Yesterday we began our adventure through Advent.  I believe I said we all desire adventure…I don’t think I actually said I was hoping for one yesterday but I got one nevertheless!  We rushed out of church yesterday because we had made lunch plans with the in-laws with the intention of cutting down our Christmas tree from their back yard.  I was being ambitious this year and sought out a 15 foot tree to place in our open two-story foyer at home.  I have a 12 foot kayak that goes on top of my car so a 15 foot tree shouldn’t be a problem, right?  You can probably imagine how that went.  Forty minutes later I returned with my dad’s car and trailer and we took the monster of a tree home.

Of course the tree adventure didn’t end there!  Getting it into the house was another exciting time.  Despite having a tree stand designed for tall trees, it wasn’t happening.  The tree would not stand up straight but instead felt like falling over was more fun. It just wasn’t going to work…I clearly had bit off more than I could chew.  We ended up sawing off the bottom five feet and going with a 10 foot tree instead.  Once the tree was upright and not falling over it was time to return the trailer to my dad’s and hopefully end this unplanned adventure by decorating the tree and enjoying its (shortened) beauty.   But of course the story couldn’t end there…

As I was returning my dad’s equipment, Allison was home cleaning up the plethora of pine needles splayed out around the house.  When she watered the tree, she discovered the stand was now cracked and will hold no water.  So now my dad is coming over tonight so we can attempt to lift the tree up and swap out stands without it falling on anyone.  Maybe then we can decorate it…unless we loose the battle with the league of spiders that was living in the tree and are now making camp all over our house.  I’m starting to think artificial trees sound really nice!

Sometimes we seek out adventure.  At other times, adventure finds us.  Sometimes we enjoy it and other times we can only laugh at it way after the fact.  But life is an adventure whether we want one or not.  This Advent season, are you walking in adventure with Jesus?  Is every day new and exciting for no other reason than you know Him and are walking in His calling for your life?  If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you know where you’ve been and how He saved you.  You know where you are going and the eternal paradise that awaits you.  But how are you living between those two realities?  Are you living in excited anticipation of Jesus’ return?  Are you living with expectation of adventure walking with Jesus?  If not, it’s time to jump on board for an adventure!  Walking with Jesus is never boring!

Live out adventure with Jesus this week!  (and please have less of an adventure with your tree than I did!)

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Jan