During the season of Advent, I am going to do something new on the blog. I am going to try my best to offer a daily reflection here as we journey through this season together. To help frame the devotions I have been using hashtags designed by a group with the Episcopalian church. For example, the hashtag assigned for today is #Rejoice.

This morning Allison and I had the joy of being able to help lead a group singing their favorite Christmas Carols for an hour around a piano, cello and fireside. It was so much fun. There was much rejoicing, literally.

I had to laugh a bit to myself for my silliness. I foolishly asked when the group asked to sing the carol, “The Friendly Beasts,” how many verses did they want to sing? Someone immediately said, we have to sing all of them! There was not even a question, they wanted to sing the full story, and so this group sang with gusto on carols for an hour making beautiful music.

I should not be surprised by now, after all they are the same group of people who faithfully worship in Morning Prayer (or Matins) each Wednesday morning at 8am. It just so happened that today after their worship and fellowship and treat time, that instead of a speaker, being the week before Christmas they figured it would be ideal to do some caroling. It was fun! It was a wonderful way to start a long day, and a busy week stretch leading up to Christmas Eve next week.

In the midst of the busyness that is this time of year, how do you find yourself rejoicing?

Do you sing along to the words of your favorite songs and carols while driving from place to place? Do you take time to read a daily devotional, or pause and open a door or move something along an Advent calendar helping you journey through the season?

I try and do all of the above. Some days I am better at making time than others, though its those days that I struggle to make time that I need the time to rejoice the most. That’s probably why today has been such a fulfilling and productive one. Here on the Wednesday before Christmas Eve, the day that should be perhaps the busiest of preparation for Christmas, I was able to take an extra hour out of my schedule with my wife and a bunch of wonderful people to join our verses in singing Christmas carols.

Tomorrow as you lay out your calendar and agenda for the day, take some time to block out a portion to be energized either in word or song to allow you to rejoice this season. I promise you, you’ll be glad you did and those around you will be too.

Image Credit: Caroling