Second Sunday of Advent and First Quarter Moon

Today starts the second week of advent. Advent is a time of vigilant waiting; I wait for something mysterious and unscheduled, with quiet excitement, and expectation. If I fall asleep to this awareness I risk missing the moment of joy, courage, or insight; the gift of grace that has the potential to feed me in ways I need.

Tonight is also the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - growing in light and energy, creating a time for decisive action and full effort. 

I use this December quarter moon's energy to lean in to peace, love, light, and grace.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries

2. Plan activities for unity and peace

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Advent wreath ceremony

1. Journal queries:

Today, at the first quarter moon, I prepare to give full effort to my priorities. I remember that for each opportunity in life there is a challenge. My theme this month is grace, a state of being - at peace, free, filled with love & light. The challenge to grace is rigidity and numbness; if I am closed-down and unforgiving, I will not hear the guidance and blessings that present themselves.

The practices for meeting this challenge are mindfulness and saying YES.

How can I better practice mindfulness, day in and day out? What whispers, nudges, or clarity am I receiving?  

Where in my life do I need greater peace, love, and light?
How can I remember to bend, let go, and forgive? 

How can I use my gifts this month to serve my family, my community, and the Earth? 

2. Plan activities for unity and peace:

This week my theme is "Striving to find unity and peace with all the people of the world".

That's  a huge goal! Rather than get overwhelmed, though, I plan to do a little something positive each day.

At the birth of Jesus, Luke wrote that the angels proclaimed peace on earth and goodwill for all (the non-violent peace of justice, not Caesar's peace by conquest).

How can I work now to create the conditions of peace in my community and world?
How can I become better at feeling and exhibiting goodwill for all?

Things I might do this week to create unity and peace:

• be peaceful within myself;
• be in harmony with people I interact with;
• work to learn about and appreciate traditions and beliefs of people throughout the world;
• study an issue that is relevant to human rights in the world at this time;
• challenge myself to work to create the conditions of peace (justice, equality, and freedom) in my family and community.

My life might seem insignificant in the vastness of the universe, but each life is essential to the wellbeing of the whole. I demonstrate my compassion with small acts of kindness and generosity. When I renew this intention each day, the opportunities to show goodwill appear with regularity.

3. Make a full effort plan: 

Full effort requires attention; you remember your intentions - what it is you want to do and your deepest reasons why - and also notice your emotions, energy, challenges, etc. I'm thinking today about full effort as a teacher (again). I still identify as a teacher, and I've been working this last month to act more like one. I set this intention a month ago:

I intend to Be a Teacher by proactively planning, advertising, promoting and preparing for classes and teachable moments with my grandsons, my painting class, my Ducks-in-a-row cohort, my Earthcare community, and my wider Friends community, neighborhood, and the entire internet, because I truly feel that I have a message and skills worth sharing.

My full effort plan / schedule:

1. Sunday: Simple projects list: Make a project list of tasks for each class and kid project and put them on my schedule. 

+ Gather all the supplies and books for the week of teachable moments and class preparation in one place.

2. Monday: Teach (Painting; Beaded butterflies, Lamentations).

3. Tuesday: Promote and advertise my classes and ideas with my blogs and new website, Facebook, and print signs to draw others in to the opportunity of new skills and information; Hang signs at the library.

4. Tuesday and Wednesday: Celebrate art moments with my grandsons, with chalk, paint, clay, sewing, etc.

5. Friday: Plan and prepare to teach workshops, with a defined project, exercises, and demonstrations; brainstorm new methods, test the steps, set up to teach. 

+ Teach: Beaded butterflies; Ducks in a row workshop (online); Omamori charms; Story pictures.

5. Saturday: Brainstorm next steps and projects, and research and plan for teachable moments with my grandsons, painting class, my blogs, etc. and write about themes, projects, skills, and opportunities for teaching this week. 

+ Teach: Candle-making; Ducks in a row workshop (online); Omamori charms; Story pictures.

4. Advent wreath ceremony:

Tonight (and every night this week) we will light two advent candles, and recite two prayers:

"We light the first candle for the earth, which sustains us. May we cherish and care for it."

"We light the second candle for all the people of the world. May we find unity and peace."