Advent Day 16

Happy Advent from the inside of my car! We are having a massive storm and somewhere in the night the Subaru became a victim.

We are on the approach now.  A week from today will be Christmas!  It has been quite a journey with a few stumbles on the way.  I have lightly documented them here and you can go back and look if you wish.  Today's setback had to do with a tree in the parsonage lawn falling on our cars.  Mine may be beyond repair.  We are still waiting to hear from the insurance company.  The other is doing OK.  That it didn't take out both is a blessing, I guess...

The thing about setbacks like the car and the ER visit is that they present an emotional risk.  We can either drive ourselves into the ground feeling bad about them, or we can put them in a room in our mind as things to deal with in their time.  If we do the latter, then maybe we can keep our cool.  Perhaps we can maintain some balance in the midst of the mess. So in this case I called the insurance company, filed the claim online, and then sat down to write to you all.

I will say though, there has been enough chaos that I am way behind on my holiday stuff.  This included both home and work.  The church Christmas cards have not been started.  I usually make a ton of fruitcakes for people in the church, which also hasn't happened.  Much of this has to do with the shortness of the season and the absence of another staff person to help me this year.  It is frustrating but...it is what it is and Christmas will come in the midst of the chaos as easily as in a more balanced time.  That is to say that some things probably won't get done.  That is just the story of the year.

So here is my message from yesterday.  As I say at the beginning, it is probably the most forgotten piece of preaching I do every year.  However, it is about finding balance and feeling emotions that perhaps "the Man" would rather you stuff down or treat with shopping.

PS I made a couple pop culture references.  It turns out people know who Jerry Garcia is and aren't so sure about Dan Quayle.  Oh well, I am batting .500 which is good in some places...