My friends Jesse and Trevor learned from their grandparents that if you borrow something from someone, you should surprise the giver by returning it just a little nicer than it was received. So, when they were displaced in Pasadena by the fires in Santa Barbara, they tried washing Grandma and Grandpa Repko’s Volvo before returning it.
Today I realized that in some way, this is Advent. When Jesus walks into the room he dignifies people, no matter who we are. Sometimes it may surprise us.
We wait for the child who arrived in time to teach us how to dignify the other, to leave even our enemies with a secret prayer for healing. We wait for the one who taught us that forgiveness is real power. We wait, wondering how to leave the earth better. We wait for him, still.
Lovely Grandparents, those adorable Repkos! May all the advice wise ones lend to us and our brood here in our home sink deep within our minds and hearts and become habit. 🙂 (Love the Nelly wisdom that flows our way)