December 6 – 10:30am

Rev. Michael J. Carter

The theme we are exploring this month is expectation. During this season of Advent, what are you anticipating or expecting to occur?

New life is precious for it is pregnant with possibilities. What is going to be born in you this season? Have you been true to your vision of yourself and the world you inhabit? If not, why not? What are you waiting for, expecting, or anticipating?

Are we addicted to bowing our knee to the notions of what is “impossible” or not realistic? Is our life one of believing that things are simply too good to be true (especially if they are happening to us), not being open to the abundance that the cosmos has to offer? Are we constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Advent is also a time of not only expectation but of surprises, and those can be both wonderful and tragic—not just the surprise regarding a certain gift one was not expecting, but of the less dramatic, but just as profound. The simple joy that comes when one finds that the checkbook balance is larger than was initially calculated and no error was made. The report from the doctor that the examination has gone well, while all the while we were convinced that the symptoms were indeed serious. Expectation and gratitude are the keys. So, take a deep breath and take it one day at a time.