Saturday 30 November 2013

Advent - the beginning of waiting and preparing

Crunch, crunch, crunch went my feet on the snow as I walked along the path.  The temperature was -31C and I was bundled up in winter gear good to -45C.     With each step,  the wind would blow away the footprints behind me.   Small steps forward.   Leave no foot prints.     I am recovering from some major surgery and walking at least three times a day is necessary.  

When I first started walking after surgery,  I was not walking,  I was shuffling.   Our next door neighbour wondered if I was walking with the latest fad  of Zen Walking.   Zen Walking is the meditation of each step,  of listening and hearing what is around before one takes the next step.  I said while I wasn't into the fad,  I was walking as fast as I could due to surgery.    But you know,  meditation with walking is awesome.  It gives one time to pray to God and to listen and hear the sounds of life in the city.    

With each day of walking,  I have been able to go further but only in small steps. Each time I am out walking,  I walk a couple of extra small steps further than what I'd walked in the previous walk.  Over the four weeks that I have been home and walking,  I am now walking two blocks. 

We take small steps as we begin this Season of Advent.   Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for the coming of the Christ Child.    With each of the four weeks in Advent,  we hear Advent Litanies in Church  and read Advent devotionals.  Small steps of learning yet again of the stories of the prophets -- the cry to return again to God,  of  John the Baptist and his cry of repentance and forgiveness,  of Love and Peace and Joy and Hope,  and Mary,  and then the glorious impossible of God come to earth as the Holy Child.  

Small steps forward into the love of God.  As we trod with each small step,  may we pray for the love and peace and joy and hope of this Season.