Have you ever watched a dog snooze? They seem so fast asleep, curled up, content. But then a rustle, a scratch, the tiniest noise, and an eye opens at once. An ear twitches. A slightly louder noise, and a dog that only a second ago seemed lost in dreams has their head up, ready to spring into action.

We hear a lot about Advent being a time of watching and waiting. And from the more secular world, we hear a lot about the joys of hibernation. Ironic really, given that the pressures of modern life leave almost no time for rest, to the extent that “self-care” is now another job to do! And it is the Christian faith tradition which has rest and our innate value built in, intrinsic to us regardless of what we do, or don’t, achieve.

Yes we wait for Jesus to come. There’s the old meme, “Look busy, Jesus is coming!” I’m not advocating that. Nor is Advent (or winter) a time to slump mindlessly down into winter torpor, snoring loudly and wholly unconscious of what is around us. Instead I’d like to suggest that we look to our canine (and feline) companions for some inspiration. They nap and snooze gently, full aware of their surroundings, monitoring all that is happening around them, ready to spring into action when needed. But they’re also conserving their energy for worthwhile tasks, not rushing around every minute of the day trying to get everything done. And everything is both joyful and very serious, all at the same time. Play is, after all, a serious business for a dog or cat. It’s how they learn.

But so is rest. God knows this. He built the system after all. Perhaps self-care this winter involves a little snoozing, saving our energy where we can, being alert, but not rushing. Jesus may be coming, but that doesn’t mean he expects us to have it all sorted. The Stable in Bethlehem was hardly a five star resort with spa! And the people with whom he surrounded himself were not political and business stars. Just ordinary folk, like you and me, in ordinary places, resting but alert to the call of God when it came.

Revd. Talisker