Yesterday was sunny and mild here in Southwest Oklahoma. Some of our hardy plants were greening a bit, after 3-4" of rain several days ago. December came in with sleet and 4" of snow followed by cold temperatures, but now we are mild again.

Late in the afternoon I turned my compost pile. Using my garden fork I moved the blackened, crumbly, hard-to-tell-what-it-was-before-rotting bottom of the heap to the top, and the leaves, grapefruit rinds, zinnia stems, coffee grounds to the bottom, with some mixing throughout.

I enjoy making compost. I get a deep satisfaction from improving the soil in my garden. Of the basic elements necessary for life--sunshine, water, air, soil--only rich, black soil can I make. When I work the compost into my garden early this spring, along with some manure, I'll feel like a partner in creation. (more below)

Improving the soil year-by-year is a slow process. Commercial fertilizer is the quick fix. Were I gardening for a living, I probably would need to do both.

Our culture is a culture of the quick fix. No surprise there. We get impatient in the drive-through line at the bank, wonder why our computer connection can't be faster, and get antsy if the microwave needs more than a minute to cook our food.

We have allowed our cultural impatience to affect our understanding of the spiritual life. We want wholeness and we want it now. We want depth and we want it by next week. Growth in the faith is of necessity a slow process. There may be spurts of growth, but over the lifetime, the growth is slow. Making a character-forming habit of faith, hope, and charity. Daily practice of virtue. Taking the sorrows of life, and turning them into soil.

God is patient. The eternal Son, the Word, did not become flesh in an instant on Christmas Eve. Nine months in Mary's womb. Jesus did not start working miracles and teaching from the manger. Thirty years of growth and preparation and maturation before his public ministry. And the preparation had gone on for much longer.

Matthew begins his gospel with a geneology, from Abraham down to Joseph, of the House of David. He is telling us that God had been at work for centuries preparing for the coming of the Messiah. Luke goes even further: near the beginning of his gospel is a geneology going back to Adam. A long time to prepare the soil.

Our Advent waiting is almost over. Monday we'll celebrate Christmas. The waiting itself has taught us a lesson, I hope.