Trying On Advent - Fourth Sunday

Waiting for the Son of God

Today in reading a morning meditation, I found some telling words written by Henri Nouwen,

We often experience our time as empty.  We hope that tomorrow, next week, next month or next year the real things will happen. But sometimes we experience the fullness of time.  That is when it seems that time stands still, that past, present, and future become one; that everything is present where we are; and that God, we, and all that is have come together in total unity.   This is the experience of God's time.  "When the completion of the time came [that is: in the fullness of time], God sent his Son, born of a woman" (Galatians 4:4), and in the fullness of time God will "bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth" (Ephesians 1:10).   It is in the fullness of time that we meet God.” 

Throughout this Advent series, I have related the waiting of Advent to my observations in raising monarch butterflies.  The transformation of the monarch butterfly is a story of hope in waiting.  Where, as Nouwen says, “the past, present, and future become one; that everything is present where we are…”  In the case of the monarch, that’s the seed, the caterpillar, the chrysalis, the butterfly.  All are one, reperesented in different forms.  But, it has not come into the fullness of time yet.  And so we wait, even when it turns black and death appears imminent. 

There are moments in Advent where we must be still and wait; moments to be sorrowful for what was; and, moments to rejoice in hope for what is to come.  It too is a story of hope in waiting.  Likewise, my life is a story of hope in waiting.  Christ in me, the hope of glory.  There will be more seasons of my life where I must wait, unsure of what is to come.  There will be more seasons that come suddenly as unexpected, unwelcome changes force me to find a new normal.  And there will be more seasons of celebration and joy. 

Regardless of the catalyst for change, what week of Advent we are in, or what stage of transformation either the monarch or I am in, He is present in all of it.  He is present.  Yes.  He is the present.  As Nouwen writes, we are deeply blessed when we

 “experience the fullness of time.  That is when it seems that time stands still, that past, present, and future become one; that everything is present where we are… and God and we, and all that is have come together in total unity.”  

The Word, The Baby, The Messiah, The King.  He is present… all at the same time, represented by different forms.   This is the story of hope in waiting… hope in transformation.  It is the story of Him who was and is, and is to come… all at the same time.

…and in the fullness of time God will bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth" (Ephesians 1:10).

So, we wait in longing for the Son of God, who was the infant Christ child; and is our Savior; and who will come again as King.  The monarch butterfly, who must wait in its chrysalis form, is a symbol of joyous expectation even though it must endure changing from a glorious jade green to the blackest form.  What appears to die, will be transformed into new life in the resurrection.  Like Christ did, like the monarch butterfly does, like I will some day. 

Come, Lord Jesus.

Trying On Advent

This morning, before church, I was reading through a few of my favorite blogs and I realized it was the first Sunday of Advent.  Though I didn't have a wreath with purple and pink candles, I donned my purple suit coat instead.  I may wear it for the next two Sundays. Then, I will wear pink.  Dare I say it?  I think I will be the candle.  A living light. That's kind of a tall order for me, a sinner.  A mother with children and hectic work, school, sports, and church schedules.  I can bend my "light" toward crabby in an impatient instant.  But, I'm thinking that's what Advent might be for.  A preparation, a mindfulness, attending to the Christ child the way I would my own.  I wonder if anyone will notice? I want to prepare my mind and heart for the coming of Jesus.

I remember the Advent wreaths and calendars in my home as I was growing up. It was almost magical opening the little doors of the calendar and lighting those candles, though I admit, I didn't understand their meaning at the time. Truly, most of what I remember of those Advent days was squabbling with the rest of my 9 siblings over who was going to get to open the little calendar door or light the purple candle, and the hurt feelings that ensued after discovering it wasn't me. That, and no one ever seemed to want to do the reading part.   Now, I have a strong desire to do the reading part.

