Making & Meditating on an Advent Wreath

Guest post by Debbie Loo.

Let us focus on the promise of eternity,
and set our hearts on the things of Heaven.
~ First Sunday of Advent, 2020

Making an Advent wreath for Christmas 2020. Who knew it could be such a meditative process?
It started out really tentatively and frankly, badly. In the sense that I was insecure over how it’d turn out and I kept undoing, redoing, all the piercings I’d made in the foam. Do, undo, redo. An allusion for some of life’s decisions, perhaps?

As I carried on, I had to “muscle” through my apprehension and fears of failure. Who’d have known something like this would call up nagging inadequacies? But God is in all things, I know. And so after a sour and agitated start, I set aside my pride of doing badly and went ahead to let whatever initial “mistakes” be. I kept at it. Even if I hesitated a lot.

Turned out, it just needed time, and perseverance. Slowly taking shape in its messiness; I had to be patient and kind with myself, mostly. The Advent wreath was a teaching moment from God to me. Much needed in this wilderness.

May I continue to be fearless about accomplishing more “firsts” in spite of the obstacles. Even if I go at it alone, even if I struggle or stumble, I am not ever alone. For He has said before to me, “I am with you always.” This is a promise, never-changing. So I shall stay faithful and always open to receive His Word.

Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’
~ Mark 13:36-37

Debbie Loo is a writer and mother in Singapore.