After the earthquake there was a fire—but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. (1 Kings 19:21)
It seems as the years continue their steady progression that retailers move the Christmas shopping season earlier and earlier. They ignoring the spiritual reason behind the season and don’t even give us the time to celebrate and be thankful for what is right in front of us. A point has been reached where the opportunity to find some quiet, reflective time in the whirlwind of preparation is almost non-existent.
This year will be especially difficult for me. Besides the usual flurry of activities, we will, God willing, be moving into a new house after four months in a rented two bedroom apartment. To say the last few months have been challenging would be a small understatement, but this article is about moving forward.
So in the next month, how do I find time to stop and listen for the whispers among the quakes and fires of life?
My first step would be to take a look at all the things on my to-do list and begin the ranking process. What can I take off the list this year; what can I cut back on; and what absolutely must be accomplished? Once the list is whittled to a place where e I know I won’t lose my sanity then I should be able to carve out some time to focus on the true meaning of the Advent season.
Easier said than done to be sure. However, if we wish to experience the Christmas season fully we must prepare during the season of Advent.
To make my journey through Advent easier I did an online search for Advent resources. For those of us that have even just a little technology expertise a wealth of resources can be found. I found apps for my iPhone anywhere form free to $2.99. On my PC there was anything from simple Advent wreath prayers to daily prayers to studies that guide us through the four weeks of Advent.
If you aren’t technologically proficient, I am sure that your churches, Christian schools and libraries, and Christian bookstores have a wealth of resources to make your Advent the spiritual experience you desire.
Once we have the tools then the next step is to carve out the time, to find those quiet moments when God will speak to us. For some of us this will be easy to do, but for myself and I suspect many others this task will prove to be more difficult.
I’ve seen suggestions along the lines of you could get up half an hour earlier. I don’t know about you, but I like to stay in bed as long as I can, so getting up half an hour earlier is not an option for me.
But I can take this suggestion and adapt it to fit my needs. Even though I am not willing to get out of bed, I may still be awake. So before I start making plans for the day or listen to the radio that my husband blares from the bathroom, I pray. I can have my iPhone on my nightstand and I can read an Advent devotional before I even start my day.
An Advent wreath can be the centerpiece on my table and as I sit down to eat my dinner Advent prayers can be included in my prayer of Thanksgiving before dinner.
I work at my computer most of the day. I can have a daily devotional for Advent on my computer that I read throughout my day.
At night before I go to bed, along with my daily Bible reading I can find a devotional to include. A rosary can be prayed while I work out or at night when I am having an anxiety attack.
There is room in my day for God and I chose to take the time and listen for the whispering voice amongst the fire and quakes of my life.
Copyright © 2013, Christina Weigand
Christina Weigand
Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of four. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Cranberry Twp. Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone. When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church as a lector, Bible Study, volunteering at her daughter’s school helping the children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.
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