I remembered to light our Advent candle at tea tonight. This felt like an achievement. Had to relight it once I came back from the school Christmas Fayre, the school governors’ meeting and Carol Service choir rehearsal, as we’d had to extinguish it before it had burnt down to ‘1. Lord’. Over our meal we’d meditated on the Lordship of Christ, which was great, except when the Queen (aged ten going on somethingteen) was remarking on how boring this all was.
I did, however, forget to remind the kids to open their Advent calendars. Of course we didn’t have them in the morning. My children have to be hauled out of bed with only the slimmest margin of error for prompt arrival at the school gate. We have no slack built in for remembering or opening Advent calendars. So double windows tomorrow.
I’ve not even dug out our Jesse Tree yet. But I shall this weekend, and then we’ll have a bumper Jesse Tree session after Sunday lunch. If we have time before setting up for the Engineer’s birthday party. I’m glad the kids are doing one at school this year – the Vicar has a huge Jesse Tree in the school hall that he’s decorating in the assemblies this half term, and each classroom has one too.
This season of waiting seems rather too much of a season of flapping for me. My annual resolve to ‘sort everything out in November next year’ has gone unfulfilled. Perhaps it’s time for me to spend some more time meditating on the Lordship of Christ and singing along to Matthew’s Begats and Christmas Now is Drawing in, an album of folk carols by Sneak’s Noyse. One of my favourite carols on that album is ‘This is the Truth Sent From Above‘. I can’t find their version online, but here are the King’s Singers singing it slightly more formally with some verses missing, but pleasingly performing in the Round Church in Cambridge, where I used to be a member.
The Vicar's Wife 
Because I invariably have a Big Job on that deadlines just before Christmas, I try to have myself organised by the end of November. So the tree is up, and all presents are wrapped and under it. I also have the cake made.
BUT — you know what? It’s not as much fun watching everyone else rushing round. The smugness only works for a short time. So I say flap away! Sounds like you are doing a great job to me 😀
Hahaha! I am Empress of Flapping.
And another thing – here in New Zealand our school year also ends at Christmas. So imagine having Christmas in July, with all the end of school year prizegivings, concerts etc AND planning to get away for your summer holiday (with a bootful of gifts the kids mustn’t see because Santa is going to magically find where they are holidaying and squeeze in the caravan window)
Afraid I let our candle burn down to 3 Messiah! That’s what comes from not having children in the house to keep watch but the habit of buying a candle dies hard. I sent one to our daughter on mission in Ghana, and guess what – she let hers go down to 3 as well. Must be a family failing!
Gone showed me his little flat yesterday. He’s very happy to have it, but bored already. Someone got him a TV, but analogue so not working. Telling us he will not drink at all, and he’s on antibiotics so we re-enforced the message [myth, according to QI] not to combine the two.
Such wonderful news Tim. Let’s pray he stays there! We’ll have to visit him ourselves 🙂
I have a spare digibox – shall I send it ? Never met the gentleman but would be happy if it helps him make a comfortable home.
Charly
Charly – that’s enormously kind of you. I shall have to check with Tim and let you know!
That’s such an answer to prayer. Will keep praying that he stays there and stays off the drink.
I’ll pack away his sleeping arrangement under our hedge. Glad he’s warm.