It now gets dark before 5pm and most mornings when I wake up the grass, rooftops and my windshield are covered in a layer of frost. The air is getting chillier and we have already had a few inches of snow. Most people I know would find these words at least slightly depressing and for many this is the time of year that they just “get through” so they can enjoy the rest of the seasons here in Wisconsin. But, for the last few years especially last year and now this year, I have found my love for this beautiful winter season growing. As I grow older, I yearn for a more simple life, for less things cluttering my mind and my space, for fewer obligations stealing my precious time and for a quiet mind in general. To me, that is what winter is, winter is a gift from God to do less, to be still. When the world is covered in a blanket of snow, there is never a more hushed time in nature. All the sounds are muffled, if they exist at all, the world slows way down and I long to take my cue from nature and stay in and enjoy the slower spirit of the season.
This Sunday, I was up at 3:30am. It isn’t the easiest to get out of bed that early and I don’t do it often but when I do, I actually love it. The whole house was asleep and I was forced to be quiet and slow in my movements. I stepped into my slippers and wrapped up in my warm robe and a wool blanket and made myself a hot cup of coffee and just sat on my couch reading the first page in my Little Blue Advent Prayer book. I had time to pray and think and write down plans to prepare myself for Jesus this Advent. My first thought was to make sure I wake up early every morning so I have quiet time to think and pray. My second thought was to begin to apply the spirit of winter into my life more so I can live more simply and intentionally and free my space and mind of clutter so that I can have more room to focus on those prayers. So, even though this may sound weird, the way I am preparing myself for the birth of Christ this Advent is by first taking care of my home and space, just like you would do for your own baby coming home. I feel I have trouble praying at home and being intentional because there is just too much stuff in my home and in my life. And believe me, I am in no way a hoarder, I do not hold onto things; I give bags of stuff to the local thrift store every few months and yet it still seems to be too much. I know God is calling me to live a life that is more meaningful and isn’t just “getting through” each day. I can feel he is pulling me towards a life where I can praise Him in all that I do without getting distracted by the things of this world. So, even though my plan may be unconventional, it is just the first step to lead me into a life that I feel follows God’s plan for me. It gives me a timeline to work on the decluttering, first of my space (hopefully where I’d like it by New Year’s), and then of my mind (a much longer process, I believe), but, once I have a clear space to pray in on a daily basis, then I can be in a place where I can listen more clearly to God’s words to me.
How will you prepare this year for the coming of Jesus? What can you do in your life to live more intentionally?
This Sunday, I was up at 3:30am. It isn’t the easiest to get out of bed that early and I don’t do it often but when I do, I actually love it. The whole house was asleep and I was forced to be quiet and slow in my movements. I stepped into my slippers and wrapped up in my warm robe and a wool blanket and made myself a hot cup of coffee and just sat on my couch reading the first page in my Little Blue Advent Prayer book. I had time to pray and think and write down plans to prepare myself for Jesus this Advent. My first thought was to make sure I wake up early every morning so I have quiet time to think and pray. My second thought was to begin to apply the spirit of winter into my life more so I can live more simply and intentionally and free my space and mind of clutter so that I can have more room to focus on those prayers. So, even though this may sound weird, the way I am preparing myself for the birth of Christ this Advent is by first taking care of my home and space, just like you would do for your own baby coming home. I feel I have trouble praying at home and being intentional because there is just too much stuff in my home and in my life. And believe me, I am in no way a hoarder, I do not hold onto things; I give bags of stuff to the local thrift store every few months and yet it still seems to be too much. I know God is calling me to live a life that is more meaningful and isn’t just “getting through” each day. I can feel he is pulling me towards a life where I can praise Him in all that I do without getting distracted by the things of this world. So, even though my plan may be unconventional, it is just the first step to lead me into a life that I feel follows God’s plan for me. It gives me a timeline to work on the decluttering, first of my space (hopefully where I’d like it by New Year’s), and then of my mind (a much longer process, I believe), but, once I have a clear space to pray in on a daily basis, then I can be in a place where I can listen more clearly to God’s words to me.
How will you prepare this year for the coming of Jesus? What can you do in your life to live more intentionally?