Advent is a season that speaks softly to me, encouraging me to listen, observe, and reflect in quietness. My daily ritual is to light a candle in the darkness of each Advent morning, read aloud a poem or quotation, then sit quietly.
From November 28-December 24 , I will share a piece of writing that I have collected or written, which resonates with my own spiritual journey at this time of year. I hope that their words may be resources for your Advent practices. If you have Advent rituals and/or writing to add, I encourage you to leave them in the comments section for the rest of us to read.
Peace in this time of waiting and discovery.
Twylla

Monday, November 29, 2010

Making the House Ready for the Lord



Making the House Ready for the Lord
by Mary Oliver, Thirst

Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but
Still nothing is as shining as it should be
for you.  Under the sink, for example, is an
uproar of mice—it is the season of their
many children.  What shall I do?  And under the eaves
and through the walls the squirrels
have gnawed their ragged entrances—but it is the season
when they need shelter, so what shall I do?  And
the raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard
while the dog snores, the cat hugs the pillow;
what shall I do?  Beautiful is the new snow falling
in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly
up the path, to the door.  And still I believe you will
come, Lord: you will, when I speak to the fox
the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know
that really I am speaking to you whenever I say,
as I do all morning and afternoon:  Come in, Come in.

                                         Source: Photo by V. Bern, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; displayed on Wikipedia

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