A personal advent season. (Part 2)

As I've been gaining a better understanding of what the Advent season is really all about (this article also helps explain a little of what I've been learning), I've been starting to make some connections to my own season of life.

It's been a process of recognizing how our hope and anticipation of the coming of Christ does not stem out of this happy, easy-going, I-can-see-gifts-under-the-tree-and-can't-wait-to-open-them type of waiting.  Instead, it stems out of a period of darkness, suffering, and silence.  Advent is a season of spiritual preparation; a longing; a desire for that which is yet to come, and it is not here yet.  And this year the hope of the coming of Jesus has been evoking a much deeper response in me than simply to celebrate Jesus' birth like any other birthday, do good deeds, and extend my thanks and give good gifts.

There's simply something deeper and richer about the season of Advent that I had never learned before.

While I may not have been exiled from my land or suffered deeply as the Israelites have, it seems as though following Jesus has led me on an exodus into the wilderness, leaving behind almost everything I know and find comfort in.  Geographically, I've left my NYC hometown and my college hometown for a completely new location.  Relationally, I've left behind my friends and family to a community I have to develop and adjust to.  Vocationally, I've left behind familiar students of a familiar campus culture to lead students I've never led before in a campus culture I know next to nothing about.  Personally, I've left behind all of who I thought I was for a completely clueless twenty-something who tries really hard not to just drift through life but can't seem to get a grip on anything.

And spiritually, I have felt more disconnected from God than I ever have in my life thus far.  With these changes in life and marriage I've been forced again and again to come face to face with my selfishness and sinfulness.  It's been difficult to experience God's presence and grace,  even with the knowledge of them in my mind.

But I've been holding on to the hope that God is with me, even in the darkness.  And it's only been within the last few weeks where He has been helping me now start to see that things are getting better, slowly but surely.  There is progress in all areas of my life; despite how subtle and undramatic the progress has been, it is progress nonetheless.  The darkness still surrounds me, but the small light from a candle all the way at the other end of the unknown and uncertainty is enough to help me keep going, and keep holding on.

So as I prepare to enter the official Advent season, I've been trying to come up with creative Advent calendar ideas to help me press in to this season of recognizing the Israelites' preparation and longing for the Messiah, as well as my own today.  And while Pinterest has some really cute and crafty ideas, they don't really hit home for helping me engage and go deeper.  But we'll see what happens.  I'm sure God will use whatever I come up with to encounter Him and worship Him.

My pros and cons of the Fall/Winter season

MY PROS:  

1.  I'm a sucker for pumpkin everything.  To me, pumpkin to the fall season is like Christmas carols are to the winter season.  Some people are serious pumpkin grinches, but I haven't gotten tired of pumpkin things yet, and I think it's fun to try making my own pumpkin things.  So far I've made pumpkin scones, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pancakes, and pumpkin oatmeal.  I'm hoping to try making my own pumpkin spice latte (I actually dislike the Starbucks version) and there may be pumpkin bread in my future.

Pumpkin scones and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

2.  Stunningly gorgeous fall foliage.  Upstate NY is the BEST during the autumn season!  We may not have skyscrapers everywhere, but we've got enough colorful trees to make you smile.  Skyscrapers don't make me smile.  The bright mixes and shades of orange, red, and yellow leaves definitely make me smile.

3.  Flannel sheets and down comforters.  I discovered flannel sheets in college, I believe.  I think I got myself a set of penguin twin-sized flannel sheets.  Definitely did not grow up with them.  They're so warm and fuzzy - perfect for cold evenings.

4.  Having a wonderful husband to snuggle with.  Yeah, I'm a closet snuggler.  I don't think people's first impressions of me would include the assumption that I'm a snuggler.  Pam didn't really like it whenever I'd try snuggling with her growing up (she's not much of a touchy person), so I'm glad I'm spending the rest of my life with someone who likes to snuggle with me.

5.  Festive holidays.  I love Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I love reasons to get together with family and eat good food, and I love celebrating the seasons with little things like putting up decorations, listening to Christmas music, and even changing my desktop backgrounds to match.  I like the traditions and trying to develop new traditions, and dreaming up new and creative ways to prepare and participate.  It's fun and often helps me be reflective for me, too.

6.  Apple picking & farms.  Not only am I a sucker for pumpkin-y things, but I'm a sucker for apple picking and other farm-type activities and goodies.  Corn mazes, cider doughnuts, hot (or cold!) apple cider, the whole shebang.  I'd even go for the cheesy hay ride.  Almost went this year on one.  Would've gone if I had the time.  

MY CONS:

1.  Dry skin.  Especially dry, cracked skin that never moisturizes no matter how much you put lotion on.  It is painful, my friends, painful.     

2.  Cold, cold apartment.  Nathan describes our apartment like a thermos - it keeps the heat hotter in the summer, and keeps the cold air colder inside than outside.

3.  My desire to participate in outdoor activities decreases.  It's already hard trying to get me to exercise...try convincing me to run the cold.  I really like participating in (or rather, the possibility of participating in) warm outdoor activities like picnicking, rock scrambling, walking, biking, etc.  Though, I really love ice skating.

4.  When it slushes instead of snows.  It's dirty and gross and wet and not very pretty.

5.  The dangers and frustrations of too much snow.  Black ice?  Been there.  Digging out and pushing a car through the snow?  Done that.  Scary and time-consuming.  Not fun.

6.  Harder to wear pretty clothes.  I love skirts and dresses and pretty blouses and wish I had more of all of them and could wear them all the time.  Bundling up in pretty clothes is just not as easy for me to do in this season.  Maybe I need to just be creative?

Same number of pros and cons this time around, but can you tell which ones hold more weight in my opinion?  :)