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Showing posts with the label Advent 2A

Thrumming....

When I entered college in 1974, having graduated a year early, I was 17 years old and had no idea what I wanted do with the rest of my life. I did know that I wanted a college degree and a job. I briefly considered anthropology but changed my mind when my counselor told me that there were no jobs for women in that field. I had no interest in being a trailblazer, I just wanted to live a comfortable life. However, if I had majored in anthropology I would have known the term, “redemptive media.” Redemptive media is a term used by anthropologists to describe that which makes a person good, successful, and respectable. In the days of John the Baptist, what made one respectable and successful were who the parents were. Since everyone in his community descended from Abraham, that meant, by tradition, that they were God’s chosen people.  There’s a comfort in knowing who one is. Life is easier if one fits into the categories that one’s culture defines as good, respectable, and ...

Adventing through anxious times

The other day my daughter sent me a text message asking for help finding jokes that would be appropriate for a company Christmas party. I posted her request for help on my Facebook page and instantly I had a dozen jokes.   Here are a couple of them: Q. If everyone in America had a pink car, what would we have? A. A pink carnation What do you call a snowman in June? A puddle What does a snowman eat for breakfast? Snowflakes Which reindeer is the cleanest? Comet   Today is the second Sunday in the season of Advent. Advent is distinctive for us – evidenced by the simplicity of the worship space, the beautiful but simple glass chalices and patens, the color blue, the Advent wreath which replaces the Paschal Candle, and just a hint of the greenery that will come with Christmas. Advent is a time when we focus less on the instantaneous nature of the world around, instant gratification, instant information and news, instant food, many many things are available to us in an instant. Advent...