Photo from Ann Voskamp: One Thousand Gifts

The excitement is mounting.

The decorations are going up.

The pace of life is moving forward with to-do-lists, present lists, card lists, food lists.

Christmas is coming. And we wait impatiently. Whatever our age.

But wait.

Wait.

Not so impatiently.

First comes Advent. A few weeks .... four Sundays .... a time of preparation.

A time for men to behave Advently. (men as in "on earth, peace to all men." Men in the old sense of each one of us. Well, it fits the title doesn't it)

* * * *

What does behaving Advently look like for you?

Liturgically, it's the start of the New Year for the church. So maybe a good time for some new year resolutions?

- Might you resolve to spend a few extra moments to behave Advently at the start of each day - spending that time quietly seeking God's Presence. Maybe light a candle to be a reminder that Christ came to bring light into our darkness.

And every time you pass that candle, lit or not, be reminded again.

Liturgically too, it's a time for purple. Because Advent is a time of penitence, like Lent. A time to make a clean slate with God. The church uses purple to remind us of that.

- Might you spend a few moments to behave Advently at the end of each day to look back over the past hours, to give thanks for 2 or 3 of the good things, and then to confess those things where we have put the things of God and HIS Kingdom into second place. And to ask for forgiveness. Then look forward to the coming day and invite God into it , especially into those places where you will most need His help. (This little exercise is based on Ignatius Loyola's Examen)

You could of course go wild and liturgically dye your hair purple - http://artsyhonker.net/liturgical-hair-advent-i/

- Might you decide to behave Advently for a whole day? Be intentionally Adventious? There's still a place or two available for the Advent Away Day at The Vine at Mays Farm. Just a few hours of peace and quiet, with some led devotions, some time for personal reflection (which could mean sitting in the chapel or could mean a brisk walk in the surrounding countryside, whatever helps you to BE with God) and some Advent festivity. Details here.

Behaving Advently means Deciding to put Christ back into Christmas. He is sadly missing from so much.

How will you behave Advently over the next few weeks?