Quill of the Hill

December 2002 Page 2

Advent: Spiritual Renewal and Growth

The season of Advent is upon us again. It seems to come around faster every year. Advent starts on December 1^st and extends through December 24; it is the beginning of the new Christian year.

For a lot of the world the Advent season has begun to be called the Christmas season, which of course does not start until Christmas Day and runs until Epiphany, that period of time known as the twelve days of Christmas.

So what difference does it make? Actually a great deal because so much of what Advent is about is lost and people miss out on one of the Churches' best seasons of the year.

So many times I hear people talk with disdain about Christmas, "they can't wait till it is over", "Christmas is not what it used to be", "Christmas is just too commercial". What a terrible commentary on what the birth of the Savior of the World has come to mean to so many people.

That is why it makes a difference if we understand what the season of Advent is about. Advent is a time of spiritual renewal and spiritual growth, a time to reflect on your life, to deepen your commitment to follow Jesus the Christ. Advent is a time for Christians to come closer together by sharing special activities of the season, thoughts and insights, prayers of praise and thanksgiving, faith, hope and love. Advent is a time to look forward to Christmas Day, the joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus.

When Advent is used, as it should be, it helps us focus on what Christmas is about, and a more joyful celebration will happen. It takes some effort, but after all, we ourselves are responsible for what Christmas means to us, in other words, we get out of it what we put into it.

My wish for you and for the world is that a true spirit of love and joy will be celebrated on Christmas Day and the way to that end is a good and meaningful Advent.

Your servant in Christ,

Father Norris

A TRIP TO CHINA

Dr. Reece Boone and wife, Ruth traveled to China this past Fall and we asked if they would give us an account of their travels to share in the "Quill". Dr. Boone graciously agreed and what follows is the first account in a three-part series.

On September 14, we boarded a plane at 6:00

a.m. for China via Chicago, the North Pole, Siberia, and Mongolia then landed at Beijing, China 14 hours later. Our tour group of 15 was congenial; and included two professors from Missouri University, a Psychiatrist from Boston, a retired Navy office and his wife from North Carolina, an RN and her mother from Colorado, a mail carrier from Seattle, and a museum curator from Boston.

Beijing, the Capitol of the Communist Nation, is a beautiful city of 11 million. We did a walking tour of the city and were amazed at the cleanliness that prevailed with countless people wielding brooms and dust-pans on the streets and highways. The streets were 4-lane for automobiles with two lanes for bicycles. The traffic was silent with no sirens or loud horns. The people were polite and friendly. We were as a much a curiosity to them as they were to us. Due to the bulging population (1.3 billion) and high birth rate, the government established strict rules on birth control, limiting a family to one child unless the first child was a female, then they were given a second chance for a male. We learned these rules could be bent with money or influence.

The following morning I awakened with vertigo and vomiting. We summoned our bilingual Chinese tour director, who took us to a hospital. I was seen by four physicians who treated me as a colleague. I was in the emergency room for 6 hours, received IV and medications. The 1000-bed government owned and operated hospital was smoothly run and was very clean. I was much improved when discharged.

We bused out the next morning to see the unbelievable Great Wall of China that is 6,500 miles in length and is the only man-made object visible from outer space. The steep terrain was breath taking as was the mile that Ruth walked. I stayed at the base of the wall and watched the

hikers. (Part 2 in the January "Quill")

Table of Contents

Home

Page 1

"Pay-Off" by Ben Henneke

Page 2

"Advent:" by Father Norris

"A Trip to China" by Dr. Boone

Page 3

Rezzy Dent Says

Page 4

Roots n' Shoots n' Critters