fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
We have grown tired of the pandemic.
By: James David Lewis
Tags: Pandemic, Coronavirus, Advent, Rights Issue

In March, when the first cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed, a general consensus surrounded the actions that folks needed to take in order to stem the spread of such a virulent disease (pun certainly intended). States quickly locked down, shutting down most non-essential businesses, discouraging travel, and setting forth guidelines on social distancing, hygiene, and later, mask wearing. As states opened again just before memorial Day, leading to a spike in cases, states were again quick to again implement lockdowns and closures to prevent further spread. As summer gave way to fall and cases plumetted, states once again allowed businesses to open and for more “normal” activities to resume, and the inevitable happened: case rates started soaring, this time to levels unprecedented since the virus was first discovered in the United States in March. Yet the response has been astoundingly different.

What was the difference this time? We have grown exhausted of the pandemic. the restrictions on our daily lives, the cancellation of major events, sporting events, and even private gatherings, have understandly worn away at our morale and perhaps even sprouted the seeds of resentment towards this virus. In response, many have chosen to ignore warnings and defy the restrictions implemented by state and local governments. Our rebellion is noted. But the virus’ response is the same: it keeps infecting more people, in the millions per week. The seventh, eighth, and ninth deadliest days of our country’s history have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, where more than three thousand Americans died on each day, even deadlier than the only terrorist attack instigated by a foreign country on our soil.

As Americans, many believe we have a unique calling to uphold the liberties and freedoms once denied — and still denied — to much of the world. Some have taken this to mean we should rebel against the virus and hastily resume our previous lives as much as possible. But what good does that do? As we’ve seen, it has only worsened the pandemic, restricting the liberty of many others by pushing governments to implement more restrictions. This does not in any way restore out liberties.

Don’t grow weary yet. Especially in this time of Advent, when we await the coming of the Lord at Christmas, I believe that we are called to await and prepare ourselves for the coming of the end of our plight: vaccines that once taken, almost guarantee protection against hte virus. We’re almost there. Hang on just a little longer. Don’t give in yet. The end of this plight is coming.

Peace and love,

James David Lewis.
Dance, you Stardust under Starlight — Day 20 of Simplicity
By: Mike Rusert
Tags: Poetry, Cosmos, Dance, Spirituality, Advent

Day Twenty — Wonder — 25 Days of Simplicity

This is the day before the longest night.



Today. This evening, maybe. Or tonight.

Dance.



Dance, you Stardust.

Dance under starlight

and waxing crescent.



Dance your grief.

Dance your disappoint with yourself.

Dance your joy.

Your giddiness.

Just dance.



Dance your longing.

Dance away your excess.



Dance alone and together.

Dance til the illusion fades.



Dance in the beautiful darkness.

Decorate it with the clouds of your stardust breath.



Let Love’s music move you.

Let it heal your stardust body.

Let it free you.



Dance, you Creatures of the Cosmos!



Dance!
The Light You Can Hear
By: Phil Lofton
Tags: Reindeer, Short Story, Christmas, Liturgical Calendar, Advent

The stars are a blanket of diamonds above us. It is cold enough at night on these flatlands that I feel the tears in my eyes turning to frost as quickly as they form. My mother has wrapped me in more coats than I thought I could ever fit over my body, and scarves cover my red cheeks, puffy from every zephyr of wind that has found its way through the gaps and folds of my head coverings. I hold my father as tight as the bulk of my clothing will allow, and on the back of Bávllos we trudge onward through the tundra.

When we arrive at the river, the winding serpent that leads out to the sea, father places me on the ground, and with a few swift movements of logs and the strike of a flint, he has a fire crackling for the three of us. Now, it is time for me to play my part.

“Why do we come to the river this night each year?” I ask, knowing the answer full well. But I like the story. And I like the ritual. And, having played my part, I sink into Bávllos’ fur, hoping he won’t poke me with an antler again as he lowers his head.

Father reaches a hand to the sky and begins his story.

He tells me of the night when he was a boy, younger than me, when the people had set their tents here. It had been a bad winter, full of sicknesses and tumors and aches and pains, in both our reindeer and our people. Many, including my grandfather, had already died. Many more, including my grandmother, had been carried here to the river so they could have their final hours in peace, close to the water so they wouldn’t die thirsty.

That night, as the few healthy men and women stirred between tents, tending to the sick, the sky became filled with light — not the chattering purple and green guovssahas — but a strange braid of pure white, which wound around itself and sang to those down below.

It began low and slow, Father says, beginning his recitation of the Lightsong, then, as the Light grew brighter and closer to our camp, it grew warmer. It grew faster and brighter, and the Light wove in the sounds of birds and pianos, and singing glass.

When the Light touched the earth, Father says, holding up three fingers, three men — or women, perhaps, he could not tell — made of light came from the ground and walked among us. Their hands and fingers were long, and their hair was the color of fresh snow, braided in crowns around their heads.

They entered our tents but left no prints in the snow, and they held our sick in their hands and spoke to us in music.

