(Hey all. I posted twice today and could used the feedback on the first of the two. So, if you are reading this please scroll down and read the monastery post as well.

I feel really grateful to have been a part of so many lovely things these past few weeks. ThPM hosted an Advent party a couple of weekends ago. We turned four rooms of the house into theme rooms — shepherds with a strobe light and glow-in-the-dark decore; a stable in the basement; the womb room with a shrine to the fetal Christ in the den. The best by far though was the beautiful and elaborate Magi’s Study in our bedroom under the eves. Fiona really went all out — draping the room in goregeous fabrics; writting a journal and letters in the voice of Melchior (one of the astronomers). I’ve been getting lots of comments from our guests about how much they like the rooms and dug the party. Here’s something Neil Tibbot sent me today via email…. “Thanks for having the Advent deal at your house. Its brought up a number of meaningful conversations. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the image of kids playing in the strobe light. It helped me to enter the Shepherds’ story this year.”
Then there was the labyrinth at Benji and Abbi Rodes place, On the House. It was so beautiful — walking through a dark maze of hallways, lit only by candle light. It was the first time I’ve ever seen footwashing done well. And there was this beautiful moment with an angel. Craig posted a poem on the website about his experience there as well. I was surpised when I read it because the event was so wide in it’s openness, yet he and I experienced almost the same thing. I like that. I feels like the Holy Spirit at work in the art and the impulse of the folks who created the experience for us.
And now, tomorrow night, I get to go see Return of the King with my friends Josh and T. I haven’t seen them for a couple of weeks, so I’m looking forward to spending time with them. Maybe after 3 1/2 hours in the dark we can actually go out to eat, and you know, actually talk.
At any rate, all those things feel good. Even this now — typing in my bedroom while Cate takes a nap, the TV droning in the background and chill air seeping into my overly warm room from the cracked window–even this feels good. taking a break feels so good at this time of year. I do love Advent.