As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, …
Tag: Christianity
its beginning
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birthLuke 1:14 It's beginning. The contractions have started. Close together, robbing her of breath. The world has contracted into just this space, just this time. This body, this moment, this labor. The Christ Child is on his way. But here is another …
joy to the world
I've had several blue Christmases. Holidays where I am grieving, or angry, or clinically, chemically depressed. The holiday happy-s don't exist in my emotional reservoir. That is when I am allowed to rest in the fact that joy is not a synonym of happiness.
into the darkness
he light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.John 1:5 Today is the darkest day of the year. Where I am, the sun will set at 5:02 PM, giving us just 10 hours of daylight. It feels appropriate then, that the Light of the World is about to make his entrance. The …
giving space.
Love shows itself most fully when things are not easy. When the stomach butterflies and all night conversations have passed, and the everyday reality of work and washing dishes and wearing the same t-shirt for 6 days and a row sets in.
Drums
I love Christmas Carols. Their lyrics are timeless and sometimes reveal profound truths. But I don't love all of them. Why in the world do we need that tearjerker Christmas Shoes Song? Mary, Did You Know is history's most egregious case of mansplaining. And then there is the Little Drummer Boy.
Fear Not: Part 3
How married are you to your plan? How much deviation to your internal agenda for your day, your week, your life, do you allow? Does an unexpected detour in your path throw you into a tailspin? Do you carry room for the emergent needs of others to reroute your priorities?
The One
We as humans were created in the image of God, but then, in turn, God created Godself back into our image. Jesus was born, fully human, and the world was forever changed.
beings.
My dearest, you are created in the image of God. You bear the Creator's thumbprint on your very soul. Your very existence has worthiness, for you bear God's reflection in a way that is yours alone. The world would be less without this facet of God's light. Simply by existing, you are helping to paint a more complete portrait of our Creator for humanity to see.
Recognized.
In his life and ministry, Jesus did not make a project of the empowered. The established church in Jerusalem was powerful. They held money and reputation and sway on the community. It would have been strategic to play politic, to win over the Pharisees and Sadducees, to get the endorsement of those who were educated, wealthy, well connected, estimable. Instead, those were the ones Jesus seemed to criticize the most. He mercilessly pulled at the strings of power, unravelling systems that benefitted them and showing the ways that power had corrupted the truth and authenticity of faith.
JoyPlusGrace 