At their songs and their touch, tumors shrank back into flesh. Bleary, blind eyes became clear. The oldest among us — whom we had had to tie to our sleds — stood and walked, dancing to the Lightsong of the Strangers. My own gnarled hand, Father says, uncurled at the song. He tuts his fingers at this part of the story and smiles.

Before they left, they took three of our sickest men and a reindeer near death, and they walked back to the spot where sky, light, and earth had married. And then, Jáhkot, my son, says Father, holding out a stone marble that held every color, they gave me this.
O Root of Jesse,
By: Father Troy Beecham
Tags: Christianity, Jesus, Advent, Father Troy Beecham

O Root of Jesse,

standing as a sign among the peoples;

before you kings will shut their mouths,

to you the nations will make their prayer:

Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

https://youtu.be/E1TOgPJ6wko
GHow are you spending this weekend before Christmas ?
By: Linda Fode
Tags: Funny, Christmas, Advent, Covid Diaries, Hope

the ‘new normal’ is making me sad not glad.

I am so sad that we will not be able to go to church . Even where that is an option – a 15% capacity of masked people is just plain wrong.

I am unapologetic about reading Christmas mysteries with a few Christmas romances thrown in.

I’m a reader more then Christmas movie buff.

A long chain of texts with my kids made me laugh .

I learned a few new ‘tech tricks’ while chatting with them .

Who knew that you can decorate your ‘texts’ with fireworks?

Enough of my rambling.

How will you find joy and guilty pleasures this weekend before Christmas?

Folks – I’m counting on you to lead me astray? Calorie free only , please.

Virtually yours
Mary. Luke 1.
Tags: Contemplative, Advent, Gospel Of Luke, Mary, Devotional

I wonder what Mary was doing just before the angel came by

to visit and tell her that big things were underway.

Maybe she was sitting with Joseph having a snack,

whatever was the equivalent of chips and guac.

Maybe she was taking a quick nap

after a long morning of chores.

Dreaming of a world of peace,

a world come of age.

Maybe she dreamt of a new day.

Did she like Sarah laugh

when she heard the angel speak to her?

A baby! A baby?

This doesn’t seem likely.

After she said yes.

After she proclaimed

that the rich would be turned away empty

and the lowly lifted up.

After it was all absorbed,

I have to believe that she sat in pure silence,

noting neither the past nor the future,

at one with the God of her hopes and dream,

in peace and lovely.

Quiet. Quiet.

No fear. No doubt. No glory. No pride.

Just the quiet. Just the stillness.

Just her and her God sitting

in the blue sunshine.

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son…
Having Faith in Love
By: Ani Vidrine
Tags: Advent, Love, Faith, Hope, Peace

Having Faith in Love

photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash.com

Love, your peace reign in our hearts!

Dear One,

I am writing to remind you of things you already know. Peace is not the absence of difficulties in your life, but rather having faith in the power of Love, no matter how things appear. Being disconnected from Love within you creates strife. When you are focused on feelings of insecurity and thoughts of lack, you create your own suffering.

Today is the occasion to be a peacemaker by trusting the process of Love and giving consent to your role in it. No matter how bleak things look, there is always hope, for nothing is impossible with Love. Blessed are you when you make peace with yourself by having faith in the power of Love.

Remember, this moment is an opportunity to connect to Love, and therefore, to live into the fullness of who you are.

As always, do what best awakens you to love,

Your Inner Wisdom
Advent Adventure || Fourth Sunday of Advent || Ready to Shine
By: First Pres Kids Hayward
Tags: Luke 1, Christian Parenting, Advent, Christian Education, Mary

Sunday, December 20, 2020 — Worship@Home resources for FirstPres Hayward

As our congregation has made the decision to move to a digital online format for our Sunday Family Gathering due to COVID-19, FirstPresKids is here to provide resources that can help you create your own at-home family worship experience or supplement the one that will be streamed on Sunday mornings, 10PST from FirstPres Hayward.

NOTE: You can also go to the FPK YouTube Channel to view most (not all) of these materials on this week’s FirstPresKids YouTube Playlist.

Scriptural Focus: we look at the story of Mary to gain a fuller picture of Mary as a whole, complex and unique person, what and how she sacrificed in order to partner with God to carry, birth and nurture Jesus, continuing God’s work in her and on earth

Lesson Objective: to think about how we can be a light, how we can be living sacrifices, letting God work in and through us to bring God’s vision to earth

Parent/Caregiver Resources:

Opening or Closing Prayer: Dear God, As we prepare to celebrate the arrival of Jesus on Christmas, may we look to Mary who sacrificially gave of jerself n pregnancy, risking her body and her future, trusting God. Like her, may we be ready to say: “Here I am. I am your servant.” Amen.

Scripture: Luke 1:26–38

Videos for Kids:

Discussion Questions:

Before the Bible was written down, the stories were passed along from person to person orally and through memory. When the stories began to be recorded, paper and ink were very expensive. So there are many stories that are shortened, some things are left out and we get to think and wonder about what wasn’t written down. What do YOU wonder about Mary’s story?

Maybe you have heard the story of Mary many times? Do you sometimes forget how special it and Mary was? How was it so special? How was Mary so special?

