To Give Life

Have you ever read an email, text message, book, or letter too quickly and so misunderstood what was being communicated? In our hectic and busy world, there can be instant communication at any time. Not only do computers, cell phones, and tablets facilitate communication, but they increase the expectation of what is a timely response. In the midst of this hurriedness, communicating slowly may not be an option. Yet slow communication is exactly what is needed sometimes. We sometimes call this ?thinking before speaking?! Perhaps you have had the experience of waiting before hitting ?Reply? and found that your response to an angry email changed?or perhaps was not sent at all. Perhaps you found that by listening, the communication wasn?t as angry as you initially sensed. Advent is a time of waiting. It is a time of slowing. We are encouraged not to rush to the celebration of Christmas. Perhaps we can think of Advent as a gift of waiting, of communicating thoughtfully, to make sure we don?t misunderstand God?s communication of Jesus.