I recently discovered the magic of lavender bath bombs. 

Long ago, as a housewarming gift for a previous residence, a friend gave Bridget and I a basket of bath products. They've followed us on a couple of moves, but since neither of us are typically "bath people", some of the items sat unused in the cabinet for several years.

Until recently. I was walking down the sidewalk through the leaves and stumbled into a hole. The leaves had completely camouflaged the missing pavement, and when I stepped into the hole, I twisted my back. Not badly, but later that day I decided to look for the heating pad, hoping that it would relieve the soreness. As I rummaged through the cabinet, I came across the bath bomb, and decided that a hot bath would be a wonderful, relaxing way to untwist and unwind.

I hadn't been in a bathtub in years, and neither of us had ever used the tub in our condo, so the first step was to clean out the dust. I ran the hot water, dropped in the fizzy ball, and lowered myself into the hot water. The scent was wonderful, the hot water was relaxing, and I realized that the relaxing peace and quiet wasn't just good for my sore back, but for my frazzled spirit as well.

Until the phone rang.

I don't really get very many phone calls. We tend to communicate with our kids mostly through a group chat because we're in such different time zones. My phone is set up to send most calls automatically to a message service, so I don't even get very many SPAM calls. But now, after 9:00 PM on a Saturday evening, with Bridget out of town, the phone jarred me from my soothing relaxation. After the call went off to voice mail, the text sound dinged. A couple times. Suddenly I decided that someone was really trying to get in contact, and that worried me a bit, so my relaxation ended and I hopped out of the tub.

It turned out that the phone call was SPAM, from someone trying to sell me an appliance warranty, and the text messages were unrelated, just innocuous banter from our kids. All could have been safely ignored, but now the tub was drained, the moment changed, and I was back in the real world.

But I longed to repeat that experience. I even bought lavender bath bombs at the store, thinking that relaxing in the tub was going to be a regular part of my life, but it has only happened one additional time. Yet I vividly remember that experience. The quiet. The peace. Even if it was only for a brief moment.

For me, this is the experience of Advent. We all know that the world is going to intrude on our desire for reflection, for quiet anticipation, for soothing our frazzled spirits. But we still need to find those moments, brief interludes of calm, and cherish them. Remember them. Use them as part of our preparation for the joy of Christ's birth. Even when they are all too brief, interrupted by our responsibilities to our families and friends, if we can pick out just a couple of times when we can settle into ourselves, we will be refreshed, filled with peace and able to share joy with others. 

Perhaps that means setting the alarm a few minutes early and actually enjoying that cup of hot coffee. Or skipping the company cafeteria and enjoying a simple sandwich in a remote corner of the office. Each of us will have a different way to steal a few moments. Try to plan some of these interludes in your Advent season. They are important. 

I can still smell the lavender in my imagination, and when I do, I can also feel the quiet.

Perhaps consider the Taize Prayer Service on December 13 at 7:00 PM in the church as an opportunity for some moments of reflection.

 Baby Bulldogs Registration- All are Welcome!

It's coming back! Baby Bulldogs will be back in January. This fun program is open to all infants, toddlers and their caregivers in our community.  Registration is now open. Baby Bulldogs Winter 2024 Registration. 

Applications are now open for 24-25! Do you have a friend or neighbor that is considering applying to the best school in Chicago? Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour New student applications for the 24-25 can be found here: New Student Application