Coloring Advent

I still haven't figured where I packed my Advent candle set since our move 18 months ago, so this is the 2nd Advent season without it.  Maybe next year.  I have my Nativity set up, although I had to reimagine its display when I realized last year that I no longer have a buffet/sideboard where it has sat for many years.

So when I saw this for sale, I decided to venture into the land of adult coloring books.
This has become a blessing.

Each morning so far, I have put on some instrumental or classical Christmas music, and spent about an hour coloring the day's offering. I read the very short quote,  hymn line, or Bible verse associated with the day's picture, and open up my box of colored pencils.  As I listen to the music, and concentrate on the act of coloring, I can feel myself "letting go".  My mind empties, and leaves itself open.  I am not an artist, and I don't have an instinctive feel for what colors go together well.  I've made mistakes with colors or placement.  But it doesn't matter.  In fact, one morning I realized that life was like my coloring.  There is a pattern, though you don't always see it until later, you will make mistakes, and sometimes the best you can do is concentrate on where you are at the moment and do the best you can at the time.  And sometimes you worry too much about the detail and forget to look at the whole.