I came across a book review by Glynn Young in his blog Faith, Fiction and Friends of Discovering Advent, by Mark D. Roberts.   Young wrote a compelling review.  I know this because after reading it, I was compelled to buy the e-book this morning and read it this afternoon.   So now,  I can vouch for both reviewer and author. =)

As I was reading through Discovering Advent, it occurred to me that my work in raising and photographing monarch butterflies is another way of looking at Advent which is latin for "coming."  As I raise and photograph the  monarch transformation (which I affectionately refer to as a "Trust-formation,") I wait and hope for the promise of a monarch butterfly.  In the same way, I wait and hope and actively engage with the spirit of God in my own transformation or Trust-formation when I choose to abide in him.  In the same way, I wait in hopeful anticipation for the second coming of Christ and the fulfillment of his promises.   I appreciated that  Mark Roberts encourages us to enter into this time of Advent creatively.  

He writes, "All families are different, and I encourage you to adapt or to change what I suggested here, or do something completely original."

And so, over the next 4 Sundays,  I offer my Advent blog post, Trying On Advent.  I will use 4 photographs of the progressive transformation of monarchs I've raised to illustrate the "coming" combined with the following excerpts from  Mark Roberts' Advent Devotional Guide which is also found in his wonderful book Discovering Advent.  The photographs and prayers are from me.

A special thank you to Glynn Young and Mark D. Roberts for pointing me in this direction.

******

First Sunday of Advent - Waiting
(from Discovering Advent by Mark D. Roberts)

Advent is a season of waiting, expecting, and hoping. Beginning four Sundays prior to Christmas and ending on Christmas Eve, Advent helps us prepare for the coming, or “advent” of the Christ child at Christmas. The word “advent” comes from the Latin word that means “coming.”

We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore. We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus. We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins. We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.  Roberts, Mark D. (2011-11-07). Discovering Advent: How to Experience the Power of Waiting on God at Christmastime (Kindle Locations 533-537). Patheos. Kindle Edition.

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

Psalm 62:5-7

monarch butterfly egg - photo by Patricia Spreng

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

Psalm 130:5-6

Roberts, Mark D. (2011-11-07). Discovering Advent: How to Experience the Power of Waiting on God at Christmastime (Kindle Locations 454-455). Patheos. Kindle Edition.

My prayer:

Thank you for planting the seed of faith in my life... for allowing me to grow in hopeful anticipation as I transform and wait.  For I know whom I have believed...

I wait for your coming Lord Jesus.
Preparing you room…
in my heart, my mind and my home.
I am nesting, as though heavy with child.

My heart quiets and quickens in anticipation of being with you.

Help me to make wise choices in the chaos of Christmas …
taking in, believing, embracing your promise of Christmas…
Emmanuel, God with us.
God with me…
as I wait for you.
Come Lord Jesus.

Patricia Spreng

Sharing with Charity Singleton at Wide Open Spaces for the Advent writing project she is hosting at The High Calling.
and
with Laura Bogess at The Wellspring

Monarch Season

It definitely is the season for monarch butterflies.  I see them everywhere flitting around to and fro, over the highways and fields of milkweed... quietly celebrating in a dance of praise.  I rejoice just a little more on the inside each time I see one.  For I know what God showed me while I was raising them.  What I thought was a simple science project for my kids, turned out to be a personal journey of trust-formation.
Over at The High Calling  there's a book club hosted by Laura J. Burgess.  We've been reading Luci Shaw's book called Breath for the Bones .  
 You can click on the High Calling site here .

This week we read chapter 9 called Paying Attention.  Luci Shaw is someone I easily admire.  She has a quiet sense about her and a heart that is ready, willing and open to seeing God in the smallest details.  Usually, when I want to stop and revel in God's small details, I have someone behind me demanding my attention, or kind of rolling their eyeballs with a 'there she goes again' look.  So, I also find myself a little jealous of Shaw's season of life which seems to allow her an abundance of quiet space.  Although, some of my favorite God moments have been shown to me because of my children.  The first year I raised monarchs in my home, I would run and get my kids up in the morning to let them know the butterflies were about to hatch.  I was so filled with awe and wonder, that I acted more like a child than they did.  That first spring, after about the 10th hatching, my little boy who was about 8 at the time, wearily made his appearance in the kitchen and while rubbing his eyes said... "mom, I think you think I like this a whole lot more than I do."

