Day 3: Jolly Mornings

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” Psalm 63:1

I love early mornings during the Christmas season.  After pouring my winter fuel into my favorite “Jolly” mug lined with candy cane stripes, I turn on the lights of my Christmas tree and listen to Christmas music by the Piano Guys.  Often, the sun is just starting to rise, and I sit in my favorite chair reading my daily devotions.  Not only is my home silent from any clatter, but the neighborhood is also calm.  It is my thirty minutes of peace before any chaos ensues.

Although my daily devotions are part of my regular routine, it seems especially important to maintain this routine during the holiday season.  If Advent is about anticipating Jesus’s birth and second coming, how can I make room for this reflection if I am always busy doing?  It is extremely easy to get caught up in the bustle of the season: gifts to be bought and wrapped, parties to attend, performances to watch, cards to write and send, and time to be volunteered.  Most of these are good things, yet if I am not careful, I can get so busy “doing” that I’m not spending time reflecting on the coming of Jesus.  Yes, I could make effective use of these silent mornings and write out a few Christmas cards or plan Christmas dinner and shop with my fingertips for a few gifts.  But I think it would be far more effective for my soul to keep to my regular routine of daily devotions; slowing down my life for thirty minutes to focus on Jesus before anything else!