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Come & See. ... Go & Tell. ...

May the splendor, majesty, and mystery of the Christ child send us to our knees in worship.  

1. Christmas Eve Prayer (Christine Sine, 12/24/2009)
2. Before the Presence of God (Quote from Bobby Gross' Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God, Emerging Scholars Network, 12/25/2009)
3. Jesus Creed (Variety of posts/links including Michael Card's Immanuel given by Scot McKnight, 12/25/2009)
4. Songs which the twins sung at last night's Christmas Eve Service included:
   1. One Starry Night (Link is a youtube sung by another choir)
   2. City on a Hill's version of Holy Emmanuel (2002) -- below

    

On December 15, Worship Quote of the Week highlighted some Christmas thoughts from C.S. Lewis.  Take a few minutes to join me in reflecting upon the below poem:

THE NATIVITY
Among the oxen (like an ox I'm slow)
I see a glory in the stable grow
Which, with the ox's dullness might at length
Give me an ox's strength.

Among the asses (stubborn I as they)
I see my Savior where I looked for hay;
So may my beastlike folly learn at least
The patience of a beast.

Among the sheep (I like a sheep have strayed)
I watch the manger where my Lord is laid;
Oh that my baa-ing nature would win thence
Some woolly innocence.

— C. S. Lewis, from POEMS, edited by Walter Hooper, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977.  Posted at http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2009-12-15.

The reason I don't like to pray is simple. I don't really love God. I do love the idea of loving God. It would be a fine, fine thing to love God, I believe. But I have to face it: One reason I go to church is not because I already love God but because I'd like to love him. I'm afraid I have the same reaction to church as I do to prayer. Lots of debate about whether I should go. Going most Sundays because I should go. And when it's over, a lot of times I can say, "I love having worshiped." ... -- Waiting for Jesus to Show Up: Moving from loving the idea of loving God to loving God (Mark Galli, Christianity Today, posted 12/10/2009 10:33AM).  HT:  Arlene

What's waiting been like this Advent for you, your family, the local assembly of which you are a member?  How are you entering the new year of the Christian calendar (and 2010)?  Take a few minutes to be challenged/encouraged by Waiting for Jesus to Show Up: Moving from loving the idea of loving God to loving God. Let us know by email how we can pray for you.

The reality of the Kingdom of God and the Presence of God has recently shown through with power in conversation at a graduate student dinner sponsored by the PSU-Hershey Mecial Center's Christian Medical Society (CMS), reading G.P. Taylor's Shadowmancer (Note: CT Author interview), family devotions based upon The Jesse Tree [Geraldine McCaughrean, Bee Willey (illustrator), Eerdmans, 2005], the adult elective on N.T. Wright's Simply Christian, and blocks of time to be quiet/listen (I really enjoy "no radio" in runs back and forth from CMS activities).  

Pray for each and every member of our family, our whole family, and people of God to journey through this season and the coming year with eyes focused upon the Christ child.  To God be the glory!

An excerpt from a sermon from St. Gregory Nazianzen (HT Jim):

The  very Son of God, older  than  the ages, the invisible, the incomprehensible, the incorporeal, the beginning of beginning, the light of light, the fountain of life and immortality, the image of the archetype, the immovable seal, the perfect likeness, the definition and word of the Father: he it is who comes to his own image and takes our nature for the good of our nature, and unites himself to an intelligent soul for the good of my soul, to purify like by like. He takes to himself all that is human, except for sin. He was conceived by the Virgin Mary, who had been first prepared in soul and body by the Spirit; his coming to birth had to be treated with honor, virginity had to receive new honor. He comes forth as God, in the human nature he has taken, one being, made of two contrary elements, flesh and spirit. Spirit gave divinity, flesh received it.

He who makes rich is made poor; he takes on the poverty of my flesh, that I may gain the riches of his divinity. He who is full is made empty; he is emptied for a brief space of his glory that I may share in his fullness.

What is this wealth of goodness? What is this mystery that surrounds me? I received the likeness of God, but failed to keep it. He takes on my flesh, to bring salvation to the image, immortality to the flesh. He enters into a second union with us, a union far more wonderful than the first.

