. If I had the energy to do my meditation tonight I'd definitely be thinking of the light and green shoots.
Thank you.

PS I love the potato face smiley idea!
(As for crappy days - I'm having a mashed potato day if you know what I mean)
Ok back to washing up and lunch boxes.

My favourite Advent bit of music is Bach's Sleepers Wake and I feel that Advent is a real time in the midst of the darkness to be awake to all that God is doing.

Wake up, there are green shoots. I love the fact that the Christian church attached itself to the winter solstice time to celebrate the coming of the Light of the World.

And I would say with the Advent hymn: Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel will come to thee Oh Israel

Will look out that msic, DutchOma, thankyou.

Yes! I'm so with you on the Solstice thought. I live in Orkney, where there's an AMAZING Neolithic tomb/cairn called Maes Howe, built specifically so that the setting sun on the Winter Solstice strikes down a long stone corridor and paints the stone chamber with orange light. It's the most astonishing thing I've ever seen happen to cold stone. I imagine the people so long ago all huddled inside waiting for the Miracle to happen, their whole year must have revolved around that event.

This morning the sunset was beautiful, like angel wings. The wind was icy and horrible. Green shoots = focus on the sunrise, not on my snotty nose freezing off

Today I've been thinking of Mary a lot. She was 8 months pregnant and counting by now, back then, IYSWIM. Wondering how she must have felt. Massive, knackered, excited, terrified? All of the above and more? Thinking of her and her pregnancy is a whole new take on Advent I'd never thought of; but then I'd never been a Mum myself until now.

It's BWV 140 by Johann Sebastian Bach and more than likely you will have heard it some time or other. It's amazing.

Yes, I so often thought of Mary expecting my first born. I just knew at Christmas that I was pregnant and didn't dare hope for a little boy. He was born in July, so not very Christmassy.

The thing about the pre-historic cave sounds amazing. Where on Orkney are you? My OU tutor lived on Orkney, North Ronaldsay I think. I've been to Shetland (in the summer) but not to Orkney.

I'm on the Mainland, the biggest island of Orkney. North Ronaldsey - for out, man! Literally: it's the most northerly and wild of these pretty northern and wild islands. Amazing, being an OU tutor and living on North Ronaldsay...

You can read more info about Maes Howe here and this site has webcam shows of solstice sunsets. Being there is quite something.

I wonder if there are any books with meditations following Mary's story / place in the story, connected to Advent. Bound to be, eh?

What thoughts about were uplifting and strengthening for you DO, if that's not too personal a question?

Imagine, Baby Christ's foot would have been kicking through her tummy. AMAZEMENT.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Walking in the light, towards the light, with light inside.

As well as Maes Howe, I delight in the fact that so many other faiths nowadays also have a festival of light held in the dark months.

Hi Bababa - thank you for the link to Maes Howe - it looks amazing. Really worth a visit.

I've just looked at the other Advent thread and CertainAge recommends this www.whywearewaiting.com/
It's all green shoots and candles and light - just like everything you've been writing about.

The speakers (there's one for each day) talk about preparation, getting ready and anticipation not doing everything at the last minute. (I tend to do the latter)

The Bishop of Truro says message of Advent is about slowing down and taking time to notice everything around us.

CS

Not doing everything at the last minute, hey? Am definitely like you on that one, CS.

Really really like the Truro Bishop's interpretation of Advent - thanks for that, will make it my day's exercise. it's another way of saying mindfulness, isn't it? Making waiting and anticipation richer by noticing every moment and not rushing in my mind to the finish line.

WHat other advent thread? Sorry have no time to lurk/explore on MN at all these days. Will check out that link.

Maes Howe is truly amazing. When I go this year will let you know what happens.

Off to change dirty nappy, mindfully

Happy Thursday...

Not had any time to answer properly Bababa (your name reminds me of a baby sheep, not a bad place to be in the hands of the Shepherd) I have heard and seen a bit of the Bishop of Truro on "An Island Parish" and he seems very thoughtful and good in all I have seen of him.
Will explore a bit during the day, Thursday is my 'day off'.

I typed "Bababa" in mindlessly because that's what ds says as he clamours to be picked constantly.

Yesterday a dear friend came up to visit and we mustered the energy to make diaries: we bought cheap ones, cut out the pages and added beautiful bits of paper of our own in between. Never done that before, it was wonderful and special. Connecting with the time to come, putting bright colours in June and thinking of the Summer solstice in December. Might make that a yearly Advent treat.

Nappychange calls. Very regular wee boy my ds is.

Happier than have been in months :-)

Interesting

Baba - I love the idea of making your own diary... it sounds like a really nice idea.

NottheVirgin ,,..... the video is interesting in a short but sweet kind of way. who are "paperlesschristmas'?

