Heading toward Christmas, my friend Heidi and I have been doing this daily Advent devotional by Ann Voskamp called The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas. Here’s a quote I really liked from today’s reading:

“Author J.R.R. Tolkein called this moment when the light of deliverance throws back the darkness the “eucatastrophe” -the moment when evil is dashed and righteousness suddenly, spectacularly rises. 

“The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man’s history.” writes Tolkein. The birth of the King is the light in your story, in history, that slashes back the smothering dark. The birth of Christ is, for the band of survivors, the saved hushed there in the manger of Bethlehem, the moment of eucatastrophe, of joy -that “catch of the great, a beat and lifting of the heart.” In that eucatastrophe instant, under a Bethlehem start when humanity witnesses the King-God inhale earth air into His lungs, you can feel it: “joy beyond the walls of the world.”” – Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift

I am struggling with Advent. In re-reading some of my earlier posts from Lent earlier this year, I realize that I haven’t been focussed on this season from the perspective of joyousness. I don’t know why I’m having trouble. Don’t get me wrong, happiness abounds, I’m just having trouble focussing. 

There’s just so much going on. Wikipedia says this about the Eucatastrophe:

“Eucatastrophe is a term coined by J. R. R. Tolkien which refers to the sudden turn of events at the end of a story which ensures that the protagonist does not meet some terrible, impending, and very plausible doom.”

The “very plausible doom” part is pretty scary as I sit here contemplating my very un-serious first-world problems. 

So I need to redirect my attentions away from all of the Grandma surprise party preparing, Christmas present-stressing, gift basket and popcorn making, cable installation warranting, TSA recertification, woodworking project finishing, spring seedling starting, homeschooling, college-wasting kids, skin-cancer dying… if even for just an hour a day to really remember what I’m about. I can’t get through any of my dramas without God. 

Eyes on the prize sister.