Session 2: Joy. To: The World

Right on the heels of Session 1 - my response to Session 2!

For Reflection
1. What demands your attention in this Advent season? Schoolwork! One of the worst things about being in school for me is that finals coincide with TMWTY (see previous post). I got behind this semester, let's face it, as usual. I now have four papers to write and a 12 page screenplay to finish. The papers are all due before the 12th, and the screenplay is due the 15th - two days before MommyKnickers arrives! It is so hard to tear myself away from Advent celebrations to write boring papers (especially since they are on violent movies). My screenplay takes place at Christmas, but is also rather depressing.

2. What in your life needs to be scattered by God's arm? Hmmm...that's hard. Worry. Stress. Being uptight about little things. And, as hard as this is, I think a few good friends and I have already been scattered - though hopefully the purpose is the journey back to each other.

3. What brings you joy? Singing. Children. Family.

Yesterday I sang in church, a wonderful Advent song I fell in love with last year. I received the usual thanks and "good job" comments that are always appreciated (but make me feel uncomfortable). But a few people mentioned that it made them cry. Honestly, it was all I could do to not say, "Oh, I'm so glad!" With a song like Koppangen, one that tells a little story and fits my voice pretty well, my hope is always that someone will be moved, like really moved. I think "tears of joy" represent that disturbing kind of joy that Songbird talks about. You can hear a song and not be sure why you are crying, especially when it is one that talks about happy things.

Children also bring me great joy. And sometimes it is a little disturbing, like when children make comments that ring so true - and then they go back to playing with their play-dough. This Friday I get to baby-sit two of my favorite little people, a brother and sister who always make me laugh and often make me think disturbingly deep thoughts. I am sure they will be in full crazy-town mode - children tend to be more visibly affected my the unseen energies in the air than we bottled up adults - and I can't wait!

I am a family kind of person, and am therefore lucky to live with two family members and go to church with another all year round. But this Christmas will bring me a special kind of joy when my mom dad and sister come to MPLS for Christmas. I am especially excited to visit with my sister. CordeliaKnits makes me laugh like no one else can, and I honestly wouldn't mind a tickle fight or two. That kind of Joy is hard for me to find in someone outside my family, outside of someone who knows all my joys and sadness and can laugh with me anyway.