Running Through Advent

I didn't mean to do it. I really didn't. I thought I had it all under control. Ready for a slow, peaceful, holy kind of Advent. But somehow it all swarmed on me. It swarmed with almost entirely good things, but it swarmed nonetheless.

The late-breaking news that we will be in our sanctuary for Christmas Eve, requiring a whole different take on the service with only two weeks to make those changes, which include finding musicians, liturgists and piano tuners.

The Christmas cards that I don't really have an updated address list for.

The baking requirements for my daughter's class and other events in addition to the annual baking of the German stollen.

The family we adopted (and had SO much fun shopping for) whose gifts I still have to wrap

It's all been good, but I am 10 sleeps away from Christmas Day and absolutely exhausted. So I'm already giving some thought to how to do things differently next year.

1. Though handmade gifts are very special, often cost less and show that you took the time to create something unique for the recipient, if I go this route next year, I will begin in July, not November.

2. I'm taking a cue from colleague in ministry Robert Lowery and not buying anything during Advent next year. Gift buying and creating will have to be done in the weeks and months prior. Though, Robert doesn't have any kids, and my kid might throw a kink into that plan.

3. Because I insist on sending Christmas cards and love the chance to remember and pray for all the people on my list, I will get that list together and updated well before Halloween.

4. I will block off time on my calendar for baking and not try to cram one of my favorite parts of the holidays into short slots of time.

5. Next year I will not host any parties. I will not host any parties. I will not host any parties. Is that Scroogey? Because I still want people to invite me to theirs.

6. The one thing I have gotten right this Advent is plenty of exercise, and I hope to continue that commitment into next year all the way through to Advent 2010.

I'm going to use the excuse of still getting settled back in the US and taking on a new job as to why I've let it all get out of hand this year. Next year, I want to do better. I want to have time to soak up the holy and marinate in the wonder of it all.

But now, as thoughts of Mary and her Magnificat and what I have to say about that on Sunday drift through my head, I'm going to crash until morning.