November has somehow come and gone and I have been here for almost four months.  Wow!  As a church musician I learned to plan ahead for the church year, but it is still amazing to me how much time is spent in planning for what is to come.  Advent…..planning for next steps, preparing for the coming of Christ – even looking ahead to Lent and the scriptures that will shape our worship.

If you are like me this time of year is busy; fun busy, but busy.  There are concerts to attend, friends to visit, baking to be done, decorating and preparing for Christmas day itself.  So much like the last few months before a child is due when you look at your home in a new way, prepare a room and begin to plan for the change in your life and activities a new child will bring.  My oldest son was born on December 6th and my very wise mother advised me to have everything ready for Christmas before his due date of November 30th, and so I did.  What I learned is that the addition of a new life to my family meant many things, but mostly that I would need to look out now for the well-being of a tiny child and that all that planning ahead gave me space to do just that.  Advent and Christmas since then have me wanting to be prepared in advance.  Each year I marvel at the miraculous gift of a tiny child and the gargantuan impact that tiny child has had on the entire world.  One child.  One child of God who came so that we all might understand that we are all children of God.

As I prepare this year I understand even more how much we all can do to make the world a little better just by believing that Christ’s birth was a sign for all of us.  Each tiny action I take, each good act, each demonstration of faith has the possibility to change the life of someone because God is able to multiply my gifts.  And, as I prepare this year I have more to be thankful for as I live as a part of this community.

There is so much to look forward to, to plan for, to rejoice in the Lord about.  Every year when my sons Eric & Justin ask my husband, Chris, what he wants for Christmas he says “world peace”.  And while we joke about whirled peas, it is our family’s hope that we will see world peace, because then we will know that God’s grace and love has been accepted by all the of God’s children.

God bless your planning for the coming of Christ. 

In the hope of world peace,
Vicar Beth Clothier