Christmas: Are We There Yet?

Quote of the day:
“Hey Coach, your tie is horrible.”
--A Texas-San Antonio basketball fan, addressing University of San Diego coach Brad Holland, who had just been ejected from Sunday’s game.

Live television ultimate truth of the day:
“You go on when it’s 11:30, not when you’re ready.”
--Lorne Michaels, Creator and Executive Producer of "Saturday Night Live."

Quote of the day no. 2:
“We are the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have universal health care. We are also the only industrialized nation in the world that still has the death penalty. In these two cases, we seem to favor death more than life.”
--Studs Terkel, interviewed in the November 2006 "Sun."

The Christmas season has been underway for a while. I’ve heard “Let It Snow” at least four times, and it’s not December yet. The decorations were out at our local Wal-Mart eight weeks ago.

This week the liturgical season of Advent begins. Advent is commonly seen as the “getting-ready-for-Christmas” season, but the reality is much more significant.

Advent is a good and appropriate and soul-nurturing season, because its focus is on quiet waiting. In the midst of ever-louder, ever-more-expensive, ever-more-hectic secular Christmas preparations, some intentional quiet and reflection can be mightily refreshing.

I hope some quiet can find all of us in this season.