What Makes Advent Special?

It is such an honor to be part of our Advent days here in Seekerville... a time of waiting, of anticipation, of work, joy and play and prayer... and a time of preparation! Preparing the way, much like John the Baptist did.

What is Advent? Great question! Advent is the first season of the Christian church liturgical year, starting with the first four Sundays before Christmas. It's a soul-searching time. A helping others time. A happy time, filled with all kinds of things. The idea of waiting for a good thing to happen... learning patience... being patient... these are the things of a maturing mind and a blossoming civilization.  We use an Advent Wreath on the table to remind us of the waiting... One new candle is lighted each Sunday... And the tiny lights show our anticipation of the Savior's birth!



The other thing we do now is have Mary and Joseph "travel" the dining room on their journey to Bethlehem. I'll do that with Finn and Lena this year as we learn about Baby Jesus's birthday. Again, that sweet element of anticipation (much like we build in our books...) is a huge catalyst to making even the simplest Christmas special.

We've  become accustomed to instant gratification. We want our TVs to turn on when we hit a button. If they hesitate, we get snarky! And if the computer spins while connecting, we stare at it like we've been insulted by 2010 Internet! :)

We expect our car to run. We expect our phone to get and give calls, to search the web, to contact people on voice command, to order food (and pay for it!) and to amuse us when we're required to wait for anything.

We have made ourselves dependent on technology and gadgets! Oh, silly us!

I love the prayers of Advent. The image of Mary and Joseph, carrying such an emotional and physical load in their travels... and then in life.  Imagine, for the few moments of these beautiful songs, being Mary...

Mary, Did You Know?

Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant

The evening prayer, also called "vespers". The songs of preparation aren't the joy-filled celebratory songs we sing on Christmas! The Advent hymns speak of waiting... of cold... of darkness. They seek forgiveness and peace. They touch the sorrowed soul and the waiting heart.

This beautiful video by the Notre Dame Folk Group with "What Child is This?/Child of the Poor" is so beautifully done to reflect the real meaning of Christmas.  VIDEO HERE

Christmas is a beautiful celebration of love but it wouldn't be nearly as dear to me if I didn't quietly observe that time of waiting and reconciliation. The time of hope and forgiveness. The time of grace, freely given.

I think the best Christmas stories come from that season of waiting. The quiet hope. The joy of anticipation. Those are the stories that touch my heart. The "Saint Maybes"... "Christmas in Conway" "It's a Wonderful Life" and so many more.

Christmas-- and writing about Christmas and holidays and soul-searing moments-- isn't about the date, the calendar or the celebration. It's about the climb. The walk. The road less traveled, and the emotion that drives those choices.

Ever wonder why some Christmas stories fall flat?

No depth. No emotion. No grip-your-heart joy when the Grinch's heart grows THREE SIZES in the space of a few minutes.

Advent is that walk for us a humans, and your story line is that walk for readers. You are preparing the way, just like John the Baptist did.... only you're doing a literary roadway. It can be a wilderness or it can be old-fashioned dirt-and-gravel... or a red clay road... or a paved highway.

Consider the emotion of the moment with every step of that path and your Christmas story will thank you for it. And so will your readers.

Now, on a lighter note, I've got a couple of real feel-good stories here... and chocolate.... for one lucky winner! Leave a comment on the blog, anything about Christmas... Advent... Preparation.... Joy! Or yes, even sorrow because when we've lost someone to anger or death or divorce that's a painful wound when the rest of the world is going around with "Merry Christmas" on their lips. (Scrooge, Dickens, "A Christmas Carol")

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Multi-published, award-winning author Ruthy Logan Herne loves wearing an inspirational author hat because she is unabashedly grateful to God for all of his blessings... and she likes wearing hats! :) The author of more than 50 novels and novellas, Ruthy lives on a pumpkin farm in Western New York, she loves to bake and hang out with small children, she doesn't mind snow and she thinks her mini-donkeys are really stinkin' cute! Connect with Ruthy on facebook, follow her on BOOKBUB or @Twitter and you can directly email her at loganherne@gmail.com or browse her website ruthloganherne.com She loves to meet and greet readers and writers! All are welcome....