December Twenty-Twenty-Two

 

A Blessing for Christmas Time 

God, this is a kind of magic

the way this day shines so strangely,

how it sparkles beyond our understanding. 

(Yes, it was a disaster 

the way the food turned out this year 

and how what’s-her-face said (I told her not to)

What shouldn’t be repeated. 

Again this year.) 

But, somehow, this day 

never fails to awaken a longing  

to love well—or at least better—

all those here with us, and those far away,

and to remember with gratitude

those now gone, gone, gone and missed.

What is this mystery? 

Our God who set the world spinning 

should come down for this one reason:

to love us into a newness. 

Not for gain, nor our capitalist fantasies,

but the hope that freely, lavishly, 

that we might learn to see, feel, and live Christ’s love.

Thank you. 

Christ the Giver and the Gift." 

-Kate Bowler, The Lives We Actually Have

First Coming
Madeleine L’Engle

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

 

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine.

 

He did not wait till hearts were pure.
In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

 

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

 

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

Almost the End of the Year

 

almost the end of the year! 

Washington Park December run 

 

Annual Breakfast at Calico Cupboard with the cousins 

Polar Bear Plunge #2 (for Taylor and Cazden) 

Polar Bear Plunge #1 (for Colter and Anna) 

Annual New Years Date Night 

Cheers to Cranberry Lake

This lake has provided miles and miles and hours and hours of connection and reflection and exercise and escape through the years.... Cheers to Cranberry Lake! 

(and it has provided a spot for polar bear plunges!!!) 

Christmas- Round 2!

 

December 28, 2012 

December 28, 2022 

Christmas cheer :) 

fried chicken dinner (compliments of Taylor and Caz!) 

the woods around Cranberry Lake where we love spending as much time as possible this last week of December (see below for other times we have loved this on this day in years past) 

December 28, 2009 

December 28, 2006 

You Came...

This is a short prayer that I wrote in my journal this week and shared for the blessing before our Christmas dinner. 

Thank You for coming into our stories,

into our brokenness,

into our self-doubt.

Thank You that you came to break the cycle….

of the ways we wound our lives, the lives of others, and the life of the world….

Thank You that You came to break the cycle….

of the hierarchies we have created

that only serve to distance us from You,

from others,

and from ourselves.

You came

and our souls felt our worth.

You came 

to bring us a life abundant

imbued with

a theology of worthiness,

a theology of enoughness.

Certainly the epic drama of redemption is far from over,

but the message is this:

You came.

You came.

Thank God,

You came.

Anna and Taylor reading the 12 Days of Christmas/ Agnes letters (which has been a family tradition since I was little) after dinner on Christmas 

Christmas Day 2022 

screenshot of Taylor's Snapchat last night

(We finally got home at 2 am Seattle time after a crazy day of travel! There were some mechanical problems with the pilot's headset and they kept us on the plane for 4 1/2 hours while they fixed it and then could not get the paperwork through for clearance. We were so grateful at least to have made our flight and not be stuck somewhere as many people are. Holiday travel is not for the faint of heart!) 

The insanity at SeaTac airport at 1:30 am last night.... 

Christmas Woodshop

Anna and Taylor have spent some good time in the woodshop on their own and with Abba this past week making some Christmas presents and learning new skills. The best elf shop in town! 

Unto You...

Christmas morning coffee cake 

Percy Warner Christmas Run 

"The night Jesus was born, the night heaven touched earth, the night God chose to slip into this world in human flesh, the night God took on our native garb, angels hovered around and the glory of the Lord shone upon – not the priests in the temple, not the magistrates in the city hall, not the professors in the academy. The glory of the Lord shone upon some dudes who lived with sheep and slept outdoors. I thought of it for the first time this week. Like, why shepherds and not, like journalists or something? 

The only answer I can come up with is this: because shepherds are totally fine with mangers. Jesus was born when and where he was most needed and that was in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago amongst sheep and straw and maybe God knew shepherds were the only ones who wouldn't be freaked out by the whole baby in a manger thing. I mean, they literally already smelled like sheep and grass and dirt. 

This image of a proud Joseph and an exhausted Mary looking at the babe laying in the manger wrapped in bands of cloth, and then suddenly having their party crashed by some smelly shepherds telling magical tales of singing angels. Well, there’s just so much more hope to be found in this than in a magistrate’s office or a temple. A manger in Bethlehem was where we needed for it all to happen. 

And I believe that despite a pandemic, and political unrest and an unnecessarily high death toll, that there are still angels hovering around. I believe that God is still trying to get to us. Seeking out shepherds, seeking out anyone who will listen. I believe God is still trying to get to us to bring good news of great joy for all the people. 

We’ve had so much bad news this year – bad news of great sorrow for all the peoples. 

So I am delighted to finally say Merry Christmas, because we could use some good news of great joy for all the people right about now.

And I believe that the Christ child is always born where he is most needed, where he is most cherished, where he is most potent. So wherever in your life you need this babe – that is always where he is to be found. 

Whoever listening right now who needs this baby…

It is unto you a child is born.

Unto you.

Unto you the mother without her own children.

Unto you an addict who can’t keep clean.

Unto you the survivor.

Unto you who can’t lose it because you have to keep it together for everyone else.

Unto you the bullied kid.

Unto you whose family never got you.

Unto you who lost your parents this year.

Unto you who doesn't know how in the world you can keep going.

Unto you.

Unto you a child is born. And also unto me. 

And also unto me and all who already smell of sheep and grass a dirt. 

Because the Christ child is always born wherever he is most needed. Wherever a soul needs to feel it’s worth.

Merry Christmas, family.

Amen."

-Nadia Bolz-Weber