Another Kind of Bread at the Table
Every December since our sons were little, I set an intention to carve out time for a weekly Advent devotional with our family. Every January, I forgave myself for letting it fall off my radar and promised that I would do better next year. In my mind, this devotional needed to be on Sunday evening with a lovely home-cooked meal and a beautifully set dinner table.
An Advent spiritual practice felt especially important in 2020. Still, Sunday evenings always seemed busy, my enthusiasm for home cooking was waning, and our dining table had become a make-shift classroom and art studio. I picked up our Advent kit from Saint John's, threw out all my expectations, and started with a new plan to make our devotional time happen.
So on the first Tuesday in Advent, my husband, two teenage sons, one of their friends, and I pushed aside papers, computers, and art supplies and sat down in the dining room with plates of salad and pizza. It was nothing like what I had envisioned but much, much more than I had hoped. We lit the candle of Hope, read a brief devotional, and then spent almost an hour and a half discussing faith, politics, college, young people, and the future of our country.
In subsequent weeks, we returned to the table for our Advent gathering. The menu, topics of conversation, and devotional leader varied, but my gratitude for that time together was constant. I couldn't imagine a better Christmas gift.
This weekly devotional practice is something we can now continue through the year using Bread for Our Journey from Saint John’s. Modeled after the Advent devotional, our faith development staff are curating a collection of resources to meet you wherever you are on your journey of faith.
Join me at your own table in using the devotions, lighting a candle and reflecting in conversation and gratitude.
