Ode to Teddy Bear

I stopped in my tracks to see much loved and well-worn Teddy Bear, side-kick to small boy, face down on the floor of our living room. For two nights in a row now, right next to a folded up Christmas stocking and crumpled blanket lies the bedtime buddy of my only boy. Ode to Teddy Bear...could you be nearing the end of your high profile status? You, the bear who has propelled us into dark rainy yards in the midnight hour? You, so beloved, as to not even be allowed to accompany the boy,sis, and their Mom on outings for fear you'd be dropped and left behind? What? Light saber, you say??? Irreplaceable and indispensable, you small brown Teddy Bear!! Shudder the thought you would accompany him anywhere at age 18, but now? This soon?? May it never be...and to ensure my wishes I now shuttle you pillowside to the Evening Blue bedroom and your greatest admirer, a loved child of mine.

Silent Night, Holy Night

Last night during our Christmas Eve service we sang "Silent Night" in 4 languages: German, Spanish, French and English. It's beautiful in German and Spanish, and easy in English....beautiful too. One of our teens, whose family is from West Africa, sang it in French. We are blessed, very blessed, with many African families in our church, and as Linda sang the song in French, the sweet voices of the other French-speaking children rose above the movement of everyone else in processional toward the advent candles (during the candle-lighting portion of our service). It was crystal clear to my ears as they sang. I liked it....I couldn't sing it because I don't speak French, but that in and of itself was a gift. As I listened I received the gift of their clear clear voices giving praise to God in their language. And then the song also takes me back to when our daughter was about four, again singing "Silent Night", truly wide-eyed as she sang with absolute assurance the following lyric, "Silent Night, Holy Night.....Mommy's calm, all is bright!" Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

The Blanket

Six year old son runs hard up the stairs to play following an even more eager older sister. But not before he asks in his most loving, small boy voice if I would write a song to sing to them on Christmas day...."as a gift," he says. Stopping for just a moment he adds,"But don't tell me the title." I think I'll call it "The Blanket" . I think it will be about love. How it comes unexpectedly... just like it did right then. Proof that a moment can be a gift.

Merry Christmas Music

Better Now

For those who know me, I'm better now. As it is now, my head in a towel, everyone else in temporary slumber, I say "yes" to the now of the Lord. Able to sustain us? Yes. Merciful toward our weak hearts? Yes, He is. His Heavenly Father-ly responses to our earthy, mortal moments...I'm graced in an amazing awareness of His patience and love. When I see Him as He is I am reminded of how unnecessarily we waste our time in woe over the temporary cares of this world. Thank you Father for Your great and enduring love and grace.

Looking Ahead

Deuteronomy Chapter 8 is an excellent chapter to read anytime, but especially looking ahead to the New Year. Yes, I'm aiming to look beyond the now, partially 'cause I don't really like it (sorry, a bit of honesty), and because refocusing my vision helps me navigate the now - as it is. May my own heart be corrected where I'm off, and may Jesus be, as I said in my previous post, the joy of my longing heart. Fellowship with others and love Jesus especially wonderfully tomorrow!

Joy of Every Longing Heart

All of humankind has a longing. We sang in our own local fellowship this morning the seasonal carol, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus." Some longings are rightly placed in Jesus. Some are misplaced,however, and then we wonder why we can go through a season of celebration as we do at Christmas, and come away with a still empty heart. It would be a set up to expect no longing; the longing is not wrong. But the hope in Christ is that He is the joy of our longing. Charles Wesley has written the words we sang today, "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. Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the saints Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, JOY OF EVERY LONGING HEART." My prayer in this now dawned season of Advent is that not only will the eyes of our darkening world find Jesus, the joy of their longing, but that my own heart will be awakened, recalled, reminded, and refocused on Jesus, the joy of my longing heart.