Posted on by winncollier

Watch for Light {Advent}

I face east. Toward the crest of Carter’s Mountain. Jefferson walked those lines. A vineyard sits atop these hills. Today, the trees stand stalwart against the winter; they have shed their fur but are courageous. All is bare. But all is hopeful. Light is coming.
My hands soak the warmth of steaming mug. My breath forms mist in rhythm. This waiting, this watching — a ritual of expectation for the glow to climb over the ridge.
This moment is familiar to many of you. This moment when our hearts are attuned, our eyes restful and hopeful. Light is coming.
This moment is Advent.
In Advent, we watch for Light. We pay attention to rhythm and sound and cadence. Our hearts look for signals. Our hearts lean forward. Light is coming.
____
I want to watch for Light this Advent; and, to borrow from John Lennon, I’ll get by with a little help from my friends. I want to keep my eyes open. I want to see what I see. And, just as much, I’d like to see what you see.
I’ve got an idea, and I wonder if some of you would like to join me. Each day of Advent, I’m going to be looking for an image that makes me wonder, makes me ponder, an image that nudges me toward hope or joy or light. I’m looking for an image that reminds me that God comes to us in all the strangeness and commonness of the people and space right around us. And if/when I find that image, I’m going to snap it with my phone’s camera and then share it.

If you’d like to join in, here’s what I imagine:

> a picture posted, each day that you happen upon one
> post it on instagram and twitter (God knows twitter needs some light)
> add #adventpicaday to your post so we can follow along
> perhaps add a title too
> if you want to share a picture but refuse instagram, send me a link where you have your shot. We won’t all be able to follow what you’re doing, but I’d love to see it and perhaps share it on the blog along the way

Each day of advent, I’ll snag one of the pictures and post it here, so we can all have a moment to see what you see, a running commentary on what we’re noticing, the ways we’re leaning toward Advent and Light. If this practice is simply more noise to you, then please ignore it. But for some of us, maybe this will help us face east.

Advent began yesterday, and a few friends jumped on in. For a good taste, we’ll start with 5. Future days, we’ll share one a day:

Reaching for Warmth / elaine davis
Sunset on the Horseshoe / rick stilwell
Line of Light / jason boyett
Light / jeromie rand
Forward Lines / winn collier

 

8 Replies to “Watch for Light {Advent}”

  3. Landed here from Columbia, SC via Rick Stilwell and Cathy Monetti, and absolutely love this idea. We have mutual friends on Facebook: Rebecca Henderson and Jim Whitten. Did you go to PCC? (I didn't, but grew up with both of them.)

    Reply

  4. hello, Allison. hello, SC. We lived in Clemson before we moved to Charlottesville. I did go to PCC, many moons ago. Glad to have you joining in, look forward to seeing your images.

    Reply

  5. Cathy Monetti brought me here. I recently had my moment. Sadly, I didn't have my camera. But it remains in my heart. I was at a friend's house. It was very low key, just eating and talking. She had a beautiful nativity on her coffee table. I couldn't take my eyes off it. Conversation drifted all around me and I was drawn into the circle of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the wise men. I felt part of that sacred circle. My heart leaned forward.

    Reply
  7. Pingback: Watching for the light of Advent - The Daily Grace
  8. Pingback: the raging dark - The Daily Grace

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