Advent I

Hope

This morning I was asked “What do you hope for this Advent?”

I’ve been pondering my answer all day.

I hope for a small shard of peace in the midst of things that seem broken.

I hope for a glimmer of light when night falls early and often.

I hope for wholeness and the ability to hold onto hope. I’m hoping for hope.

The Advent season is a time of expectant waiting. It is also the beginning of a new year, the beginning of something new. Advent arrives as winter is deepening, reminding us that even in death there is new life.

When I find hope difficult to come by, it helps me to look to the ebb and flow of the world around me. Watching waves roll into shore knowing that the next one will come, no matter what I do. Remembering that the sun is shining brightly even above the layer of fog that is making it hard to see.

And the stars. Gazing into the sky helps me remember how vast life is and how small this moment of time will be in the whole scheme of things.

We have decorated our home and our tree with stars this Advent season. Glimmers of light in the early dark. Peace amidst the swirl. And a reminder to hope. There must always be hope.

As a seasonal practice this year, I will be offering a Sunday reflection on each of the weekly themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love. For a little added flavor, I will be posting a daily photo around the week’s theme on my Instagram and Facebook pages. To follow along, you can subscribe to the blog posts, and see the photos on IG (@hajames) and FB (@heatherane) if you are so inclined.

What’s playing on repeat this first week of Advent in our home:
Something Bright, Something Shining (Praytell + Jon Guerra)