Advent is an annual invitation to slow down. Wait for the advent of Christ. He will arrive, but not yet. Soon you will celebrate his birth, but not yet.
On Christmas Eve, you may arrive at the dinner table with familiar people who have long been part of your life. You know this cast of characters (at least you think you do) and they know you (at least they think they do.) You share history that predates you. Although you love your family, you may feel a hint of reluctance to gather with the same, familiar people!
What might happen if you spent the four weeks of Advent with more wonder and less hustle? Might this season of waiting sharpen your sense of your own self and your relationships?
Wait for an advent of the familiar, that is, wait with intention before arriving back at the family dinner table. Next year, re-read these reflections while you wait all over again. Neither you nor your family will ever arrive at your best. For now, be gentle on your self and your family as you wait. When the wait is over and Advent draws to a close, may you see your own self and the familiar selves around the table with tender mercy.
In every era, a woman faces a modified set of challenges that shape a woman’s identity. Today, the “superwoman squeeze” in the United States can be ridiculous. She is a party planner, financial planner, teacher, newborn poop interpreter, teenage phone surveillance, and over-the-counter pharmacist. She needs to know how to grocery shop and fix the dishwasher drain (something I still need to learn). She must move swiftly between the demands of her paid work and her work at home, on call for any level of family emergency from no clean underwear to a broken arm on the playground.
The humbling work of a wife and mom is a whirlwind blessing. Before it goes too fast, or before you are convinced you have done it all wrong, take a deep breath and be gentle on yourself. This hard work is an incredible gift from God.
This book is meant to give women who are moms and partners some relief in their wild and wonderful work and an infusion of hope to invite reflection and gratitude into everyday life.
Lisa Lewton 