Originally posted December 25, 2011. Merry Christmas, everyone! How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven… Joseph And He is born. I lay Him on Mary’s chest, warm and wet and wailing, and cover them both with my robe, and kiss her sweaty […]
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Toward Bethlehem: The Fullness of Time
Originally posted December 24, 2011 Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight… Mary So much waiting, and now everything is happening too fast. Dusty sandals hurry past me as I huddle in the street corner. Joseph settled me here when […]
Two Nights Before Christmas
‘Tis two nights before Christmas. Tomorrow will be gift-wrapping, and letter-mailing, and cookie-and-bread-and-pie baking, and Christmas-Eve-Service-ing. And then Advent Wreath, when we will light the final and white candle, the Christ candle that signifies He is born. The last couple of Christmas Eves, my mom and I haven’t managed to finish wrapping presents until after […]
Toward Bethlehem: Joseph
Originally posted December 17, 2011 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free From our fears and sins release us Let us find our rest in Thee… Joseph Evening light glints on the soldiers’ helmets as they disappear in a cloud of dust. I stare after them. Lord, if I’d known you meant literally […]
Toward Bethlehem: Abiding in the Fields
Originally posted December 3, 2011 O come, O come Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear… Micah, a young shepherd. Nights fall cold and early now. The sheep crowd near us as we huddle by the fire beneath our robes. When I lie on my […]
Toward Bethlehem: Mary
Originally posted December 11, 2011. Of the Father’s love begotten Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the Source, the Ending He Mary Joseph came home tired tonight. He tries not to let me see, but I know it wears on him, the talk of Rome and taxes and blood […]
By His Doing
The lights went off at our church this Sunday morning. I was in the windowless ladies’ room when it happened and fumbled my way out with the light from my cell phone. It turned out the whole senior center where our church meets—in fact, the whole city block—had lost power, right before Sunday service started. […]
Toward Bethlehem: Elizabeth
Originally posted December 5, 2011. Let all mortal flesh keep silence and with fear and trembling stand Ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in His hand Christ our God to earth descendeth Our full homage to demand. This Sabbath was read in synagogue the scroll of Isaiah, the part which begins with the people walking […]
Empty Chairs
We gathered in the living room, this first Sunday of Advent, our just-delivered, two-days-fresh-from-Oregon fir tree filling the house with its sweet-spicy scent that says “Christmastime” like no other. Bright flames danced in the fireplace, and our mom danced a little too as she strung the lights about the tree to a Christmas concert of […]
Toward Bethlehem: A Wise Man
Last year during Advent, I began a series of “peeks” through the eyes of various characters present at the coming of Jesus and what they might have felt in those weeks leading Toward Bethlehem. This year, I’ll be reposting those, as well as adding new installments, starting with this one. I hope you enjoy and […]