At the end of November we took an epic family road trip, something we’ve never done with our extended family.

We spent a week down south and it was glorious.

I know. I’ll shut up now.

To make you feel better, you should know we returned to this…

This is the project we’ve been preparing for since spring. And now that it’s underway, we’re glad…but surprised at how many questions there are, decisions to make, and conversations to have. It’s exhausting. And it’s definitely a first-world problem.

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It’s into these circumstances that I walk into Advent. Things have been hectic, then restful, then stressful, then lovely, then filled with annoyances.

In a word, it’s been Life.

In the midst of all this I’m trying to carve out space to be aware of Advent, if only for the resetting value of it. If only for the value of preparations, of waiting, of anticipation, and watching.

For example, in trying to find ANY time to sit quietly, even loudly, but to sit mindfully, I could get only this much done…

This sketch then sat in my car for a couple days getting creased and coffee-marked, until I gave up on trying to steal time in the midst of errands and brought it back inside.

One day I got this done:

Then a day or two later I was able to spend more time and I finished it (over the course of an evening and morning):

There’s probably an Advent lesson there but I’ve yet to discover it. What I know is that the effort matters. It matters that even if it’s in your own thoughts, you’re trying to pay attention and notice elements of peace, hope, joy, and love.

That might be the extent of how you mark the Advent season, and that’s good enough.