Journey Well

 "Advent is also a realization of our daily, ongoing preparation - the work of inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives and making room for Christ to do a good work in us. We lean into the reality that though we are saved from death because of the cross, we are still a work in progress. Advent is for everyone."

In October of 2000 we bought our first home. Two kids in their 20s. We moved into this house from a 2 bedroom apartment in Roswell that might have been as big as our living room.

We had entire rooms with no furniture in them.

We didn't have enough dishes to fill the kitchen cabinets.

Fast forward to yesterday, when we've grown from 2 to 5. When our cabinets are overflowing (despite the countless decluttering challenges I participate in). We have more people than bedrooms. We are living in 110% of our home (at least). We have more stuff than space.

This week Xman shared with me that as the seasons have flipped (maybe) he can't find his long sleeve stuff to wear.

In our super small bedrooms, it's hard to store two seasons of clothing. However, GA weather refuses to decide if it's going to be summer or winter, so he still needs his t-shirts and shorts. But now also needs sweatpants and long sleeve clothing.

I put on my Next Right Thing podcast yesterday and went sat in his room. Brainstorming how to reconfigure the room that once comfortably held a crib, but now is bursting with a full size bed and big man sized shoes.

I shifted some things around, found a wire organizer in the garage, and created a way to house all his long sleeve things in a way in which he could find them.

As I walked this morning, I pondered Advent and what I want to glean from this season of waiting in Hope.

I want to be a person who LISTENS well.

I want to be a person who SUPPORTS fully.

I want to be a person who GIVES generously.

I want to hear you say "It's important to me to be able to find my sweatshirts and I can't figure out how to do that."

I want to show up in that mess and ponder a solution.

I want to give of my time to help solve the problem.

It's not about organizing the winter wear, it's about recognizing what's important to someone else and showing up for that.

My love language is Acts of Service.

Not because I can't unload the dishwasher or clean out my own car or run my own errands.

But because when someone else does one of those things for me, I feel SEEN.

You acknowledge that I hate pumping gas. I can't remember which side of the car the gas cap is on. The cheapest gas is not a gas station I pass. You SEE that it means a lot to me, and you do it.

You walk past the kitchen sink full of dishes. You stop. You solve the problem. I walk past the sink and I feel seen. You see that it takes a lot to run a house. You participate.

Mama Warriors, as we open the season of advent today, I encourage you to ponder and pray about what you want this season of waiting in HOPE to look like.

As the glue and maker of all the magic, I know I have to CHOOSE to look for joy and ways to fill my well.

I want to arrive at Christmas morning feeling like I journeyed there well.

I encourage us to be travelers who listen well, support fully and give generously.