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A DAILY RHYTHM REFLECTION
(December 9th)

 
 
We are now over a week deep into the Advent season, one that is intended to help us prepare for the coming of Christ and help us to get in touch with expectations for Jesus and what this new born king, God with us, might bring into our world. I’m slowly getting in touch with this theme, but it’s a struggle to stay focused on what matters most. I feel like this season is pushing me further into “react” mode than “prepare” mode for the most part and that hurts my soul and maybe it hurts yours too?

After returning from out of town Thanksgiving fun for two weekends in a row, I sat down last Monday morning just craving simplicity for the weeks to come. Then I looked around at the chaos of presents still unopened from my daughter’s birthday party and shoes spilling into our foyer from our non-existent shoe rack, then opened my email to countless messages about Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday and all of the wonderful opportunities to contribute to angel trees, school projects of generosity and holiday gatherings and just wanted to run away from it all. I’m committed to not running away, but I want more from this season and wonder if I’m not alone in these longings. 

Maybe this is the exact space that the Lord wants me to be in? A season of noticing what I long for, a season of paying attention to priorities, a season of considering how I might move towards the holy and away from the hustle. I’m not quite sure how to do this, but have found a few advent practices that are helping.  

I bought a sketch book and some markers that our whole family can share and wrote “Advent 2019” on it. Any of us can take time to contribute with pictures, words, prayers, or whatever we feel like throughout the month and we can use it to talk about what we are thinking about Jesus and God and the world around us. So far this has helped Paige and I get into good conversations about what it means to “Walk in Darkness” and we have drawn many pictures of sunshine and light coming into the world as we reflected on a passage from Isaiah 9. 

Personally, I am committing to sitting with the Advent scripture passages for each entire week and noticing what this consistent meditation brings up over the 7 days. The first one, Isaiah 9:2-6, has been a challenge and a gift. Here are a few of the things that came up for me last week: 
  • Praying for friends who have been or are in a dark season and reaching out to some of them. 
  • Recognizing how far removed I am from oppression and injustice in my daily life, except mostly how I contribute to it as one of the privileged and powerful.
  • Wondering what a baby can do about any of the world’s problems? 
  • Laughing that God thought coming as a child and growing up with us was a good idea and just thinking about what Jesus would have been like at age 3, 6, 10, 15 etc. 
  • Meditating on the names for God, Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace and leaning into those spaces where I need counseling, direction, might and peace and how I can extend those things through prayer and action to those around me. 

So, I’m more hopeful now than when I sat down last Monday, but the day to day hustle is still real. Will you commit to leaning into the holy with me this month to reclaim a bit of our souls together? 

Open to Peace, 
Traci



 
 


If you would like to learn more about our “Shared Rhythm” you can read about it online or pick up a set of our “Daily Rhythm Cards” at Church on Morgan.

Copyright © 2019 Church on Morgan, All rights reserved.


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