5-4-3-2-1

Take Time to be Aware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edward Hays

"Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery that looks so common and so ordinary yet is wondrously present.

An old abbot was fond of saying, ‘The devil is always the most active on the highest feast days.’

The supreme trick of Old Scratch is to have us so busy decorating, preparing food, practicing music and cleaning in preparation for the feast of Christmas that we actually miss the coming of Christ. Hurt feelings, anger, impatience, injured egos—the list of clouds that busyness creates to blind us to the birth can be long, but it is familiar to us all."

God, help me as the day of your coming speedily approaches. Help me slow down enough so as not to miss it. I want to savor it...relish it...bask in what you did for us. Make it real to me, and my kids.

Well, Freddy and I actually braved the mall yesterday...and Target...and Old Navy...and a few other places. We somehow managed to avoid Walmart, though! It really wasn't too bad. Almost done. I'm trying not to get caught up in it all and keep my focus. But it's so, so hard...

an aside: Freddy took this picture at the Houston Galleria last year. He was just walking around snapping photos when mall security told him to stop. Apparently you can't take pictures in the mall...what's up with that?!?