What risks did Mary take? What sacrifices did she make? And why did she do it?

Tell about a risk or sacrifice you have made to do God’s work.

How can you be ready to serve like Mary? Can you ever be ready? Do you think Mary was ready?

Play:

Be ready to shine your light and play flashlight tag:

Use a flashlight to send a signal to God or a partner. Use morse code and signal “I am your servant” or another message!

Create:

Draw Mary and Jesus

Create an Advent Adventure wreath/display area of your own using found materials or use this printable resource:

Books:
Family Photo Shoot :\ — Day 18 of Simplicity
By: Mike Rusert
Tags: Gratitude, Family, Spirituality, Advent, Practice

Day Eighteen — Gratitude — 25 Days of Simplicity

I have so much to be grateful for.

Yet, it seems I’m wired/conditioned to focus on the opposite.

What has not gone well…

What challenges I’m facing and the difficulties they may bring…

This past weekend we attempted family photos. Our first in a few years. By the end of the session, we had a total of:



Zero photos taken with every family member in one frame.

Several tears.

A few empty threats (which proved unsuccessful).

And frustration all around.



By all accounts, it was a mess.

However, we learned an important lesson.



Don’t wish for perfect family photos

in frigid weather,

with a newborn,

while sleep deprived,

and with a hefty dose of the terrible threes.

Yet somehow driving home I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Looking at the beautiful family I am blessed with. Thinking about how strong and fast my three year old son’s legs are and how determined he is. Being able to share a laugh with my wife as we both realized the quest for a ‘perfect’ photo doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

This isn’t about simply turning into an eternal optimist. Rather, it’s taking a breath — a moment to reflect — and discovering, even during the challenging times (whether big or small), the good is always there.

- Adam VanderPoel (Friend of Intertwine, Father of Three Sons, Plucker of Bass Guitar Strings)
O Adonai
By: Father Troy Beecham
Tags: God, Jesus, Advent, Christianity, Father Troy Beecham

O Adonai

O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and didst give unto him the Law on Sinai: come and with an outstretched arm redeem us.
How to Be the Light Wherever You Are
By: Cara Mclauchlan
Tags: Christmas, Family, Advent, Light, Encouragement

How to Be the Light Wherever You Are

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

“You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 (NLT)

My heart longs for light right now.

With the shortest days of the year upon us, I crave anything sharing glow and goodness. I’ve been lighting candles with more intention, setting up my Christmas decorations earlier than ever and looking for ways to bring more light into my days. I am craving light with everything.

It’s easy to let darkness seep in. If I’m not careful, the daily news casts heavy shadows over my thinking and my heart. Fearful words from friends blanket a grayness upon my spirit. Without thinking, I can indulge in my own critical, negative thinking, convincing myself things will never change. If I am not careful, I can believe I am stuck in the dark.

Or I can stop and consider the light.

I’m not saying deny reality. Things are tough right now. Still, instead of being intentional about focusing on the dark, I can be intentional about shining the light.

Moving from Dark to Light.

The shift in my thinking is barely detectable. Yet it makes all the difference.

-I can agree with all the negativity or I can be a voice of light.

-I can succumb to fearful thinking or I can embrace the peace of light.

-I can close myself off to everything, wrapped in anxiety, or I can walk in the trust of the light. Every day and in every moment, I have a choice — I can choose to live in the dark or I can live in the light.

I long to be light. I long to do all I can to spread the glow of Him.

How Do We Share the Light?

For me, sharing the light is found by doing what’s before me.

Every tiny thing coming across my day is my opportunity to cast a ray of light.

I can send an email to invite neighbors to participate in our community food drive.

I can invite struggling family members to watch on-line church with me.

I can walk with a friend to pour truth and encouragement into her heart.

I can read and study about light in God’s word.

I can write personal, handwritten notes to people who God places on my heart, desperately in need of light.

I can celebrate any good thing, whether it’s the weather, a favorite song on the radio, a beautiful quote.

I can listen to lovely, soul-lifting music and let it wash over me.

I can pray to invite Christ to fill me with His light.

I can wait with hope knowing the light is on the way.

I can be light wherever I am until the Light with a capital L gets here.

It’s easy to give in to apathy, fear, and darkness. With a small shift, I can consider being the light.

Be the Light Right Where You Are.

This Advent season, my encouragement is to consider the idea of light. God wants better for us by seeking His goodness. Find ways to spread His light in meaningful ways with your family. Like the city on a hilltop that can’t be hidden from Matthew 5:14, you have a chance to cast a loving glow. Be the light wherever you can and in whatever ways you can. Today is a beautiful day to share the light.
Actual Food — We Inherit!. Sustenance for The Spirit
By: Xan Holub
Tags: Spiritual Growth, Jesus, Advent

