Advent Pipedreams

It's beginning to look a lot like...Easter!

Did I mention that one of my neighbors has Christmas decorations up that can only be described as Easter eggs? I did a double-take at the Easter decor before almost crashing into a manger scene. Those three wise men would have been ticked off. Actually, they shouldn't even be at the manger scene until Epiphany.

But at least I'm not nit-picking.

Anyway, it's the last Sunday before Christmas, the fourth Sunday of Advent, the last chance to stir up some peace and stillness within ourselves before celebrating Christmas. Peace and stillness?! HA! We still have a mountain of shopping and wrapping to complete. I bought the Christmas cards, but they sit in the trunk of my car, still wrapped in cellophane. Baking is out of the question this year and I'm lucky that I remember to light the 'Buttercream' candle gathering dust in my kitchen. Peace and stillness , patience and anticipation, hope and joy seem like pipe dreams, yet, that's exactly what we are called to exhibit during these last remaining days.

And not just during the remaining days....but during all our days.