12 Advent

Had an early Christmas present this month, the new Jars of Clay cd winged it's way to me thanks to a very on the ball Gingerkid. It's got some fantastic arrangements on it, a couple of brilliant original tracks and some covers with slightly unfortunate parallels - The Little Drummer Boy which sounds like a James Bond remix.

However, it's great to hear a reinterpretation of those songs which we love but which get a little too familiar, it breathes fresh life into them and I have noticed so many different aspects and thought about things in new ways.

The Little Drummer Boy - despite it's licensed to thrill under tones - really pressed home the aspect of what we have individually that we can offer to God and that at this time of year our own ways of marking the events of that first Christmas are important. Yes it's great when we can share traditions but we can't be made to, we also need to recognise our own rituals or even at times to know when it's time to move on from yesteryear.

I was talking to a fairly recently married couple who felt it impossible not to do the family thing and we were thinking about when that might end and how to sow seeds now for future years. It's not an unusual situation and one that luckily I don't have to struggle with thanks to wonderfully supportive and generous parents. Christmas is a time to be together with family but family looks like different things at different times and individuals needs are important too.

I've tried to be wary of that Christmas competitiveness that can creep in too, I am really behind this year in terms of presents and decorations but I am happy with that, I have have had other more important things to focus on and I enjoy the slow build up. But I say I am happy with this until I talk to someone who has done all their shopping, wrapped it, done the cards and got the tree up, then I feel behind and stressed. How ridiculous, advent is a time to slow down and find your own pace and space, to think about what you bring to the season and how.

I played my drum for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
I played my best for Him (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Then, He smiled at me (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum)
Me and my drum