Sustenance for The Spirit

“When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Galatians 4:4–5

The tradition was for the sons to receive the inheritance. That’s just the way things were back in biblical times. It sounds like a very antiquated system in our world, but it provided an order, a system, a way of organizing family finances. This was many years before our system of legal contracts and addendums, power of attorney and executor designations, probating the last will and testament, etc. It can be a simple process, or a very complicated one. Thankfully, with God’s plan for us, he provided each of us an equal share through adoption “as sons.” Everyone who accepts God’s redemptive plan, gets the full benefit of the family. Jesus’ birth into this world fulfilled all the laws (the “legalities” so to speak), and his death provided the redemption needed for total equality among the members of the family. Although not financial, it is the best inheritance ever, and we’ve been adopted to receive it. Have a wonderful day!
الجبل بيننا The Mountain Between Us
By: Andrea Hawkins-Kamper
Tags: Advent, Mary, Christianity, Theology, Poetry On Medium

Advent IV, 2020

sometimes i wonder

if jesus would know Her name

if mary would know that her child

once called salvation

was now just a whimpering cry for help,

the inside strength now performative weakness

showing that we get to g-d

by transcending gender:

social violence erasing the feminine.

again and again.

sometimes i wonder

why the masculine and none

destroy Mystery

with a sexualized Mary and a white-ass baby crowned with halos and hot wax;

hiding those cracked nipples suckling a newborn babe.

i mean, we see only the right brown people in the manger-

not the wrong brown people

who built it.

(don’t worry:

(the baby will be white by april)

sometimes i wonder

if we ever learned anything from the carpenter’s daughter:

rabbi salvation-come-to-earth who built the house-on-the-rock.

her mother patient, resistant, ever bargaining with g-d for Her Child.

sometimes i wonder

if we ever really paid attention

or if we were too busy transitioning

from salvation

to cries for help

we don’t actually want.
Meditations for Advent: Love
By: Emelie Frances
Tags: Christmas, Advent, Lutheran, Christianity, Lutheran Communicators

Thank you, Josh Hild on Pexels for the cute image!

I apologize for getting my Advent weeks mixed up! And the delay! We’ve moved and are somewhat settled now at our new home.

When my husband, Mr. Chickpea, and I picked up our rescue pup, Yogi, he was so scared that he needed to be held by Mister while we shopped. We had underestimated the size of his head, and wanted to keep him safe while he got used to his new life, so we had to buy him a new harness. He also needed a bed, and we wanted his expert opinion on what kind of bed he likes best.

He shook on the car ride home, and used his new dog bed as his safe haven. When it was time for dinner, he kept two feet in his bed and two on the carpet while he munched down on his kibble. When it was time to go outside, it was like using a leash to walk a rock.

Then bedtime rolled around.

I grew up with dogs on the bed. I desperately wanted to let Yogi up on the bed, but I knew that would come in time. Every 20 minutes or so, he would wander around the hotel room, come up to me, then scurry back to his bed and curl up. This had been his routine all afternoon and early into the night.

2am came around, and there were two paws on my side of the bed with a wet nose on the bedding, with big puppy eyes to boot. Now Yogi sleeps on the bed, and is dozing on my husband (unbothered by the Animal Crossing sounds) while I write this next to him.

While he isn’t totally adjusted yet, it’s amazing what some love (from his foster mom, and from us) can do.

This little guy, and the process of loving him, has been on my mind while I thought about what to write for the actual Second Sunday in Advent, which was actually love- not joy- oops!

We moved into our house on base yesterday, and Yogi loved the backyard so much it took Mister hiding behind the door while I lured him in with treats to get him to come inside. He knew where warmth and love was, but he needed time to come back to us.

On thedrive down, I got to read the parable of the prodigal son and thought about the tremendous love God has for all of his people. Nowhere in the story was it said he loved the hardworking son less, but wanted his son to rejoice that the prodigal son was back. This illustration is so poignant to me. Love is not about doing right all the time so someone stays, but rather keeping the door open with all the warmth and love you have to offer.

The ability to keep the door open, watch and wait, and know that they will come back is only a fraction of the love the Divine has to offer us. But it feels like one that speaks to the hearts of those feeling lost, hurt, and confused, whether they feel that way chronically or just in this moment of history. It can be hard to turn your face towards love, but the good news is it’s waiting for us when we feel ready.
The path of gratitude — Day 16 of Simplicity
By: Mike Rusert
Tags: Gratitude, Spirituality, Advent, Practice, Psychology

Day Sixteen — Gratitude — 25 Days of Simplicity

Never forget,

you are a tree in a story about a forest.

A few years ago, I went through a significant amount of life disruption in a short period of time. I got knocked down and felt lost and confused, and while desperately looking for a way to speed up the process of feeling like myself again, I read about a study connecting gratitude and joy; apparently, some psychologists had discovered “the pathway to joy begins with gratitude.”

I was skeptical. It sounded too simple. But as I continued reading, I learned this statement wasn’t based on just one study, there had actually been hundreds of studies conducted that led psychologists to the conclusions that practicing gratitude…

+ increases positive emotions

+ reduces depression

+ strengthens relationships

+ and helps people face stressful life events

At that time, I was painfully aware that I wasn’t experiencing “positive emotions” and I couldn’t become a happier person just by wanting to be happy, so I decided to trust the research and change my attitude. I focused my energy on the people I was most grateful for and began a year of adventures with my friends and family.

