Are You Excited?

Last week I had a conversation with a few ladies who were visiting the store.

They were preparing themselves for a busy Christmas season. It wasn't that they were frantically looking for gifts for fifty people or that they felt they need to prepare all the food that an extended family comes to enjoy. No, they were  busy exercising their talent: To 'be in community with the community'.

They are musical talents and therefore they have to practice their songs, playing chimes & bells and ukulele. Preparations to deliver at least eight performances in a short time span in December.

We had a lovely chat. They shared their anticipation and preparation and yes, finding some clothing for the occasion is part of that.

This conversation took me back to that time when I was in my elementary school years. I was part of a children’s choir and Christmas celebrations were a highlight of the year. There was that shared excited pressure to recite a verse or a strophe in front of everybody without making a mistake and we memorized songs in our Sunday bests.

I remember we ALWAYS got hot chocolate during these events. In my memory it was often too weak, or the plastic cup too hot but at least it came with cookies. Packed in a crowded hall with lots of chatter from people we could call by name and friends to gather with afterwards under the coat racks loaded with winter coats.

In later years we, as a couple, joined a youth choir and a gospel group, until we immigrated to Canada.

Contemplating these memories, I realize these activities were and are great moments of celebrating as a group.

It forces us, grown-ups, to step out of the daily routine, of working, shopping, caring and cooking. To set time apart to join together in thought, song and celebration and doing something that stretches out to higher thoughts and beauty,

Even a child feels that and stores it in its heart, and all grown up it's looked upon with great fondness.

The cultural developed person will maybe look down on the unprofessional
attempts to create beauty. So be it. We can’t be all performing at the opera house. What matters in the end is what satisfies the soul and the reach for eternal things.

The hole in our heart is not filled with an endless stream of material things and excitement. It’s love what it needs to mend. Love that shows in showing up at the neighbours and share community. Love that shows up in the simplicity of our life - as the Light - like the Christ child - the Saviour of our souls.

Happy Advent!