Classes are canceled across Seattle today, my husband got the phone call at 5:00 a.m. notifying him (he teaches high school) and Seattle University posted their announcement soon after. Apparently even though there hasn’t been much snowfall in the city, the low temperatures have made for icy and dangerous driving conditions. Snow and below freezing temperatures are unusual around here and the city is not equipped to deal well, especially since Seattle is built on 7 hills, which makes for even more treacherous driving. Today was to be my last class session and I am sad not to have a chance to gather together with my students one more time.
Some of my favorite Advent resources for prayer and reflection to help you prepare for the season:
Night Visions by Jan Richardson (sadly Amazon says this is out of print and they only have one used copy for $75! But it looks like you can order directly from Jan’s website for $19 plus $4.56 shipping. I know this is pricey for a book, but it includes her collage work and reflections and is truly my favorite Advent resource. Her book In Wisdom’s Path is also wonderful and covers the whole year more briefly).
The Vigil by Wendy Wright, she writes beautifully and I have all of her books on the different liturgical seasons. This book includes reflections for the season of Christmas as well.
Watch for the Light edited by Philip Yancey (with reflections by Thomas Merton, Oscar Romero, and many others) is a nice resource because it gives you many different voices.
Pax Christi has a pamphlet titled Awakening the Prophet Within: Reflections for Advent 2006. You can read a sample of these reflections here.
A lovely article from Sojourners on The Habit of Advent.
The Episcopal Diocese of Washington has an online Advent calendar.
To help you take things a little less seriously, Dave Walker has an Advent Calendar Blog from 2005.
Britt-Arnhild shares one of her favorite Advent traditions.
What are your favorite resources and readings for Advent?
-Christine Valters Paintner
12 Responses
You are welcome Wendy, I love Sojourners magazine and Rose Marie Berger does a monthly spirituality reflection that is always lovely.
Thanks Bette. I think you’ll really enjoy the book! My husband had two days off from teaching so we had some spontaneous couple time, went to breakfast both days, watched some movies, had a fire, took naps. It was lovely. Last night there was more snow but then it turned to rain and started to warm up (we reached record lows and also set a record for the wettest month in history) so by this morning the snow and ice are mostly gone. It was hard to send him off to work, but I have to prepare today for our Awakening the Creative Spirit session the next two days. Then next week I grade the final projects from my Seattle U class and then I finally have the space I have been longing for (to do more art! and yes, finally try my hand at stamp carving :-) ).
Love and blessings, Christine
yes, you are a wonderful resource and a wonderful person, Christine. Thank you for all you do :)
All of the books sound great. But I am really looking forward to getting “In Wisdom’s Path”.
Hope your weather has subsided some. Is having the snow bringing you some extra time to reflect?
Hugs,
Bette.