To all four of the people who occasionally read this blog, you probably already know that I'll never apologize for my constant referral to the lovely Monarchs. =)  I simply have never had a more profound "paying attention" lesson from God and I pray I bring him glory each time I share it.  The following link is a story where I stopped to pay attention...

(Read my monarch story of Trust-formation here) or click on the Monarch tab above.


Shaw identifies the need for paying attention by quoting the following:

"Artist Thomas La Duke noted:

“Some things are so common that they disappear. They’re all around us, but they vanish.”

Missing our cues, we fail to notice the fingerprints of the Creator in the ordinary textures and phenomena of living because we are distracted by daily urgencies, by things we consider more important, which in the end may prove to be both trivial and transient.

Mary Oliver wrote:  If you notice anything it leads you to notice more and more.

And here the incarnational approach to faith kicks in for me. As a poet and a sacramentalist, I am learning to recognize pointers to transcendent realities in almost anything I see."
Shaw, Luci (2009-09-01). Breath for the Bones (Kindle Locations 1724-1732). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

I guess my son was right, I did enjoy the monarchs more than he did.  But I pray in the midst of all the chaos of raising a family, he remembers his Mom looking for God and finding Him in the chaos... right outside our window. 

Patricia Spreng

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Also sharing today with Playdates with God at The Wellspring     and at

On, In and Around Mondays with L.L. Barkat at Seedlings In Stone

the path...

Someone pulled the milkweed
at the hospice house...
helping out today

I walked among the garden flowers
wondering about the monarchs
listening to the water flowing
in the pond

and then I saw it, the pile of milkweed
I knelt down on the path
and began to search the leaves
for monarch eggs to save
there in a pile on the brick walkway

the path that grieving people walk
before their loved ones die

the path that people take
when they need something to do
like pull weeds
and think about anything other than
death and sadness and pain

so the milkweed got pulled today
it's alright...
it's alright.

He must have seen me through her window.
He came out wondering
what I was doing
collecting leaves and inspecting them
the way I was.

George.  I rose and smiled at this man.
Jenny was inside... dying young.
Oh God. I work for hospice.
As though I just remembered where I was.

But You are here.
You brought me here
today, for George.

And there are seven
new monarch eggs here
to save
for George

He was the one
who pulled the milkweed.
And that's how we met
and how he heard
about Your monarchs.

And now he will see Your picture
of hope and new life and rebirth...
that Jenny will be alright
that she will transform
and he will transform
because You hold all things in Your hand

Oh thank you my Love,
You are here
on this path
where someone pulled the milkweed today.


Sharing for the first time at Walk With Him Wednesdays at A Holy Experience

Good morning
caterpillar
hatching from your egg
you're unaware
what you'll become
upon your leafy bed


 take your time
no hurry now
my little sleepy head

we'll watch you here
with awe and cheer
until your wings you spread

Patricia Spreng



Did you know that the very first meal a monarch caterpillar eats is the very shell from which it hatched just moments before?  Every single time.  How does it know to do that? Such fun!

The monarch butterflies have arrived!  She has laid her eggs gently in the milkweed patch.  My heart delights in knowing what is to come.

                                       ....singing....

The steadfast love

of the Lord

never ceases

His mercies never

come to an end

They are new every morning

New every morning

Great is Thy faithfulness

Oh Lord

Great is Thy faithfulness

The Butterfly Circus

My 18 year old son shared this movie with me and we watched it together last night.  It is well worth the 20 minutes it takes to watch it.  As much as I love the message of the movie; I love that my son loved it and he knew I would love it.  That kind of connection with a child is my favorite kind of gift.  Thank you, Evan.

To watch the short film: The Butterfly Circus (click here) 

Don’t conform to the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12:2