First Sunday of Advent

As I was sitting here this afternoon lounging around and procrastinating on homework (who me? NEVER!) I saw a tufted titmouse perched on our feeder hanging on the deck.  This is the first time I've seen any bird come to the feeder and I jumped off the couch which immediately startled the bird.  It flew off.  About ten minutes later I looked out to see 3 of them feeding.  I quickly grabbed the camera and sat by our sliding glass doors waiting for the birds to return and feed again so I could capture a picture of them, however the longer I sat there the further way they stayed.  

I sat at those doors waiting, for a good thirty minutes with camera in hand, watching these birds fly around the backyard and feed in the feeder down the hill.  I waited and was hoping they would come up so I could capture a shot of them.  Eventually I got up and (there is a titmouse in the feeder right now as I type this) realized that as long as I was sitting in front of the glass the birds were staying away.  

As I started to read through today's lectionary texts I started to think about this season of Advent.  This time of waiting, anticipation, longing, and as we heard today in church a season of hope.  

As I was reading through today's texts I came across Psalm 122:

Psalm 122:1-9

I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
Our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem-built as a city
that is bound firmly together.
To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
For there the thrones for judgment were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
and security within your towers."
For the sake of my relatives and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you."
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.

Our feet are standing at your gates, O Jerusalem.  Our feet are standing at the edge of this Advent season.  We are entering a time where we are waiting for something to happen.  We are waiting for Christmas, we are waiting for Emmanuel, God with us.  But the good news is we do not have to wait until Christmas morning to find this, God is with us here and now.   

As we prepare to celebrate Christ's coming to the world in the form of an infant and our hope of Christ's coming again, "for the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, 'Peace be within you." For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good." 

Peace be within you,

KP