In the course of this year I wrote and disseminated a piece on the "Top Ten Spiritual Practices for Aging."  As I've given presentations on these practices the one that sometimes elicits twitters is, "Practice Resting."  After one presentation one of the audience members (who volunteers seven days a week) told me that she was going to wait until the next life to practice resting.  She's an extreme example, but most of us resist resting--even when we're exhausted.  It's as if we think we'll lose our place in the world and lose our identity if we stop working or stop being productive, even if we've retired.  

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the darkness of December and the Christian season of Advent do offer some invitations to pause, reflect and rest. The discipline of Advent waiting and preparation invites us to make space in our lives and hearts for the Christ child who came at Christmas and whose coming again we still await.  We are invited to light candles, to sing, to pray and in these actions experience rest. 

 When we arrive at Christmas we see Christ in the manger, with Mary and Joseph attentively present with him.  Sometimes we sing Christmas lullabies to this child--lullabies that place him in Mary's arms being rocked and protected.  Here again we are invited to rest, to let go of our need to be the active, productive one. Rather we are invited to rest in God's love for us--love that is present both in our doing and our being.

So my prayer for you this Advent and Christmas is that you can sing, celebrate, create and rest.  And from that place of rest may you support the ongoing spiritual journey of the elders you serve.