Today's reading: John 3:31-36
and of course: Luke 2
One of my favorite cds this season has been the Christian punk band Relient K's "Let it Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer" and the song "Merry Christmas; Here's to Many More." The very first line gets me, every time: "I made it through the year and I did not even collapse; gotta say, Thank God for that." And I think----no kidding.
And the chorus of the song also brings me to tears: "...it's finally Christmas and I'm home... and the closest friends I've ever known are all inside, singing together..." And I can't help but think how much I love being home with my boys. And how far away from home I feel, missing my "big" family. And how thrilled I am to get a phone message with familiar voices singing carols. And how much I hate not being there to sing along. And for every joy of this season, a heartbreak. And for every child's giggle, a momma's tear.
But isn't that just the way it goes? In life, not just as Christmastime.
And in life, not just at Christmastime, the Son of God comes. He brings light, and hope, and joy, and peace, and life. He brings us something to believe in, when everything around us falls flat. And he brings the Father's love to us, and walks the Father's way, and shows us the path to our home, our closest friends, our eternal family. So we can all sing together: Gloria in Excelsis! Joy to the World! Holy, Holy, Holy!
And Merry Christmas--here's to many more.
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Thanks for joining me on this Advent journey. It has been a challenge and a joy for me to work on this discipline throughout this season, and I appreciate all of you who have visited, read along, left comments, sent messages, shared my work with your friends.
As the new year begins I will be taking on another blogging/writing/scripture practice... but for now I'm resting and just beginning to think about what the next "job" will be. Please consider joining my blog as a follower if you'd like to come back when I begin again. Peace to you---and blessings for a Christmas season full of joy!
3 comments:
Your JYC is really beautiful - congratulations on finishing!
You must be blogged out after your Awesome Advent Journey!! I've been stopping by to catch up with my reading here. If I kept up with the reading as you did with your writing, I would be fine! You have so much wisdom in your advent writings. Have you considered putting them together into a booklet of some sort :)
And be patient a wee bit longer for that book I told you about. It will be in your mailbox next week!
Oh Nikki, this is lovely :-) Thanks so much for leaving a comment on my blog - partly because it was such a nice comment, and partly because through it I've found this blog and enjoyed it so much :-) I'm only sorry I didn't find it before! x
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