Every year, around this time, I am busily sorting out Advent reflections, downloading new music for meditation, searching for new slants on Advent candle liturgies and generally wondering where the year has gone.

As has been my practice most years since ordination, I try to get 'Christ the King' Sunday as a day off, not because I have any issues with it as a theme, but because I need a quick breather before the busy time that is Advent and Christmas.

As the light fades on another Friday afternoon, I think I'm almost there. 

I have found a candle liturgy with which I am reasonably happy (still wondering if it needs a few tweaks as the balance week to week is a little odd in places) and which will allow me to use one of my favourite Advent hymns verse by verse as the Sundays pass by.

By the wonders of technology, I have purchased some music to use within the Advent reflections... it is currently residing on some metaphorical cloud in cyberspace, but I can download it when I'm home and have the desired medium loaded up.

I even got as far as searching for some ideas for the Christmas Eve service...

Always a slightly odd time of year for me... thinking ahead how to make Advent and Christmas menainful, enjoyable and special for other people, and trying to work how to fit in all the friends and family visits in the few days off that we share thereafter!