Advent – the time of waiting
It seems that I spend 9/10th of my life waiting for an event to happen and 1/10th experiencing the event. For example,
The time waiting in the emergency room for an examination = forever
The time the doctor spends in examination = minutes
The time between the announcement, “We are going to have a baby,” and the baby’s birth = forever
The time between the birth of the baby and the time the baby moves out of the house = minutes
The time waiting for the car to be repaired after hitting a deer = forever
The time it took to hit the deer = seconds
The time waiting for the child to take her first unaided steps = forever
The time it takes for her to run off to school = seconds
The time waiting for the radio announcer to announce that my school is closed due to snow = forever
The time playing in the snow because school was cancelled = seconds
The drive home after work to see our child start for the first time on the school’s basketball team = forever
The drive home after work to do chores = minutes
The time waiting for the report from the surgeon as he operates on a loved one = forever
The announcement that all is well = one second
The time waiting for the school bell to dismiss classes so that I can run home and show Mom the “A” I earned on a spelling test = forever
The time basking in the glow of an “A” = seconds
The time spent smelling the meal being prepared = forever
The time to eat the meal = seconds
The time spent preparing the house, the gifts and the meal for the celebration of Christmas = forever
The Christmas Day celebration = seconds
Time is relative. The more important the event, the greater the anticipation, the longer the wait seems. Christmas is one of those types of events. We spend months– or weeks – or (for some males) hours in preparation for a one-day event. Yet it is perhaps one of the most important celebrations in our lives. When I was a child, it was the day of presents, family and fun. It was the one day of the year when everything was just perfect! The amount of presents didn’t matter as much as the presence of family. Dad and Mom both were home – all day. There were Grandparents to visit, cousins to play with, and Aunts and Uncles to enjoy. There was no fighting among the kids and no harsh words from the adults. We basked in the joy and the peace.
Christmas as an adult contains all of the wonder, joy and delight I had as a child. Yet, Christmas now means that I am that much closer to my ultimate gift – Heavenly Joy and Peace. Every gift – every ornament – every decoration reminds me of the gift given to me through the Babe of Bethlehem. His gift is one that will last forever.
My time on earth = seconds
My time in heaven = forever
May the Babe of Bethlehem fill your world with Joy and Peace.
Come – Lord Jesus.
The time waiting in the emergency room for an examination = forever
The time the doctor spends in examination = minutes
The time between the announcement, “We are going to have a baby,” and the baby’s birth = forever
The time between the birth of the baby and the time the baby moves out of the house = minutes
The time waiting for the car to be repaired after hitting a deer = forever
The time it took to hit the deer = seconds
The time waiting for the child to take her first unaided steps = forever
The time it takes for her to run off to school = seconds
The time waiting for the radio announcer to announce that my school is closed due to snow = forever
The time playing in the snow because school was cancelled = seconds
The drive home after work to see our child start for the first time on the school’s basketball team = forever
The drive home after work to do chores = minutes
The time waiting for the report from the surgeon as he operates on a loved one = forever
The announcement that all is well = one second
The time waiting for the school bell to dismiss classes so that I can run home and show Mom the “A” I earned on a spelling test = forever
The time basking in the glow of an “A” = seconds
The time spent smelling the meal being prepared = forever
The time to eat the meal = seconds
The time spent preparing the house, the gifts and the meal for the celebration of Christmas = forever
The Christmas Day celebration = seconds
Time is relative. The more important the event, the greater the anticipation, the longer the wait seems. Christmas is one of those types of events. We spend months– or weeks – or (for some males) hours in preparation for a one-day event. Yet it is perhaps one of the most important celebrations in our lives. When I was a child, it was the day of presents, family and fun. It was the one day of the year when everything was just perfect! The amount of presents didn’t matter as much as the presence of family. Dad and Mom both were home – all day. There were Grandparents to visit, cousins to play with, and Aunts and Uncles to enjoy. There was no fighting among the kids and no harsh words from the adults. We basked in the joy and the peace.
Christmas as an adult contains all of the wonder, joy and delight I had as a child. Yet, Christmas now means that I am that much closer to my ultimate gift – Heavenly Joy and Peace. Every gift – every ornament – every decoration reminds me of the gift given to me through the Babe of Bethlehem. His gift is one that will last forever.
My time on earth = seconds
My time in heaven = forever
May the Babe of Bethlehem fill your world with Joy and Peace.
Come – Lord Jesus.