Diary making is great! Today we might have a chance to get it bound. It's the first proper ME thing I've done for about a year

NotTheVirgin - yes interesting. Second CS' question - who are "paperless Christmas?"

This morning I woke up with a verse from the Qur'an in my head. It is beautiful. Here it is as a start to this weekend...

"God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp: The lamp enclosed in glass: The glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God doth guide whom He will to His light: God doth set forth parables for men: and God doth know all things." (Surah 24:35)

Baba - that is a lovely quote. I"m seriously impressed by how anyone can remember such inspiring quotes first thing in the morning!
Did you get the diary bound?

Hehe CS my memory of the quote was much more baby-brainy. More like "Yawn...switch on bedside light...lamp...niche...olive tree...Light upon Light...must look it up properly...yawn..."

This being Orkney the lady who will bind the diary works from a tiny office above a shop and needs to order the spiral binding bits in; so the diary is with her and should be bound by next weekend.

Today I have the WHOLE day baby free thanks to DH who is a bright shining star

A friend suggested an advent meditations book which is all connected to reflections about gestation and birth as starting points for wider themes of new light/life. It arrived yesterday and looks really good. Very Christian / Bible based in terms of readings, but has lovely mantras and wee spiritual exercises for each day. Baby-brain-sized. here is the link to preview bits of it.

Gentle beginnings to the second week of Advent, everyone.

Re: Paperless Christmas. It was posted on a friend's church website. Its done as a co-venture between Jerusalem Productions and BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship). Didn't think it was "short and sweet" though - did you click on all the billboards on the journey?

The book I am using this advent is by +Stephen Cottrell, called "Do nothing, Christmas is coming". Its about "rebooting life" as he calls it! Taking time out to slow down and enjoy getting ready for Christmas.

Maybe next year.. one book at a time for me I think. Agree very much on the principle of "rebooting" though.

This morning I was in the middle of a nappy change when two lovely Jehova's Witness ladies came by. After babychat for a bit they told me they don't agree with celebrating Christmas, but they consider themselves Christians. Spent most of the day being confused by this, from a purely logical way - people are free to celebrate / be whatever in my view as long as it makes them kinder and happier... any input on that one?

Many interesting things/thoughts seem to be happening recently mid-nappy...

The most important part of a Jehovah's Witness's calendar is the last supper.
they think of the sacrifice first.

i 'm enjoying your meditations.

(my OH can play Wachet Auf (Sleepers Awake) it really is an amazing piece.)

I think the JW and Christmas is down to the fact that Christmas originally was the pagan festival of Yule. Yet throughout Christianity, back to the early days, Christians have "gently insinuated themselves" into the culture of the time, by adapting festivals and the like, and making them Christian. St Paul did it in the Acts of the Apostles:

"Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ?To an unknown god.? What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you."

However JWs do not believe in the Trinity, which is fundamental to Christian belief, so are not Christian. (was told this by a JW who visited me)

Cunning old St Paul.

New info re JW beliefs. Thank you! I had a classmate at high school who was JW and wasn't allowed to celebrate her own birthday and was really sad about it. Since then I've had ongoing confusion and curiosity about their beliefs.

Today my MUM is coming up to visit

Today I am feeling very strongly, again, the link between us "normal" mums and Mary's experience. I wonder what Mary's Mum was like, and her Gran, and all the women before her... Holding in my mind the image of an immense chain of mothers down the centuries, past and future, waiting in hope for pain / fear / sadness / darkness to become lighter.

Beautiful dawn sky again today.

Mary's relationship with her cousin Elisabeth must have been strong - I can imagine they supported each other, Elisabeth much older, thought to be barren and then becoming pregnant. Mary, so young and inexperienced in life, unmarried. What they must have shared together!

To me, Mary can be an inspirational ?mother of the church?, who stands for freedom, justice and escape from repression. In the Magnificat, which is often portrayed as a ?song of joy?, there lies a stronger message, as ?preached? by Mary. She, together with Elisabeth, are the first New Testament prophets, offering God?s liberation to the poor and the hungry, and words of warning for the rich and mighty.

JWs don't believe that Jesus was (is) God in human form, so, no they are not Christians.

In a way I don't agree when you say:"Do whatever makes you happy", "I'll never eat meat again if it causes my brother to stumble," St Paul says (1 Cor 8:13), but I don't think you mean it like that.
Jws are very good to make you think about your own principles, but I haven't seen any for a while, although their Kingdom Hall is just round the corner.

They do celebrate a naming day and have other festivals to make up for the lack of birthdays and Christmas.

Baba - if you want to know what Mary's mother was like then you should read the v funny kids picture book " Granny goes to Bethlehem" - its hilarious and certainly provides food for thought. The story is ... "Granny" decides to follow the Holy Family to Bethlehem and is none to impressed with some the presents the new born receives!