Advent Is Coming

I've been thinking about advent.  Usually it just gets lost between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Advent.  It is similar to Lent, although you wouldn't know it for all the commerce stirred by Jingle Bells and tinsel.  Similar to Lent: a time of reflection, of penance before the coming of the Christ Child.

So, I am going to give up the news for advent.  I am a news junkie.  It is my favorite distraction.  It is easy to saturate on a dozen international news streams: web, icecast....  Too easy to ignore the blessings and challenges of here and now for a handful of distant awefuls.  

So, pray for me that I may be faithful and renewed in this small self discipline.