"Dwell" (Dexterity Books Editorial)

TITLE: Dwell: Celebrating the Arrival of Advent at Home
AUTHOR: Dexterity Books Editorial
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Dexterity Press, 2020, (100 pages).

The year 2020 has been spectacularly dampened by the coronavirus.  This pandemic has affected international trade and many activities that we have come to take for granted. With lockdowns, quarantines, and restricted movement controls implemented in many countries, many of us are pretty much stuck at home, practicing social distancing and non-contact measures. Churches across the nation are also in a state of flux, not knowing when congregations could return to their buildings for a regular Church service. This is especially so for the Advent season, a traditionally busy time for Christians and Church programs. This makes celebrating the Advent at home particularly poignant, both symbolically and literally. The editors of Dexterity Books have come together to expand on the meaning of home through various rooms familiar to us. There is the Living Room where most of the family would be gathering in. There is the Dining Room where we share a meal together. There is the Kitchen where food is being prepared and served. There is the Activity Room for fun and leisure. Finally, there is the open-ended Christmas Space where we can simply share about what it means to have that room for Jesus. Regardless of which room we are in, there are five basic postures that we can take. In Anticipation of the arrival of Jesus, we could go back to the Bible to reflect on how the ancients of old anticipate the coming of the Messiah, a Saviour, a Deliverer, the LORD Himself. There are many references to the ARRIVAL of the Saviour to point us to the coming once again. While anticipation is about preparing the heart emotionally, the arrival could be construed as preparing for action. Then there is the AWAKENING posture where we express gratitude for people around us. We become more conscious of those living together under one roof. ANOINTING is about sharing. It is about learning the meaning of calling and to be set apart for a particular purpose. We learn once again the reason why Jesus came to us in the first place. Finally, the ADORATION celebrates Christmas Day, where we would encourage everyone to come let us adore Him. In each of the five Advent Weeks, we get to celebrate and practice one particular aspect of the 5As of Advent@Home. This common cycle gives us a grasp of the essence of the Advent, and we get to practice all of them in every room of the house. Written like a devotional, each days starts off with a biblical thought, a reflection of the meaning of the room, and how Jesus comes to us where we live. The chapter closes with a brief prayer and a follow-up activity sheet for the family. 

This is a delightful take on celebrating the Advent @ Home. It is particularly relevant in our existing pandemic.As churches move online, many are searching for ways to meaningfully celebrate the traditional Advent season. This book not only brings to life how one can do that at home, it magnifies the significance of Christmas in a place and among people we spend a lot of time with under one roof.  I appreciate the biblical insights into each day to point us to the person of Jesus. The cycle of reminders helps us to meditate more on Christ at home. This is increasingly significant as many malls and shopping places continue to commercialize this special event. Even the mass media and social media are bringing in these consumerism into our homes. Books like this is a bold attempt to fight against these cultural forces that are eating away at the meaning of Christmas. 

There could be many other rooms which the authors could have talked about; such as study room, the basement, the guest rooms, the garage, the backyard, or even the attic. Given that many do not live in big houses, and the rising cost of housing, one needs to be careful not to presume everyone have many rooms. For some, the living, dining, and activity rooms are the same! For that matter, we could let our imaginations take shape so that we don't lose out on the meaning of the Advent. The last "Christmas Space" is particularly relevant here. Regardless of the different rooms we have or not have, this space can exist in any meaningful place, especially our hearts. This reminds me of the gospel narrative where Mary and Joseph experienced what it means to have no room at the inn, other than a stable. While we may celebrate the Advent in the luxurious and spacious rooms in our modern houses, it is also a time to remember the vulnerable, the homeless, and the poor who could not even afford a place to stay. Jesus was not born in a modern hospital or a nice comfortable house. He was born in a manger among animals. Such humble introduction to the world is a reminder of the way Jesus entered this world. This one thought should occupy our hearts and minds all through the Advent preparations. The least we could do is to give thanks. 

For that, I am grateful to the publishers for bringing this wonderful idea and inspiration to an otherwise depressing 2020. 

Dexterity Books Editorial Dexterity is an IBPA award-winning indie publisher based in Nashville, TN. They describe themselves as Book People with Startup Hustle, and their team, including the Dexterity Collective of fifty-plus book publishing professionals, believes in the power of books to make a difference. 

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Dexterity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.