I still had to work through the pain

of the difficult things that happened,

but waking up each day with the focus

of giving my best to the people I cared about most

helped me bust out of my cycles of shame and sadness,

and create good memories

instead of feeling sorry for myself.

Brene Brown once pointed out

that my life hasn’t lacked wake-up calls,

I’ve just been quick to press snooze.

During this time of year, when nearly every holiday movie includes a Scrooge, may you be reminded of all the goodness in your life, and may that gratitude be the pathway to greater joy.

- Andy Jolivette (Intertwiner, Listener, Coach, and 90’s NBA Jersey-Wearing Pop Shot Champ)
A Ruler From Ancient Times
By: Jack Heimbigner
Tags: Christmas, Spirituality, Advent, Religion, Christianity

Advent 2020

A Ruler From Ancient Times

Photo by Stephanie LeBlanc on Unsplash

Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

As Israel awaited the coming Messiah, they looked to scripture to try and understand who God was sending to save them from Roman occupation and to usher in the Kingdom of God.

They would pour over the books we know as the Old Testament and wait eagerly for this coming Savior. And when he finally came, he wasn’t quite as they expected.

Nevertheless, Jesus fit the model that was being presented to them. For example, in the book of Micah:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” — Micah 5:2

How interesting to think that they were waiting for a Messiah, yet, Bethlehem was not raised up to great prominence. Maybe it was for the religious leaders of the time, but for everyone else, it seems like there wasn’t much to think about.

I wonder what it would be like if this was set in today’s world?

Would we make Bethlehem something bigger than it was originally as we awaited the Messiah? Maybe we would not. Perhaps it doesn’t even matter. However, it makes me think that if we were waiting on a king, we would be looking for him in all the places where he was described to be.

But, what does this mean for us today?

The Ancient Ruler

As we wait for Jesus to return and take His place and ruler of the world, we must remember that this was part of God’s plan all along. Jesus would come and save the world through His death and resurrection. If we believe in Him, we enter into the Kingdom of God.

Now, we are in this in-between time where we wait for Him to return and make everything right again. Bringing us back into God’s presence in the way that it was meant to be. Still, we don’t live like we are expecting Him to come anytime soon.

Yet, Jesus told us that we should be expectant of His return. Not that we should ignore the things of the world around us, but that we will be ready to enter into the full presence of God.

Today

I want to encourage you to think about the ways that you could prepare for Jesus to return. How might you live if you knew Jesus would walk through your door today or come to your city? Start taking steps to live like that.
Oh, That We Are Graced
By: Michelle Berry Lane
Tags: Poetry, Spirituality, Advent, 2020, Heart Revolution

Oh, That We Are Graced

photo copyright Michelle Lane, 2020

A few days ago, in the early hours,

I lifted the crucifix from this little altar

And gently placed it on the bookshelf next to me,

One that holds the words of poets.

Yes. Suffering and Rising.

We often pray that these two

Movements in our own lives,

Like pans of a scale, be balanced

When, truly, we might find that

The pan that rises, rises well,

Lifts up away from the counter weight

As another mass drops in.

But now is a time of waiting

In dimming light

For the gift of new infant breath,

Sweet in the hay

Little hand, the impossibly

Tiny bones of those fingers

Articulating to grasp

Mother’s warm flesh.

This is a time to dream,

To open a fresh space,

To reach out, tenderly,

And cradle hope

In the bend of my arms,

Pull it right in

To the room where

My heart is drumming.

Oh, that we are graced with this time

To pause and to wait, to hold space

For the birth of hope, and to wake

On a shining morning, singing

A new song of welcome,

Full of Holy Words:

Life Breath Love

Thank You.

************************************************

All I have to say is “2020” and people will recognize a particular set of challenges and heartbreaks. It seems we need Hope more than ever this year.

Winter is a season that invites silence and contemplation. It is a time to draw inward and reflect in the darkest time of the year. A time to hold alive within you the hope of the enlivening of springtime. A time of incubation.

Advent in the Christian liturgical calendar occurs in this darkest time of the year. It is a time of waiting, of yearning for the birth of the Divine Child, Emmanuel: God With Us. This year I have found myself really focusing on kindling hope and summoning gratitude. This is the most austere holiday time that I have ever experienced. It has been, for me, an opportunity to quietly focus on the things that matter the most. In December 2020 that might be as elemental as life and breath. May we recognize the gifts we are given.

Peace Be With You.
The Fingerprints are Everywhere.
By: Mark Gladman
Tags: Spirituality, Advent, Christianity, Faith, Universal Christ

Advent, while leading to a moment in history when God was incarnate in Jesus, reminds us to see and experience God incarnate elsewhere. In Romans 1, Paul reminds us that “…since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – their eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…” (v20). In other words, God has always been visible and able to be understood by what we see in creation.

The fingerprints of the divine are on everything! From the beautiful patterns on a leaf, to the fine, delicate lines on the wing of a moth, to the soft warmth of the sand beneath our feet, God is revealed and understood.

No wonder we humans get so much from nature! For in the midst of creation we can clearly see and know God. This is why what we are learning in science is vital – for even within the intricacies of molecular structure and quantam physics and chemical interactions we see so much about the nature of God revealed.

