How Do You See Advent?

Every year we promise that Christmas will be different. We will slow down and not give into the craziness of the consumer-driven season. Every year, the force of society pushes to go faster. Black Friday sales start on Thursday. And with a late Thanksgiving this year, all of a sudden it is December and the tree-lights-shopping-wrapping-cookies season is in full force. Then it’s over, and we barely even had the time to sit in the joy and reflect.

Rethink Church has issued an Advent photo-a-day calendar to help us slow down. To reflect. And look. And see. And share.

Faith is so much about the lenses with which we choose to see the world. This photo-a-day Advent calendar gives us one word to meditate on every day. It gives us one thing to look for throughout our day. I have to imagine that in seeking a moment to capture that brings to life the word of the day, I will find it. That seeking requires my eyes and heart to be open. And those requirements will help me slow down and enjoy the season of joy.

Those who seek beauty will find it.

What if the shepherds were too busy with their to-do lists to look up at the sky and marvel at the stars? What if the kings were too busy to find a little manger where they least expected Jesus to be? Good news is all around us. We have to be willing, though, to slow down, look, marvel, and seek in the unexpected places.

Happy Advent to the seekers. May you find the joy you are looking for.