Holiness had to be brought to man by the humanity assumed by one who was God, so that God might overcome the tyrant by force and so deliver us and lead us back to himself through the mediation of his Son. The Son arranged this for the honor of the Father, to whom the Son is clearly obedient in all things.

The Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep, came in search of the straying sheep to the mountains and hills on which you used to offer sacrifice. When he found it, he took it on the shoulders that bore the wood of the cross, and led it back to the life of heaven.

Christ, the light of all lights, follows John, the lamp that goes before him. The Word of God follows the voice in the wilderness; the bridegroom follows the bridegroom's friend, who prepares a worthy people for the Lord by cleansing them by water in preparation for the Spirit.

We need God to take our flesh and die that we might live. We have died with him, that we may be purified. We have risen again with him, because we have died with him. We have been glorified with him, because we have risen again with him.

Amen!

Note:  Earlier post with powerful quote from St. Gregory Nazianzen in reference to the cross and the miracle of salvation, Who is your Savior?

In follow-up to Be Thou my Wisdom.

With all concerns regarding financial resources and positioning around us, let us together sing. ...

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

How can we refrain from ...

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Be Thou My (Our) Vision this Advent, for the coming year, and all our days!  Amen.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Ever have a task at which you are particularly ill equipped?  For me it is sorting through paper resources/files.  I see so many possible uses and relationships between various materials that I find them difficult to categorize, file, set down, and/or throw away. 

On Monday I faced off against the new to me filing cabinets which I found free a few houses down the street.  The goal was not only to move over files, but also to clean up/out some unnecessary papers. Setting aside the computer virus issues and the scurry of Advent/Christmas preparations (as the girls had no school due to deer season), I did not make much progress.  Why?  I came across sheet after sheet of paper which

1. Testified to God the Father's powerful work in His creation (particularly related to campus ministry) through His mighty hand, Son, people, and Spirit. 
2. Reminded me of tasks to be completed, which I tried to accomplish to get them off the list and discard the sheet of paper.
3. Generated new ideas for the campus mission.

I dwelt upon a Be Thou My Vision handout for quite some time, remembering the numerous times I've shared the words/themes of the song during conferences, campus gatherings, and personal appointments.  With Advent beginning, I was particularly drawn to the verse given above. 

Pray that the Word and Spirit would enable me to may seek/receive and encourage others to seek/receive the Wisdom of God each and every day.  Pray for the wisdom of God (and not my own musings) to flow with clarity in appointments, e-communications, presentations, and social interactions during a busy season with varying lengths of conversation.  Note: I've found greatest length of conversation and opportunity to get to know people to occur during various social gatherings?  Why?  Previously open times in campus schedules fill due to the end of term and various holiday events. 

Pray for God to grant me and all in our household/ministry to be filled with Wisdom all the days of our lives at home, among the people of God, in the community, on campus, wherever we are sent. 

In no other subject is error more dangerous, inquiry more difficult, or the discovery of truth more rewarding.  -- St. Augustine, De Trinitate 

As Advent spurs us into reflection, here's a resource to return to ...

Practicing a Christ Centered Christmas 2.0: The Character, Person, and Story of God, Week 1

So what happens to all that you share with (and on) Facebook? I recently came across 5 Ways to Stay Safe and Private on Facebook, a summary of the excellent NY Times article, 5 Easy Steps to Stay Safe (and Private!) on Facebook, and was inspired to spend some time upgrading my account while watching The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Brad Pitt as Jesse James
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Advent musing:  As we enter the happy holiday season, what friends and family do you trust and how much?  Take a moment to consider how you express the love and the good news which was given for (but not understood or accepted by) many created in the very image of the One bearing Life.  How can Facebook be an avenue (at times a first step) to give testimony to the Light instead of an avenue to encourage the darkness?   

Yesterday, we brought the Advent/Christmas materials down from the attic. How great it was for the girls to have off school, due to deer hunting season, enabling them to have a morning peeking into the manger set (Eden said, "Thank-you so much mommy!"), opening children's books, and joyfully decorating the house. 

