Christmas

This year Christmas was mostly about Advent. We celebrate Advent at school, remembering the stories of Jesus' family tree. It is a time that is full of laughter fenced by the knowledge that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Our God is one God. Our God is faithful.

This year has been a year of waiting. And for me it has been important to learn that striving against the waiting does not make the waiting speed by. We bought a house that has evolved in to a home.

Our good friend from prayer group has encouraged us to bless the house since the day we bought it. I remember that we did walk through the house praying that God would bless the space and our work in it. At the time of those prayers the urine smell was thick and pungent and the cock roaches slithered everywhere. That was the beginning of the blessing. The Lord has allowed us to bless the walls with laughter, stories, prayers, quiet reflection and of course some good-old-fashioned t.v. watching.

Now as we walk around our neighborhood, I am humbled by God's faithful goodness. I remember that sometime after we bid on this home, I began to get angry. The banking system was not working the way I needed it to giving me more time to second guess our decision. The vivid olfactive memory made me shudder and the thought of cockroaches made me want to rent our apartment forever. My doubt and apprehension turned to anger and I wondered why we had been cursed with this house. What made us think this was the right investment?

God is faithful and turned what looked like a curse in to a blessing. Sam and I and so many friends brought forth a home out of the putrid walls of neglect. Clearly this was not done in our own strength and there were many breaking points. Broken beyond what I knew I could handle. God, through community and divine presence, restores, rebuilds and out of the putrid walls of neglect is turning my soul in to a home.