Happy New Year!

It doesn't feel like New Year's Eve, does it? Yet, in some ways, it is.

Here we are, once again at the end of a liturgical calendar year--at least it is if you're reading this before Sunday morning.

On Sunday, it's on to Advent, one of my favorite seasons. I keep several kinds of Advent. I am as susceptible to Christmas frenzy as the next person, so for part of Advent, I listen to Christmas CDs and perhaps bake a batch of cookies.

But I also keep a contemplative corner of Advent, where I am more diligent about reading the sacred texts and lighting the Advent candles.

If you're new to the tradition of Advent wreaths and you're local to South Florida, come to our church where we will be making them after 10:00 worship service on Sunday morning; Trinity will provide all the materials and the instruction. It's a great way to keep your mind turning back to the deeper reason for this holiday season. Now is the time to remember to pray. Now is the time to rest. Light the candles on your Advent wreath and contemplate the mysteries that so many religious traditions celebrate as the year winds to a close.

The Advent wreath is just one of many ways to keep your soul grounded in the weeks before Christmas. In these days before the frenzy of the consumer side of the holiday descends on us, let's make a plan to help us stay sane.