Sunday, December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isa 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Isa 60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.
Isa 60:5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Isa 60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
Isa 60:7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Isa 60:8 Who [are] these [that] fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Isa 60:9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
Isa 60:10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
Isa 60:11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that [men] may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and [that] their kings [may be] brought.
Isa 60:12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, [those] nations shall be utterly wasted.
Isa 60:13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 60:15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through [thee], I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
Isa 60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Isa 60:18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
Isa 60:19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Isa 60:20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Isa 60:21 Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
Isa 60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Christmas



I am ready for Christmas. This is the first year in many that we didn't have to wait until Christmas eve to get our presents, although, we still don't have our tree up. It's been busy, there is just so much to do. I used to get quite overwhelmed, my stomach would knot up and I would feel like I could never get it all done. Things would weigh on me. I have learned a little over the years. Now, I know that I am not going to get it all done, accept it, get done what you can. I won't break my back trying to finish everything, and once in a while I make myself leave something undone just for practice. I like to tie up loose ends, but as soon as I think I have them all tied up I find another one. I also have accepted that it's ok to scale back one's plans, what REALLY needs to happen, what am I doing because I want to, versus what am I doing because I think I should, or someone thought it was a good idea or that I SHOULD.

I think it's odd that people spend so much time getting ready for Christmas, for the day to come, and as soon as it is over, it's done, that's it, fini. The stores are already putting away the Christmas stuff and putting it on sale, it's done before it's here. That is one thing I enjoy about the liturgical season of Christmas, it is truly a season, not just a day. The church I go to now isn't liturgical, and so there isn't the sense of season that we had in the Episcopal church, but I see that they hold Christ near all the year long, it isn't about one big day, everyday is special when God is there. Both are good ways, one is not better than the other. In the secular world however, there is is huge build up to a day that for a lot of people isn't about the coming of Christ in to the world as a baby, it's about selling, and when the selling stops, Christmas stops. Fooey on them.

I want it to be more reflective and less hurried, even frenzied. There is such pressure to meet some expectation of the "Holiday Season", so little actual reflecting gets done. So this year I am trying my darndest to keep the pace down to a slower frenzy, to think about what it means and to encourage my kids to think about what it means. I love the holidays, winter, I just hate the business.

Monday, December 12, 2005

Bandon weekend















Point Blanco Lighthouse

















Point Blanco


















Point Blanco


















More Point Blanco





















Bandon Lighthouse