ADVENT: A TIME OF HEART PREPARATION
Beginning long before Thanksgiving Day- and frequently even before Halloween-- stores and media start reminding us how many days are left until Christmas. Perhaps it’s an attempt to get us into the stores to make our purchases or to urge card senders to complete their social obligations to all who sent us cards last season or to help us make plans for getting our sugary foods and pastries ready for the festivities. Whatever the reason those reminders are bombarding us daily n