Happiness!

Jan and Avery with a toy made for Avery's dad David

We are happy with most of our children home for Christmas. Avery is the star with us all, especially with her aunts AE and KA in Cincinnati on a video of a rocking horse! Go here to see that.

Our two sons have to go back to work on Wednesday and so they are driving back to Austin and Houston early on Christmas afternoon. So we won't be in such a rush tomorrow, we are having our traditional Christmas feast tonight. In fact, the turkey is cooking right now.

In between two church services we will eat. Avery, her parents and Aunt MJ are going to go to First United Methodist Church for the children's service at 5 o'clock. While they are there, I will be finishing up the side dishes for our dinner. Then at Chuck's and my usual bedtime (10 pm), we'll go to the late service at All Saints Episcopal Church for the Christmas Cantata, as performed by the amazing choir, of which Chuck is a member.

We are glad that after everyone leaves tomorrow, MJ will be staying until New Year's Eve Day!

Merry Christmas!

Advent with Caryll Houselander

Here are some of the pieces that Caryll Houselander wrote about Advent in The Reed of God.

Advent is the season of the secret, the secret of the growth of Christ, of Divine Love growing in silence. (28)

It is a time of darkness, of faith. We shall not see Christ's radiance in our lives yet; it is still hidden in our darkness; nevertheless, we must believe that he is growing in our lives; we must believe it so firmly that we cannot help relating everything, literally everything, to this almost incredible reality.
This attitude it is which makes every moment of every day and night a prayer. (29)

We must not try to force Christ's growth in us, but with a deep gratitude for the light burning secretly in our darkness, we must fold our concentrated love upon him like earth, surrounding, holding, and nourishing the seed. . . . carrying him to wherever he longs to be. . . . (34)

In the seasons of our Advent--waking, working, eating, sleeping, being--each breath is a breathing of Christ into the world. (38)

It was said of Caryll Houselander that she was a "neurotic mystic" and a "sharp-tongued recluse with overwhelming empathy for the suffering." A good article about her says this:

"Halfway through the war, doctors had begun sending patients to Houselander for counseling and therapy. Badly educated, she nevertheless had an uncanny ability to rebuild trust and self-confidence. These people, like the infant Jesus, were unable to fend for themselves and needed "mothering." Never married, Houselander had no children of her own to mother, nor had she ever been properly mothered. She saw these children (and adults) of war as the infant Christ, for whom the only acceptable response was the gift of self. The infant Christ depended on each person to be as a mother, carrying him into the world, and this is what she worked hard to do. One eminent psychiatrist who referred troubled patients to her, Dr. Eric Strauss, said Houselander "loved them back to life." She was, he said, a "divine eccentric.""

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

Advent
by Christina Rossetti

"Come," Thou doest say to Angels,
To blessed Spirits, "Come";
"Come," to the Lambs of Thine Own flock,
Thy little Ones, "Come home."

"Come"--from the many-mansioned house
The gracious word is sent,
"Come"--from the ivory palaces
Unto the Penitent.

O Lord, restore us deaf and blind,
Unclose our lips tho' dumb;
Then say to us, "I come with speed,"
And we will answer, "Come."

Fourth Sunday of Advent reading in Run, Shepherds, Run: Poems for Advent and Christmas selected and presented by L. William Countryman, London: Morehouse, 2005. 47.

I think I like this so much, because it reminds of the early morning mass at Lebh Shomea in Sarita where the priest says over the Eucharist, "Come, Lord Jesus." The people respond with, "Come."

I haven't gone there for over a year. I miss the quiet time spent there.

Looking at their website, I am reminded of the beautiful creches they arrange with plants and flowers they have dried in the time before Advent. Here are pictures from their website:

As we prepare for the birth of our Lord Jesus, we invite you
to share some Advent scenes at the House of Prayer.

---

To join in our joyful celebration of the Incarnation, we invite you
to spend time with some Christmas scenes at the House of Prayer.

Stick 'em Up!

Hope

"Every time in history that men and women have been able to respond to the events of their world as the occasion to change their hearts, an inexhaustible source of generosity and new life has been opened, offering hope far beyond the limits of human prediction."

~~Henri J. M. Nouwen, Reaching Out

Are we ready to become Light?

"In the beginning, the Spirit brooded over the face of the waters and God spoke and there was Light. Likewise, in the fullness of time, an angel announced to Mary and the same creative Spirit visited her and she conceived the Son of God. This Advent, our Advent, is equally a time of creation. God's same Spirit abides in us--brooding over our waters--shaping and forming us, being formed and shaped by us. We are God's creative works in process. God alone knows what we shall become. What might God have in store in the fullness of our time? In the beginning, God created Light. In Mary, God became flesh. What will God become in us this Advent? Is there room in us for God's seed to take root and grow? God has visited us with grace and favor. Are we ready to become Light?"

~~by Thomas Hoffman

Hoffman, Thomas. Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany with Caryll Houselander. Franklin, Wisconsin: Sheed and Ward, 2000. 20.

Advent Thought

"The birth of Christ is an example both unique and eternal of how the will of God is worked out on this earth. It is the birth of love in our hearts, which transforms life. God's love overwhelms us and breaks into our lives leaving our human good will behind. It was never Christ's purpose to bring about self-improvement. He became poor not to offer us a moral toning up, however good this may be. The Word became flesh so that the same amazing life that broke into the world when Jesus Christ was born actually becomes realized in our own lives here and now.

"The meaning of Advent and Christmas is thus the coming down of God's love. This love alone revolutionizes our lives. . . ."

