an advent guide

As a self pronounced lover-of-busy, this quote from a favorite author really stuck with me since last Christmas:

"You can show up with your perfectly wrapped grab bag gift & your perfectly baked cookies...and your perfectly resentful and frazzled self, ready to snap at the first family member you see." [Shauna Niequist]

This year does happen to be different. When you know less people and are involved in less than ever in your 23 years, you have less to cause that so-called frazzle. But I've realized that distractions remain, that there is always something to consume my mind. It's decorating the house or thinking about those that I miss or hoping for change. Regardless of what it is, I aim to not let them distract from this season that comes once and year and leaves all too quickly.

To help this problem, D went searching for Piper's advent guide and found that he suggested one from The Village Church. Week one runs from November 25th to December 1st [which I realize is today], but I wanted to share anyway. I promise not to tell if  you cheat a little on your advent guide.

You can find the .pdf here. 

I hope that this heightens our yearning for Christ - for His coming, for His will to be done. I know that my controlling lover-of-busy self needs to yearn less for those few extra Christmas parties we've grown accustom to and more for His peace and His purpose in our lives.