So Advent readings on Sunday, decorations on Monday, Advent Calendar on Tuesday.  Hope you didn't start you 24 day Christmas Countdown 2 days early ;-)  If so, it's really no big deal, just add another box or two ... BTW, I've seen sites to make your own on-line.  Anyone use an on-line Advent calendar or a computer program w/graphics?  If so, please forward me info/links.  I'm interested in learning more about these possibilities.

Personally, how am I dealing with all the hustle and bustle?  I found a quiet place for Following the Star before digging into some serious office work. Still resting in and meditating upon yesterday's text:

He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. -- 1 Kings 19:11-12

May you find this telling of the story a blessing to be shared among family, friends, members of your local congregation, neighbors.  As I've mentioned in early posts (e.g., Come quickly, Jesus!) our whole family has been blessed by the The Jesus Storybook Bible.  We'll be reading it several more times in the coming years as the children grow.

In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. ... Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. -- Isaiah 2:1,5

Are you desiring to become more familiar with the lectinonary we begin Advent?  If so, swing by Christine Sine's post Daily Bible Readings For Advent, consider Begin Living the Christian Year in Advent, and/or try out Following the Star (HT Arlene, more below).  

The d365 daily devotional series is produced by Passport, Inc. Passport’s seasonal devotional sites, Following the Star and Journey to the Cross, help readers journey through Advent and Lent. These series are written especially for students and seek to provide reflections on themes that impact our faith journey. We hope that in the midst of busy or boring days, these sites will create a quiet space in your life for contemplation and prayer. As you complete the devotion, if you would like to offer a response, a prayer, or prayer request, please click here and visit our Guestbook, also found in the menu below.

You can help the devotional series by spreading the word! For free resources to promote the sites at your church, in Bible study groups, or in other organizations, please click here and visit www.d365.org/share. You can also find a place to email your friends about the site at this link.

Note:  If you have lectionary (or other Advent) materials to suggest, please comment or drop me an email (and I'll include in future posts as I develop an Advent resource base).

In case you missed the Advent Conspiracy 2008 promo video, worth the few minutes before planning your day/season ...

  Note:  Don't miss conversation/ideas sharing at Rethinking Christmas

... liturgies make us certain kinds of people, and what defines us is what we love.  They do this because we are the sorts of animals whose orientation to the world is shaped from the body up more than from the head down.  Liturgies aim our love to different ends precisely by training our hearts through our bodies.  They prime us to approach the world in a certain way, to value certain things, to aim for certain goals, to pursue certain dreams, to work together on certain projects.

James K.A. Smith
Desiring the Kingdom

Join me in prayerful consideration/application of this quote as we enter the holiday season on campus and in the larger culture.  HT:  *CINO daily asterisk (11/3/2009). Placing Smith's book on my to read list, check out Byron Borger's post A rich week of new books: Bobby Gross, James K. A. Smith, Walt Brueggeman, Timothy Keller DVD

Swing by Emerging Scholars Network for Mike's excellent interview of Bobby Gross, director of InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty Ministry & author of Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God (IVP, 2009). Our family will be journeying through this book in the coming year (starts November 29). Check out Byron Borger's rave reviews at A rich week of new books: Bobby Gross, James K. A. Smith, Walt Brueggeman, Timothy Keller DVD and Pennsylvania State Pastors' Conference: Books about Church, Congregational life, and more.

PS. For those in South Central PA, mark your calendars for when Bobby visits the area on Ascension Day 2010 (i.e., May 13), in partnership with Hearts & Minds Books. Details tba. ...

As we prepare to enter the Adventure of Advent. I once again invite you to join me in participating in Advent posts with Christine Sine at Godspace.

Good to see Byron's highlighting Sufjan Stevens Christmas Songs. I ordered my copy through him last year and as last year, Christmas songs rings through our house (and they'll return as part of the Christmas tradition next year).

If you haven't had the opportunity to join the chorus, then visit here (and click the pic of the musical note near the top of the page).  Note:  Pitchfork's review still available here.

