Sometimes I feel like a maid, a cook, a taxi driver, a teacher, a doctor/nurse, therapist, disciplinarian, a judge and yes....sometimes I even feel like a parole officer! In the end, it's all good. I'm tired, and gray haired but there isn't anything special about that. Aren't we all tired? And if we live long enough, we'll all be gray.
I try to do all sorts of things leading up to Advent. Then, during Advent, I try to do many more things. Let's face it, it's a busy time of year. Some years I'm more successful at pulling these "things" off. More times than not, I suck. I'm a colossal procrastinator and I rarely finish anything I start. You have no idea how many journals and planners I've begun on January 1st....and lost interest on the 3rd. Too many to count.
This is going to be one of those "leaner" years. I'm simply out of steam. Thankfully, my kids are older and require a lot less fuss. Still, Advent has always been and always will be, a spiritual thing. Contemplating the time in history when the Son of God was born, in the flesh, is significant and this fact tends to get "overlooked" by most.
Sometimes, I just sit and stare at the manger scene. It fascinates me. I try to imagine being there...what it might have been like. For me, as a Catholic, what happened on Christmas and what happened on Easter, is everything.
So, in light of all of that, I want to share with you today a simple way of preparing for Christmas. I say simple, because it is and it's all that I'm going to do this year. Really. Of course we have traditions that we will always do (St. Nicholas Day, Advent Wreath, decorations, baking etc), but this will be the ONE THING that I will do for myself. Give yourself the favor of praying a Christmas Novena.
