Categories: uncategorized
Date: 03 December 2006 20:17:42
Of course, I shouldn't really be here typing this today. After all, today was over by Friday evening due to a little absent-mindedness with the advent candle. Every year the same thing happens... Advent is cut short by at least one day as it burns away rather too rapidly or the Smudgelet on candle-duty gets distracted.
Somewhat more than the advent candle nearly burned away last night. Well, I should have known better than to balance it in Smudgelet's homemade candle holder really. I thought it was quite secure but Smudgelet is notorious for knocking or running into tables and last night was no exception. We watched as the candle did a triple reverse pike and dived dramatically onto the carpet. Luckily it landed flame first and put itself out. Hmmm....
We have two advent candles this year. (Would have been three if I'd gone up in the loft early enough and retrieved the spare one from last year). One we purchased during our visit to Romsey and it's rather a posh one. The other I made my very own self last Wednesday at a creative worship day at church. It was not the greatest success in the world as the special candle paints were not that easy to manipulate (I realised only when half way down the candle that the cocktail sticks on the table were ideal for - and indeed placed there for - using as a painting implement to get a fine line). But finally I had divided the length of the candle into 25 stubby sections and clumsily numbered them, even remembering to put the numbers in the right direction. I was rather pleased with it. I was even more pleased when, in another part of the church, I tried my hand at card making and crafted a special card for a friend for whom the normal jolly Christmas cards would be inappropriate this year (due to bereavement).
I had been feeling rather low, as you're aware, and this quiet time of reflection was perfect. The wall was covered with prayers and pictures which really spoke to me and the quiet time focussed on making gave me time to think and to pray and be still with God. Wonderful. But we come down from the mountain top, don't we? I came down with a bump when I realised that while I'd been praying, my candle had been rolling. The card was now sealed with wax... in a rather interesting stripy pattern interspersed with blobs. The candle was now interestingly bare!
Hmmmmmm....