why are we waiting?

26/11/08 | Posted by ellen

It is Advent Sunday this Sunday and we get to open the first window on the chocolate advent calender that my daughter has bullied me into getting on Monday 1st December...I can scarcely hold the children back from opening this first window and their impatience to get Christmas going is already starting to wear me out. So, why are we waiting? Why don't we just get on with it?

 why are we waiting?

This is the question asked by the Church of England advent website. Here, every day of advent, will be posted a daily advent message. The thing is if you click on the link before Monday 1st December you’ll just have to wait because it isn’t fully launched until advent begins! Just to get us going there is a short message from the Arch Bishop of Canterbury - Rowan Williams:

Bishop Stephen Cottrell, who is part of the launch team, said of the site:

“This Advent Calendar is a timely resource as we approach Christmas in the credit crunch. It offers people a breathing space in what is often a busy and stressful time of year so we can all consider how best to use our resources.

“We hope the website reminds people that waiting is not a waste of time but, as we see in nature, a time of change, growth and transformation. Advent is the season in which the church celebrates waiting as an essential part of human experience – it is much more than the countdown to Christmas or the season of shopping.

“This website will remind people that having to wait for what you want isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes you realise you don’t want it after all and save yourself some time and money. Other times, what you want is even more welcome for having had to wait.

“Many Advent calendars offer daily chocolate – what this website offers is a daily dose of chocolate for the soul.”

I am not sure that this will hold back my daughter from the chocolate advent calendar but I hope it will be a healthy spiritual supplement. If you have a look at it anytime over Advent do let us know what you think about it!

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