Advent is here

It seems strange to say Advent is here, when Advent is all about anticipation and arrival. Advent isn't ever really here, is it? It's just always coming.
And yet, we are in the countdown to Christmas. Time to gift shop. Time to decorate. Time to make plans for 2011.
Here's my prediction for the end of the year: The next two weeks will go as slowly as cold molasses pouring out of a jar. The two weeks following will fly by in the blink of an eye.
I'm finally feeling well again!

Being sick sucks

I've had a sore throat for about 2 weeks now. But as of Thursday, it's migrated into a full blown congestion cold. My throat is so swollen I can hardly stand swallowing and I have no voice. Seriously, my own mother didn't recognize me on the phone. Either I sound like a man, or I make weird squeaky noises. Oh, and I'm developing that awful reflex cough.
So there's my whine. I know that I am still better off than some obscene percentage of the world (in the 90's somewhere, I'm sure). After all, my only complaint is physical illness. But you know, it's really hard to focus on your blessings when your throat is demanding your full attention. Reminds me of Paul, talking about the Body of Christ. How hard it is to use the Body as a whole when one part is hurting.

Now that I've whined and gone all theological, I'll shut up. And yes, Mom, I'm calling my doctor tomorrow... :)

Fasting from TV

Things get tough now for my TV fast. When I come home from group tonight, there will be TV on that I want to watch. Tomorrow, there will be TV that I want to catch up on. I need to hold to my resolution though.
A thought occurs: I probably should've set a deadline for my fast...

Meeting Expectations

I have a destructive story about myself, and I keep repeating it. There's lots of ways to describe it psychologically, but I'm a writer, so we'll go with a narrative. I'm narrating a story about me (think Stranger than Fiction), and in that story, I consistently fail to meet expectations. I am a failure.

I'm done with that story. And I'm done with striving to meet other people's expectations. As a Christian, there is only 1 thing that matters: that I meet God's expectations. Not in order to be saved, but in order to live a life that is full, a life that is restorative and loving and joy-filled.

So I'm seeking to discover God's concrete expectations for me. I know the big picture: love others, live justly, worship God. But what is the nitty gritty? How does that look in the daily routines of my life? As I seek the concrete expression of living a God-centered life, I will be fasting from all TV except for Fringe. That's potentially 15 hours a week that I just freed up. (Shocked? Yeah, I was too).

Keep me honest, y'all.