May the little things surprise you today. May the intricacies of our world draw you closer to knowing more of this God whose presence – whose Christ – brings peace and love to know and share.
Priorities
By: Ani Vidrine
Tags: Advent, Christianity, Commitment, Love, Hope

Priorities

photo by niklas_hamann on Unsplash.com

Love, you are my why!

Dear One,

I am writing to remind you of things you already know. Now is a good time to consider your priorities — what is really valuable and meaningful to you — and to invest in that.

Life is too short to waste time and energy on empty distractions. If today were your last day on Earth, how would you want to spend it? With whom would you want to connect? Regret is the “what if” and “if only” of tomorrow. Today is the occasion to recall and honor your “why.”

Remember, this moment is an opportunity to connect to Love, and therefore, to live into the fullness of who you are.

As always, do what best awakens you to love,

Your Inner Wisdom
Advent Gratitude December 14
By: Catherine T Davidson
Tags: Gratitude, Advent

Today I stayed inside, worked, drank a lot of tea, watched the rain come in. It was a Monday kind of day.

My husband made rice pilaf. My daughter made banana bread. Both were delicious. But the highlight of the day was at the end: a hot bath.

My mother used to say – “Catherine the Great herself couldn’t imagine the luxury of hot water from a tap, or how easy it could be to enjoy the pleasure of a hot bath.”

Hot bath, warm house. I don’t take it for granted. I feel grateful.
Why God’s Light Is for Absolutely Everyone
By: Donna C. Battle
Tags: Advent, Spirituality, Religion, BlackLivesMatter

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

John 1:9–10

In elementary school during recess, two team captains allotted by the teacher would, one by one, pick members of the class for their team. The process was quite flattering for the more athletic kids, and quite excruciating for those always picked last. Having the best players made a team captain feel their win was absolute.

When they align with our belief system or reasoning, absolutes present the illusion of control. There’s something comforting about believing our way is the only right way, or that we know what’s right all the time — about being certain, even about the future.

Reality, however, is quite a different matter. There are fewer absolutes in life than many of us would like to admit. And the few that exist are likely to make us uncomfortable because they hold us to a standard.

For example, everyone is created in the image of God. Period.

If the lowliest among us matter — the ones always picked last —then how we treat them matters.

Everyone: it’s a word we may hear on a daily basis, but if we pause to consider its implications, we realize how absolute it is. It’s a word that provides no exceptions.

The light of Jesus is for everyone, not some. Light is given to the invisible and the entitled, to the humble and the arrogant, the rich and the poor. Light is given to the world by the one whose love created it, even though that world didn’t recognize him.

The God who was born, not in a state-of-the-art facility, but on the ground where animals defecate, is more easily recognized by those who are low enough to witness it. Those who are in proximity to that experience have a greater vantage point.

The lowly don’t seem to matter to us, but the fact that God became a lowly person ensures tells us otherwise. The world didn’t imagine God would enter the world as God did, and many hadn’t imagined a low-born Savior.

Light is given, but whether we receive or not, live in it or not, are changed by it or not, is dependent upon our ability to recognize God’s presence in the least, lost, and lowly.

This Advent the light is bright, but if we can’t see it, perhaps we’re limited by our ideas of where we believe the light should be.

Prophetic Practice:

Reflect on where in life you feel most in control. Is that a place God has been invited into? Take a moment and welcome the light of God and welcome the illumination.
December 12 & 13 Advent Gratitude
By: Catherine T Davidson
Tags: Podcast Recommendations, Gratitude, Advent

Spotted on my walk along the river

On Saturday, I finally did go out for my walk. I took my phone, a couple of podcasts, and headed down to the river. The sun was shining, and I listened gratefully to Vivian Sansour talk about heritage seeds in Palestine, and the link between food, farming and climate change on the amazing Mothers of Invention podcast, then listened to Krista Tippet interview Brian Stevenson of the Good Law Project, talking about the long narrative of American injustice and how to live with forgiveness, the motivating power of love and hope and how no one should be judged by their worst mistakes.

That was it for outdoor activity. On Sunday, we woke up to a very wet rain. In England, we have all kinds of rain; some of it is misty, some of it percussive and violent, some of it windy and slashing, some of it just wet — like on Sunday: steady, blobby, insistent, persistent.

I looked out my window; I saw two small people, one about three and one about two, in bright red and yellow rain gear and rubber boots, marching down the path. The younger one kept running to catch up with the older one, who marched ahead, throwing off the little hand that tried to catch a sleeve, to say, wait for me. I recognised that hand as much as I recognised that determined striding forward. I thought about how much of the human story there was in just that moment: our desire to connect, our need to be the boss.

Later on that evening, I got on the Zoom call to my American siblings. We teased each other; we gossiped about our children; we complimented our 91 year old mother whose lockdown, long white hair looks so good on her it could be a hipster fashion statement. We were once like those little wanderers in the park, loving each other, squabbling for power, forgiving each other for our hurts. Some of them were really cruel, and yet, too — how much we were intertwined with each other, how much we appreciate each other now.

