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The season of Advent is the time for waiting, preparing, and introspection. Waiting for the return of Christ to gather up the Church into God's realm. Preparing our minds and spirits, as well as those around us, to be changed into the godly people that God created us to be. Introspection means to examine ourselves to see if we have within us a real desire to allow God to show us our true selves and thus our need for repentance and to seek forgiveness for our sins.

Power. Authority. Rules. For many, it's hard to think objectively about any of these words. Our experience with each impacts how we respond when we talk about them. As people who are members of communities from families to congregations to workplaces, we navigate power, authority, and rules each and every day of our lives. Who has authority in your life and how did they get it? Is that authority based on title? Is it based on action? What positions of authority do you hold and how do you feel about them?

We live lives that are made easier by the trappings of our reality. We may say that we are not very wealthy, but we are just that when compared to the worlds' population. The prosperous routine of our lives gives us comfort and a measure of insulation from the cares of this world. We know there are dangers all around us but it's simpler to avoid thinking about them because of the stuff we own and the protection we've been accustomed to until someone we trust makes us aware of something that shakes us to our core - something that could threaten our peaceful existence.

The spirit of giving and the various ways that we give is a key part of our relationship with God. The desire to give of our time in service for ministry, our talents to further God's freedom from bondage to self, and our possessions is admirable. Add to those, the desire to give our prayers for those in need and the study of the Bible as an offering to God means that we have learned to do those things as a holy habit from someone we have held or still hold in high esteem.

The idea of a saintly person recalls on the one hand a very blessed, positive, and inspirational example of our humanity and on the other hand a judgmental, outdated, and unattainable persona that for many people is not taken seriously as an aspirational achievement. I think that most people not only see a saint as someone who has died but someone who must be dead to be considered a real saint.

"Hello, can I help you?" We are used to having people from a variety of places that serve both a public and private clientele ask this question when greeted. Most people respond differently to this question based on their level of urgency or desire to obtain what is requested of the representative of the company or organization offering to help them. If the need is critical or life threatening, the response is intense and overt. If the desire is authentic but not urgent, the response will be measured but not necessarily persistent.

How do you feel about being ambitious? If you have an eager desire for rank, fame, or power, that's the definition of being ambitious. If so, are you okay with that being the driving force of your life? We should feel good about setting high-minded goals for ourselves and achieving them, but would you say that setting high-minded goals and striving to accomplish them equal the same thing as being ambitious? What is the difference between those who have an eager desire for rank and fame and those who seek to set a high standard of excellence in whatever they do in life?

Our health is very important to us, so much so, that we do something habitually that is meant to improve or maintain our overall health condition. We do those things so that we can live as long as we can here on Earth.

Who hasn't been affected by the breakup of a marriage of either their own or by way of someone in their family of friendship group. The feelings of heartache and pain are overwhelming. The feelings of self-blame and internalization of the issues that led to the breakup of the marriage affect those who have had to suffer through it and all their family members as well.

There are several reasons why we choose to compete with others. One reason is that the society that nurtured us also weaved into our collective consciousness the idea that those who are not with us are against us. "With us" may be defined as the people that we list as our family, friends, racial resemblance, same sexual orientation, political partners, and gender group, among many others.