Song for Sunday (Belated) Mary's Lullaby

 I tried to post yesterday, but had trouble with my computer.

This is the advent week dedicated to peace. What could be more peaceful than a lullaby?

What holiday song song speaks "peace" to you? 

This Year's Creche

Every year, I write a post about the creche Jordan puts together for our home. Since he was four years old, Jordan has set up the manger scene for us. We've had some interesting ones.

Jordan's Strange Creche
A Broken World ... Seeking Peace
Jordan's Creche for this Year 
Creche 2014 Edition
Jordan's Creche: 2015 Edition 

This year has another unusual narrative.

Mary and Joseph are in a small camp on one side of the room. They have lost the baby Jesus and are discussing how best to look for him.

Meanwhile, the manger is on the roof of the stable on the other side of the other side of the room. The donkey and the angels know where Jesus will be Christmas morning and are set to look after him, until his parents find him.









My son is definitely imaginative. This isn't the biblical Christmas narrative.


Then again, maybe what we should be doing this season is looking for the baby. Looking for Jesus.

A Very Merry Christmas 

to You and Yours!!

Song for Sunday: For the Fruit of All Creation

Happy New Year!

Today, the first Sunday of Advent, is the first day of the Christian liturgical year. Baptists like me tend not to pay overmuch attention to such things, but I usually give  a nod to this new start.

And what better time than the beginning of a new year to begin again with my blog? I've neglected it for a while.

So, Song for Sunday.


At our Family Thanksgiving Service, we sang this hymn. The piece that stuck with me was the second half of the second verse:

"In our worldwide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done."
                   ~Fred Pratt Green

It makes me think, how am I caring for the hungry and despairing? How am I sharing my harvest? How am I offering my body as a living sacrifice?

I volunteer, participate in service projects, and go on the occasional short term mission trip, but my life is comfortable. Am I supposed to do more?

I need to pray....


In the meantime, may the words of this hymn challenge you as well.

What has challenged you recently?

Song for Sunday: Hark the Voice of Jesus Calling

I was at a school building yesterday for a competition my son was in. (Proud mom alert: He took the red rosette -- second in the state for his category of 4H visual presentations. Excuse me while I burst a button or two.)

Anyway...

At the school their were several signs like this one, reminding students not to make excuses about missed homework, shoddy work, inappropriate behavior etc.

                                                                                Today's Song for Sunday, a hymn from church this morning, reminded me of those signs and of the fact that Christian have no excuses for not working toward the kingdom of God.         

          

"Let none hear you idly saying,
'There is nothing I can do,'
While the multitudes are dying
And the master calls for you."

What songs have caught your attention lately?

Song for Sunday: Here is Love

In church this morning, we sang a song that was new to me. It was the second verse that grabbed my attention, because of the interesting phrase in the last line:

Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

                           ~William Rees


 Here's a link to a recording by Matt Redman

  

 It reminds me of some reading I did recenlty. In Interrupted, Jen Hatmaker reminds us that Judas was at the table during the last supper. Jesus gave his betrayer his body and blood. Later, Jesus accepted a kiss from Judas. Love kissed betrayal. How amazing is that! Vast as the ocean, indeed.

For more thoughts on this look at Hymn -Theology-Kiss a Guilty World in Love by Bridget Willard.

What hymn or song speaks to you about the greatness of God's love?

I've learned a lot about God's love at the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park, a quality two-week discipleship training program and experience of Christian community for high school teens. It meets every August on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. There is still time to register for CYC 2015: Profile of a Daring Life. Hope to see you there!