If you really believe in heaven/hell and love others, then you better proselytize.  Furthermore, as an atheist it's encouraging to meet a good witness (versus most religionists), even though one has deep disagreements about reality.  That's basically the point of Penn Says: A Gift of a Bible.  A helpful piece to consider as you share Christ this Christmas (through word and life).  Some of the resultant conversation on youtube is also of value.

Note:  Thank-you to the Brethren in Christ Discussion list which brought this to my attention.

A note from a friend which I just have to share with you as it provides the proper focus for Lily's First Christmas as our family worships Christ on Christmas Eve/Day.

How is Lily already 6 months! Know you will all enjoy her this First Christ.Mas! Another time, another Baby, one who was long prepared for and we celebrate Him and our eternal life!

Thank-you to my sister in Christ who passed along Have Yourself a Peace and Justice Christmas (to the tune of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas), see below.  Of much more value than the song (and its tune) is the Sojourners Have Yourself a Peace and Justice Christmas! pledge/drive. Please take a moment to review the pledge, consider taking the pledge, and embrace several of the recommendations to reflect/practice Christ this Christmas.  As we have a friend in Zimbabwe assisting family, this suggestion spoke loud and clear: 

Fast through the Silent Night. Choose to fast on Christmas Eve on behalf of the suffering people of Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

---

 (More)

Thank-you to Miller who passed along the link to Christ Altogether Lovely, the favorite Puritan sermon of the InterVarsity staff at Harvard. And may we, reflect upon, and give witness to the loveliness of Christ this Christmas through word and deed.  An excerpt which particularly spoke to me is given below.

Thank-you to cultureisnotoptional's * the daily asterisk for the below quote from Madeleine L'Engle's Glimpses of Grace.  Let us by the power of the Spirit and the direction of the Word, give glory to God the Father by sharing and incarnating the Word/Christ this Christmas as we

1. shop -- even if it's just sharing Merry Christmas with the grocery store cashier and not running people over as we stock our shelves at last minute for large social gatherings, but may we have opportunity to also share a word from God.
2. navigate relationships with extended families/neighbors/colleagues --even if it's just being the Presence of Christ, but may we have opportunity to give testimony to why we bring peace to busy places.
3. walk through the press of year end economic stress -- even if it's just sharing a can of soup, but may we also be a light as place our confidence in the Good Shepherd leads us through difficult times.   
4. receive/give gifts that we would not be overcome with a sense of entitlement or comparativism -- even if it's just saying thank-you for something we don't need/want and will pass it along to another who truly is in need, but may we also have space to testify to the Reality that Christ is the true gift of Christmas which keeps on giving (to infinity and beyond) ... one who we are in no way deserving and can never be paid back by a bigger gift or act of service/love in the coming year.

In all areas of our life may God the Father grant us the grace to light and shed the light of the Advent wreath candles ... anticipation/hope, peace, joy, love, and Christ (the source for all the others)!

I came across Merry Tossmas in an on-line discussion group, it led me to check out Citizen Link for the first time.  Not bad.  But when it comes to what I'll highlight in Practicing a Christ-Centered Christmas 2.0, Advent Conspiracy trumps Merry Tossmas.  Compare the two videos and let me know your thoughts. ... 

We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity, neither confusing the Persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person for the Father, another for the Son, and yet another for the Holy Spirit. But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one. … Thus, the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but there is one God. -- Athanasian Creed

For more on The Trinity visit:
Practicing a Christ Centered Christmas 2.0: The Character, Person, and Story of God, Week 1
Knowing God, the Trinity, Creeds, and Prayer

In no other subject is error more dangerous, inquiry more difficult, or the discovery of truth more rewarding.  -- St. Augustine, De Trinitate 

Jim gave an excellent presentation on The Trinity during week 1 of 2 on The Character, Person, and Story of God as a Proper Lens for Christmas.  Despite being pressed for time, as no doubt we could spend an entire term (& infinitely more) reflecting upon and exploring the reality of The Trinity, he maintained his composure and clearly presented the below material in an interactive format.  To God be the glory!