A Season to Turn Back

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I love the scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation when Uncle Eddie is talking absently, wandering around, and Clark is following him around making snide remarks that Eddie misses completely. At one point Uncle Eddie approaches the Griswold's Christmas carousel and swipes at the delicate fan blades sending the wooden pieces flying. Clark rushes in to pick up the pieces, and Eddie lumbers on, ready for another glass of egg nog. 

We received one of those Christmas carousels several years ago, and we keep it stored away with our stockings and ceramic Advent wreath. I think of those items this time of year especially when the weather turns cold. Soon we will take the Advent wreath out of the attic, as well as the church's Advent wreath from the closet. We will begin to build the nativity scene across the season of Advent, and finally place Jesus in the manger on Christmas eve. 


So far, no one has taken swipe at our Christmas carousel, and no one has mistaken our nativity scene for entertainment or toys. They are symbols that help draw our imagination back to the incomprehensible reality of the Christ child being born among humanity; the Creator birthed by Mary into the creation. 

These Advent and Christmas symbols call us back to the story, back to the beginning, back together, often around candles. The candles of the Advent wreath, for example: one more added each week, mark time against the growing darkness, until we celebrate on Christmas eve The Light being born into the world. 

This time of year we are drawn back together, back to community, and our sacred stories. It calls us back to prayer and song. It may be that we have to deal with an Uncle Eddie, whose life is quite different from our own; he may not understand the symbols are not to entertain but to draw our imaginations to God's presence, and that's ok. We all learn sometime. 

Make time this season to get still and look at candle light instead of a phone or tv screen. Notice the growing dark outside, and light a candle to remember the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it. Turn away from what the world offers, and turn back to listen to the incomprehensible story of God coming in spite of all our wayward tendencies. The time is now to notice heaven and nature sing, drawing our attention to what is truly important. 

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