This weekend I felt grateful to be part of the human story — one that contains the possibility of cruelty and indifference, but also, each day and in each lifetime, the chance to change the narrative, to forgive and to love.
Shining Light
By: Ani Vidrine
Tags: Advent, Light, Love, Faith, Hope

Shining Light

photo by Amelie & Niklas Ohlrogge on Unsplash.com

Love, shine in us!

Dear One,

I am writing to remind you of things you already know. You are a vessel of Love and Light in the world. You are a necessary note in Love’s great symphony!

This season of hope is the occasion for you to shed any limiting beliefs about your worthiness and value. Your life has meaning simply in the fact that you exist. Look around. Every blade of grass has a right to be here and serves a unique purpose, and so it is with you. Open your heart and your hands today to love and be loved. As you bless the world, you are blessed in return.

Remember, this moment is an opportunity to connect to Love, and therefore, to live into the fullness of who you are.

As always, do what best awakens you to love,

Your Inner Wisdom
Solstice Prayer
By: Michelle Berry Lane
Tags: Poetry, Advent, Blue Insights, Light, Solstice

Solstice Prayer

photo copyright Michelle Lane, December 2020

Solstice Prayer

Lay me out,

Open and empty of expectations;

What comes, will come.

In a season of growing welcome,

New light kindles within the darkness.

Roots rest in their promise of green.

Sweep the ash from your hearth,

Set the wood with tinder,

So that it may catch the fire.

Warm and loosen the heart

In a time of cold

Gather within. Make room.

We are steeped

In gratitude,

May we give ourselves away.

************************************

In December 2020, the dark of winter may feel particularly cold and empty for many. If we orient ourselves toward gratitude and find ways to warm and to offer love it may help. If we remember that the light will grow again, the days will warm and life continues on even when we cannot be with others we love, we may find comfort.

There are many beautiful festivals of light near this time of the year: Diwali, Hanukkah, Loy Krathong, Christmas, the ancient observance of the Solstice . . . They are all oriented toward light and generosity.

If you celebrate Christmas, Advent is a time of waiting in the dark for the Infant of Light. It is a time to gather in and make space for the Divine Christ Child to inhabit. If we can focus on this, we might find fullness in the emptiness of missing the proximal bodies of our loved ones who cannot be with us this year. Light your candles and your hearths and let them shine warmly into the dark of this night.

I invite you to check out more if you liked this poem:
Overflowing with Hope!
By: Weeping Angel
Tags: Hope, Faith and Life, Advent, Faith

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t know about you but I struggle sometimes wondering if I am “doing” my faith right. I worry about the times when I am less than lovely in my thoughts and words, the times when I don’t feel particularly spiritual, or when my inner thoughts tell me I don’t measure up. That’s when I have to remind myself that those things are not God’s truth. This verse says it all; God will fill me with all joy and peace. I just have to trust. Does it say I will overflow with hope on my own power? Nope! It comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. Do I have to sacrifice to be acceptable to God? No, Jesus did that already. It’s so simple, so why do I try to make it so difficult?

Loving God, You have provided all I need to be loved and fully accepted by You. I don’t know why it is so difficult for me to just relax and trust in your Word. I sometimes believe the lie that I’m not enough. Not good enough, not holy enough. Forgive me for the times I don’t trust in You and your Word. Help me to remember that Your love has me covered. Fill me with joy and peace and let your Spirit overflow my spirit with hope for the world. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Advent Joy
By: Nicole Hankey
Tags: Christmas, Feelings, Advent, Religion, Life

Advent Joy

Photo by David Tomaseti on Unsplash

Advent hits differently this year. It’s by far my favorite liturgical season (and in general season). I am a Christmas fanatic — I love the lights, decorations, music, cheesy Hallmark movies — I am obsessed with the coziness and happiness of the season. But this year…it’s harder. I’ve been feeling All The Feelings lately. I’ve been overwhelmed by sadness, loneliness, regret, and anxiety.

The sadness and anxiety I feel is personal, but also global. The collective trauma we are all living through is heavy. And when I think that on top of the Covid related stuff we’re all dealing with, each and every one of us also has our own personal challenges and struggles and feelings that we’re fighting through every day, it’s almost too much. Sitting with the weight of this is overwhelming. And it’s hard to even catch a glimpse of the light in the midst of it, much less let that light in.

But today is Joy Sunday in Advent. It’s about the concept of God as Immanuel — God here with us. We’re supposed to be looking towards and celebrating the Light of the world that shines in the darkness. But that doesn’t feel right today. And I can’t help but think that even the Light cried in the darkness. Even the Light knows what it’s like to be alone, scared, angry, and deeply sad. And maybe that’s part of what it means to be light.

