A Poem for Advent into Christmas: Love stuck

The greatest of the four weeks of Advent into Christmas is here: love.

With all the hope waking, peace-making and joy breaking,
We need the glue of love to make this stick.
Please stick.
More than paper on packages with packing tape,
But something that goes beyond the surface of things
And fills the darkest corners of us with lasting love.

I don't want these gifts of hope, peace, joy and love to disappear like grandma's frosted sugar cookies.
But if they had to be consumed, hope, peace, joy and love would empower us to live out actions …like the making of many snow angels; when we abandon everything else
and surrender to love that stays.

Please stay love,
I don't want you
to melt like snow drifts above 35 degrees....
be crumpled like old gift wrapping...
or abandoned on the curb like a used Christmas tree.

Christ’s light has grown.
Five candles are lit.
Illuminating
our way with hope, peace, joy and the greatest:
Love.

One candle for hope.
Two candles for peace. (Inhale/exhale)
Three candles for joy. J-O-Y.
Four candles for love. (Please stick, love, please stick.)
And the fifth candle for Christmas – for the light of Christ to blaze in our heart, soul and mind.

This Christmas, I hope for peace and joy: emboldened - empowered and eternally stuck in our hearts by the power of love.
Love - stuck!

Love, you are the superglue we need.
You are the light we must have to see.
You are what sustains us in all times and in this Christmastime.
Hope, Peace, Joy and LOVE, especially Love.
Please, stick.
Yes, Love. Stuck.

Comments

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w

Gifts we have to give

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

Uphill idealist

Search This Blog