Laurie Brenner::Cultivating Wonder in Advent

Here's the story...
Laurie's talk was really great. As usual, she took something we think we've heard every angle on (Advent), placed her unique spin on it, and gifted us a new lens through which to see this season. 
But there is no recording, so you're stuck with the notes I took between stuffing my face with breakfast and nursing a baby. You're welcome.

We all feel like we're at our max. As wives and mothers, daughters and friends. We want nothing more than to truly appreciate this season of Advent, but who has the time? Laurie showed us that we do, in fact, have the capacity to wonder. To illustrate this, I don't think she'd mind me sharing a particularly endearing quote from her nephew, who took his time during a hurried situation to closely examine a hair rubber band he found on the street: "I always look at the ground when I walk...you never know what you're gonna find." Such wonder! In big and small ways, she expected us to pause and think about "what's the wonder you long for?"

The way that it comes may not look like what you expect.
Look at Joseph. A largely unexamined character in the Christmas story, Joseph was an innocent bystander to wonder. He wasn't remarkable. He was a working class, itinerant carpenter. He had no connections, no position or reach or platform. Just a regular guy who had the capacity to listen, to take the next step, and stay in the game when things got rough. And through that listening, step-by-step, his capacity grew to be a part of the greatest story we know. God entrusted this world-altering story with an everyday person and extended Joseph's capacity to stay in the story.

What could that mean for us? We may feel our own story is small, inconsequential even, but we can't know how God is using us average moms for something bigger.

Think About It...

• Where are you feeling your lack of capacity?
• What is one small area you can receive God's encouragement to increase that capacity? 

Advent Readings
Laurie commits to reading an Advent Scripture every day during this season. Here's how she breaks it down (it's not too late! start now!):

Watch (Nov. 29-Dec. 3)

Mark 13:33-37

Habakkuk 2:1-4/ 1 Thess. 5:1-10

Matthew 25:1-13

Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:31-46

Isaiah 57:14-21

Comfort (Dec. 4-10)

Psalm 23 / John 10:11-16

Isaiah 40:1-11 / Luke 1:26-35

Is. 51:3-12 / Luke 1:46-56

Is. 52:6-10 / Matt. 5:2-12

Is. 61:1-11 / Luke 4:16-21

Jeremiah 31:10-17 / Mark 6:34

Isaiah 11:1-10 / 2 Thess. 2:13-17

Light (Dec. 11-17)

Isaiah 60:1-5 / Luke 2:21-35

Is. 60:18-22 / Revelation 22:1-7

Is. 9:1-7 / Matthew 4:13-17

Is. 42:1-9 / Matthew 11:1-11

Is. 53:1-12 / Luke 1:68-80

Daniel 2:20-22 / John 3:16-21

Micah 7:7-9 / John 1:1-9

Joy (Dec. 18-24)

Isaiah 12:1-6 / Phil. 4:4-9

Is. 49:8-16 / 1 Thess. 5:16-24

Is. 55:6-13 / Revelation 19:1-9

Is. 65:17-25 / Luke 1:1-17

Joel 2:21-32 / Luke 2:8-18

Zechariah 8:18-23 / Matthew 2:1-12

Isaiah 7:14 / Luke 2:1-8