Maybe the light we need is less of a flood lamp and more of a candle. Maybe it’s a flickering flame of hope and joy that burns through the midst of thick, heavy darkness. Maybe it’s learning to sit with the heaviness of All The Feelings, and remembering that the Light is sitting right here with us. Maybe this is what it means to live into the fullness of our humanity — not compartmentalizing and dividing our feelings, but fully feeling and accepting and leaning into all of them as they come. Maybe this is what joy looks like this season. Maybe joy is less like happiness and more like wholeness, and knowing that the Light is still here.
Christmas 2020 at Oasis
By: Oasis Church Birmingham
Tags: Christmas, Spirituality, Advent, Christianity, Faith

Christmas 2020 at Oasis

This has been a year that nobody could have foreseen. Come and join us as we explore together how true hope arrives in the most unexpected moments — and the invitation that the first, equally unforeseen, Christmas, has for each of us today.

Carol Service — 7:30pm on Sunday 20th December

At our Evening Carol Service, you can expect plenty of carols led by the Oasis Band, spoken word pieces, performances from groups including the Oasis Choir, moments to make you think, and loads more. All you need to do is log on to join us, sit back, grab a hot chocolate or mulled wine, and enjoy!

Streaming via the Oasis Online Platform and Facebook LIVE.

Contemplative Christmas Eve Service — 7:30pm on Thursday 24th December

On Christmas Eve, we’ll have a Contemplative Service together — a moment to pause ahead of the Christmas festivities, however they are looking for you this year, and take time to reflect, hear creative pieces, and enjoy some carols together. Just log on, find somewhere comfortable and join us in a moment to consider on the wonder of the Christmas message and hear again the invitation of that child in the manger to each of us.

Streaming via the Oasis Online Platform.

All-Age Christmas Day Service — 10:30am on Friday 25th December

Finally, please do come and join us for a short, all age meeting as we celebrate Christmas Day together. Hosted via a Zoom Meeting, it’ll include time to sing carols, enjoy a Christmas catch-up in breakout rooms, and reflect together on the wonder of what it means that Jesus has come to us.

For this meeting, unlike our ‘normal’ Sunday meetings, you will have the option to be seen if you would like to be, or to keep your camera turned off if you would prefer. The goal is that seeing everyone’s smiling faces will help give a fun, community feel and enable us all to connect more personally on Christmas Day!

To join, just click this Zoom link, or enter this Meeting ID into your Zoom App: 876 2013 5464.

No Meetings

Please note that we won’t have our ‘regular’ Sunday morning meetings on either Sunday 20th or Sunday 27th December as we take a pause to rest over the new year and ensure that our serving teams can live this busy season with a right pace. Our first Sunday morning of 2021 will be Sunday 3rd January, kicking off at 10:30am.
The Desperation of Christmas
By: Kelsey Foster
Tags: Parenting, Christmas, Advent, Christianity, Faith

About three months ago, I became a parent for the first time ever. Becoming a parent drastically changed my world (duh). While there were many ways I had anticipated change, there has been one unexpected shift in perspective that has crept up on me as we are in this Advent and soon to be Christmas season.

As a person of Christian faith, this season dedicates significant time to the birth of Jesus, God’s redemption plan here on Earth. This time often speaks to the wonder of it all; the miracle of God among us, born to a virgin teenager in a meager barn. We talk about the gifts, the humble beginning, etc. But this year, as I attempt to calm a screaming infant, something else comes to mind: the desperation.

I picture Mary, sore and bleeding, crying tears of both joy and panic at the same time. This miraculous baby, come to save humanity, but also tiny, crying, and unable to do anything at all. I think of the days to come, where it must have crossed her mind that maybe she misunderstood God, because how was it possible for a Savior to come this way? As she cried to her mother that she would never survive these days, did she question God’s plan?

Days wore on. The panicked cry of, “Why won’t he latch?” Slightly bitter glances across the bed at her husband with his useless chest. Hours of crying; both her and the baby. Checking to see if he was breathing, if his soft spot looked okay, if that rash seemed normal, and wondering if he would ever sleep more than three hours at a time.

Maybe Mary had more faith than I could ever imagine. But if God came down through a totally helpless baby in my life, I would begin to doubt. And our baby was anticipated, brought to a married couple, with two steady incomes and a wonderful childcare provider. There was (some) paid maternity leave. Never a question of if we would have enough. Mary was a teenager. She had to explain to her fiance about a baby who wasn’t his. They weren’t rich. There was no dula, no sterilized birthing equipment. They had their baby in a freaking barn. THEN, they spent the first two years of his life on the run as refugees. Surely this could not be God’s plan.

And yet, it was. To me, this is the miracle. The desperate, early, emotional days of parenthood. That this was God with us, Emmanuel. He came to and through the poor, the unequipped. He came knowing that Mary and Joseph would have to parent through the toddler years living as refugees, far from their support system. This is what God chose. This is what He created beauty and salvation out of. Jesus, the baby with spit-up on His chin. Jesus, come to rescue all of humanity. Jesus, God with us.
Death
By: Moyosore Sheriff Quadri
Tags: One Line, Advent, Poetry

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Advent
By: Roy Reichle
Tags: One Line, Poetry, Wise Men, Advent, Love

Kevin Carden

Looking to the East,

I wait for the unseen

rising of a red desire

climbing in the hearts

of Earth’s wise people,

those who wait not

to receive but bring

love to lay

at Emmanuel’s feet.