

Lessons Learned
So, this Advent, I changed things up! I made the decision not to repeat the past. And I did four specific things to keep priorities in order and make Advent what it is truly meant to be: a time of waiting and watching for the Messiah to come.- I committed to a weekly Holy Hour as a way of setting a prayerful tone for Advent. I imagined myself like the shepherds and wise men, coming to adore the Baby Jesus. I took time to reflect on scriptural messages of waiting and watching that I heard at Mass. And I practiced being still and knowing I was waiting and watching in Jesus’ presence, before the Blessed Sacrament.
- To keep me focused, I prayed my way through two Advent journals: Rooted in Hope by Take Up and Read and In the Beginning by Blessed Is She. They prompted me to open my Bible and pray with the Scriptures. They encouraged me to apply God’s Word to my daily life.
- Thanks to the planning pages in Rooted in Hope, I made lists … and followed them. I didn’t think I’d like this aspect of the journal; I assumed I’d just skip over it. But I gave these pages a try and actually loved them! I used these pages to make my to-do lists and map out my weeks. I often did my planning at the end of my prayer time, and I believe that by inviting the Lord into my work, He gave me the grace to prioritize and stick to my tasks.
- I logged out of social media. How much time I spend online is always something that nags at me. In many ways, I hate it, and in other ways, it feels like a necessity. Advent seemed like the perfect time to take a break, and I think it helped me stay focused on my prayer and my priorities.
Showing Order
Now that the new year has begun, how can I carry the lessons I learned this Advent into the season of Ordinary Time? Ordinary Time comes from the Latin ordinalis, which means “showing order.” In many ways, that is what I was already doing during Advent—showing order to my Advent days by prioritizing prayer and focusing my time on what mattered most. My to-do list might change in the new year, but the importance of showing order really won't. So, while I have not made specific resolutions for the new year, here are four things I can do to “press on” with what I started this Advent (Philippians 3:14):- Stay committed to my weekly Holy Hour.
- Read the Magnificat to continue praying with Scripture and applying it to my daily life.
- Use my new Blessed Is She planner to organize my to-do lists and map out my weeks. This planner is rooted in prayer and the Catholic liturgical life, so it is a lovely tool that merges the prayerful and the practical.
- Limit social media and continue to discern my place online.

Copyright 2018 Sarah Damm
About the Author

Sarah Damm
Sarah Damm is a Catholic wife and mother of six children, living in Minnesota. She spends her days running errands, helping with homework, and keeping up with laundry and the family schedule. Sarah loves her faith, coffee, and good books. You can find out more about her at SarahDamm.com.
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