Advent is such a special time in this house. The kids are at an amazing age. They can grasp the mystery of advent and enjoy it all wholeheartedly. Some of the early December events included making Care Bags for our neighbors in need, walking around The Glitz on Del Mar and being thankful that we live in this fun little town, seeing family and spending time with Nana and Papa, decorating the Christmas tree, visiting Santa and caroling to an elderly home. We also went to the Christmas concert at church and the kids saw the live nativity animals downstairs. We scavenger-hunted for Christmas lights and decorated a gingerbread village.
The nation has been experiencing the aches of waiting expectantly in what feels like a new way, but I know better. In November, most of us were stunned as Donald Trump was elected as the 45th president of the United States. His hateful, racist, homophobic, dishonest and childish rhetoric nauseated Ron and I throughout the election season.
But, you know what? We fight feelings of shock and dread with a sense of hope; hope in humanity, community, resistance and a God who is for everyone, everywhere. We've come to understand this overwhelming love as the "no matter what-ness" of God. We celebrate the birth story as light breaking through darkness and we know that light is as true today as it was 2,000 years ago.