~~by Philip Britts

Britts, Philip. "Yielding to God," 109-117. Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas. Farmington, PA: Plough Publishing House, 2001. 116.

Hope as a Sign that "God is With Us"

©2010 Susan Elliott and Jay Sidebotham;
Courtesy of Church Publishing, Inc.

Avery's School PIcture

Avery's recent school picture. She is 2 years old.

Advent Longing

Eagle Nebula, Hubble Telescope
(what I cannot see)

In the darkness of the season, in the silence of Mary's womb,
new life waits and grow.
Hope is shaped in hidden places,
on the edges, in the depths
far from the blinding lights and deafening sounds of consumer frenzy.

In the darkness and silence of my own life,
I wait,
listening for the whisper of angel wings,
longing for a genuine experience of mystery,
hoping for a rekindling of joy and the establishment of peace.

I lean into the darkness
and silence.
Expectant.

~~Larry J. Peacock

(Larry James Peacock is pastor of Malibu United Methodist Church, Malibu, California. For over 20 years he has visited monasteries and retreat centers to chant the Psalms and learn a daily rhythm of prayer. Among the places he has traveled are the Taize Community in France and the Iona Community in Scotland. A spiritual director since 1988, Larry has served on the faculty for both the Five-Day and Two-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation (sponsored by Upper Room Ministries) and has led numerous retreats. Beyond college and seminary, Larry's continuing education includes a sabbatical at Pendle Hill, a Quaker center for study and contemplation; the Two-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation; and the Institute for Spiritual Direction and Retreat Leadership. Larry is married to author Anne Broyles; they have two children. He is a part-time potter and an occasional juggler.)

This prayer is also posted at A Place for Prayer today. Please visit this ministry blog of RevGalBlogPals.

Four Calling Birds, Three French Hens

On the Horizon

Waiting dogs from here.

"The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before. . . . What is possible is to not see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, watching God's (back) fade in the distance. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon."

~~Jan L. Richardson

More Advent reflections from Jan Richardson are here.

Cat on the Rug

Our cat Gracie found the only rug on our new wooden floors today. We keep looking at rugs but haven't been able to find the area carpet for the living and dining rooms that we like and will fit within our budget!

"Consent" by Denise Levertov

This was the minute no one speaks of,
when she could still refuse.
A breath unbreathed,
Spirit,
suspended,
waiting.

She did not cry, "I cannot, I am not worthy,"
nor, "I have not the strength."
She did not submit with gritted teeth,
raging, coerced.
Bravest of all humans,
consent illumined her.
The room filled with its light,
the lily glowed in it,
and the iridescent wings.
Consent,
courage unparalleled,
opened her utterly.

~~Denise Levertov

Source: "Annunication" in Breathing the Water

From Inward/Outward. Subscribe here.

Advent Book!

We are reading this book in the weekly Wisdom Class at All Saints Episcopal Church:  John Polkinghorne's Advent devotional book, Living with Hope: A Scientist Looks at Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. This is available from Christian Book.Com at 78% off its price (which I originally paid at Amazon)--go to the book link or here. I wish I had found this good deal when I ordered books for the members of my Wisdom Class!

This is the most thought-provoking Advent book I have in my possession. It is written by John Polkinghorne, who was a Professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge until he decided to become an Anglican priest when he was 47 years old. If I was rich enough, I would give a copy to everyone I know!

The Shape of Color

The Shape of Color by Diane Walker who blogs at Contemplative Photography:

The shape of night,
the shape of day,
the shape of color,
the shape of us.  
What holds all this?
Who made this miraculous mold
and then too, cast everything.
Imagine the form
that poured all forms,
and then try to conceive the Being 
that whittled out the Holy Spirit
from a single thought
that took over the Inconceivable.
What can entwine all this in its arms?
What a container that must be!

-- Hafiz

When Disagreeing:

This makes so much sense!

I found it at Episcopal Church Memes on Facebook.

Small Talk

I'm not very good at small talk, so this struck me as funny.

Journal Prompts for Advent

From a blog post dated December 5, 2007:

The 2007 post at  ExploreFaith.org , which is no long available on the website:

 I found these suggestions for journaling each day of Advent. I'm not sure that I'll do it, but I may pick and choose a few. Here they are for your perusal:

Journaling Daily During Advent

Day 1 When I see someone in pain, I respond by… Day 2 When someone is being spoken of in a mean-spirited way, I respond by… Day 3 When I see a child laughing, I respond by… Day 4 When I feel my heart is heavy, I respond by… Day 5 When I encounter someone I dislike, I respond by… Day 6 When my activities are more numerous than the hours of the day, I respond by… Day 7 When I see a handicapped person, I respond by… Day 8 When someone is unkind to me, I respond by… Day 9 When I am asked to do an unpleasant task, I respond by… Day 10 When I have questions about my faith (or lack of it,) I respond by… Day 11 When people disagree with me, I respond by… Day 12 When I am surprised by grace, I respond by… Day 13 When my child or grandchild misbehaves, I respond by… Day 14 When I partake of an excellent meal, I respond by… Day 15 When things aren’t going my way, I respond by… Day 16 When a decision I make turns out to be wrong, I respond by… Day 17 When someone I love is thoughtless, I respond by… Day 18 When I feel warmed by another’s presence, I respond by… Day 19 When I lack what I need, I respond by… Day 20 When God seems far away, I respond by… Day 21 When I meet someone completely different from me, I respond by… Day 22 When others don’t listen to me, I respond by… Day 23 When I hear bad news, I respond by… Day 24 When I hear good news, I respond by… Day 25 What is the gift of my life that I will offer heaven this day?

Love Cannot Be Silenced!