It’s Time To Prepare

On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse…
Isaiah 11:1

While at the grocery store the other day, I saw a fellow shopper wearing a very familiar sling. I couldn’t help asking if he’d had shoulder surgery. The poor guy wearily replied in the affirmative. After encouraging him as best I could, I wished him a speedy recovery and returned to my grocery list. I’m certain shopping took me twice the time that day because memories of my own shoulder surgery emerged in full force…

When I counted back in time, I discovered it was six years ago that I had my shoulder repaired. I recalled timing the surgery to allow Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations to distract me from the painful recovery which I was warned would come. As it happened, these distractions weren’t as helpful as I’d hoped. Still, the pain wasn’t as horrific as expected either. I eventually learned to put my incapacity to good use. As a result, I embraced Advent 2013 with great fervor.

You know, Advent 2019 begins tomorrow. Once again, I’m given four weeks to engage in joyful anticipation of Christmas. Most years, it’s extremely difficult to find the time to truly joyfully anticipate this feast. There’s just so much to do! As I look ahead to the next twenty-four days, I’ve decided to recapture the simplified life-style which was forced upon me after my surgery. This year, I’m going to prioritize, organize and enjoy the wait for Christmas. I’m also going to have to look for that fellow with the shoulder sling to thank him for the inspiration. My fervor during Advent 2019 will be better than it might have been as a result of my conversation with him.

Loving God, this year, help us to all celebrate Advent and Jesus’ birth with resounding joy.

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved