BETTER TIMES?

Okay, I have read Psalm 4 three times. I am NOT getting the connection between what the psalmist says and what the Wall Street connection is. I DO know that the ups and downs of life are troublesome and many. I do know that many are now struggling with the downs and do not have the wherewithal to cope with them. It is for these that I am concerned. The people experiencing homeless situations right now are many. How do we help them?

There isn't an easy answer. It is hard to look this kind of need in the face and know what to do. We give what we can. We offer what we have. Is it enough? Probably not. Is it necessary for us to make the effort? Yes. Can we do more? Probably.

TWO DAY ADVENT CATCH UP

Not surprising that one day would happen that I couldn't get it all done. And it did and this is the catch up. I am NOT omitting anything. Both are included.

I do treat the earth well. In fact just this morning I was ripping brown paper into strips to add in to the compost bin along with garbage and leaves. I have just learned that paper was a valid component of the composting materials. Stands to reason, being made from trees and plants. So back to the earth it goes. And ever since I read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, I have been an avid conservator of water. Sometimes to the ridiculous but that book REALLY made an impact on my thinking about how we live and how we waste the obvious.

Then on to the proverb itself, with which I do NOT agree. Children learn from their parents and other adults that they watch and mimic. It is the parents that need to hand down a tradition of conserving our resources. And if it didn't happen in one generation START it now. It is really up to the generation that parents today's children to model conservation. Period. Do it!

The reason I didn't do this yesterday is that Bill and I went into New York City to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. A first for me and I really enjoyed the show. And we did a whole lot of walking -- from Grand Central Station to Rockefeller Plaza and back again and definitely not direct routes either way. So I saw lot of gospel writing in the lights and colors and shapes and sounds of the city. And people. Lots and lots of people. So different from the flowers and the clouds and the stars. Every bit as important and colorful, alive and real, being a part of creation each in its own way.

ADVENT 3

Sometimes I just don't get it. We are asking God to stir up God's own powers. In fact, it isn't even a request. We are telling God to put a big wooden spoon into the great pot of powers, stir them around and then come round and shower us with grace and mercy. There must be a whole lot of other powers in that pot; asking for grace and mercy is probably wise. The Lord knows that we need it -- in abundance. Yep, they're free. Free for the asking. I think I want to emphasize the asking part. By asking we are acknowledging just what it is that we need the grace and mercy for.

Many of the collects in our Book of Common Prayer are wise and heartfelt prayers. Then there are one likes today that just seem to be filling space. It is a good thing that the sermon this morning was more enlightening than the collect. And maybe I should be thinking about writing my own collect that is more in keeping with my feelings on asking for grace and mercy.

LIGHTEN UP

I really take great exception to being told what God loves or likes or disapproves or wants or doesn't want. I do agree that we needn't be taking ourselves too seriously during this Advent. Or any Advent as far as that is concerned. More to the point, we need to be reminded that we are reacquainting ourselves with the arrival of Jesus.

Of course, we have the advantage of knowing how the story goes -- so far. Resurrection is part of the story for us. But it isn't the end of the story. None of us knows the end of the story. That is why we need to be reminded about how the story plays out. The birth of Jesus kind of comes in the middle of it all. First there is creation. The birth and resurrection are the middle part of the story. We don't know how the end plays out. What we are doing in Advent is to remember the part of the story that brings Jesus into this world. Sometimes the secular traditions of the Christmas get in the way of the birth story. That is the challenge, to try to maintain a balance in our own lives of the sacred story and our secular traditions. Important to "lighen up" and not let it all overwhelm us.

REACHING OUT ???

Interestingly enough, the person that I most needed to reach out to, reached out to ME this evening. She has been in rehab after a hip replacement. I have been to see her a couple of times. I have been "busy." She has been rehabbing. I have been busy. She is now home.

I think that we need to be aware of the needs of others. At the same time I think that we need to be aware of what our needs might be and allow others to tend them. Sometimes it is hard to NOT be the pro active person. Sometimes we need to relax and allow ourselves to receive care and attention. And in so doing we are actually giving the gift of giving to that person. We all need to give. And we all need to feel that our giving is accepted and appreciated. We need to be gracious givers and appreciative receivers.

LUKE 3 -- A G A I N ????

On December 3, having read all of Luke 2, we were sent ahead to read the first six verses of Luke 3. Read the whole of Luke 3 on the 4th of December. And now on December 10 we are sent back once again to Luke three to read verses 7-18. And why? Well, because these are the verses we are going to hear this Sunday. And we need to be beaten up some more about our sins and all the bad stuff that is going to happen to us if we don't straighten up. We aren't even into the middle of Advent yet and I am longing for some words of encouragement. I need to know that somebody loves me. Enough already of John screaming in the wilderness.

I am not wanting to even think about what the 17th is going to bring us. More of Luke 3 no doubt. Perhaps between now and then we can have some positive stuff. And if it isn't, I'll turn it into positive. I am doing pretty well at my Advent discipline of reading Luke, coloring and meditating, writing a line or two about the days calender offering. Positive. Be positive.

UNPLUGGED

I am very fortunate to be able to have some time most mornings for 'self.' It is a quiet time of doing puzzles: Jumble, Celebrity Cipher, Newsday Crossword, and, of course, the Sudoku. Some days I actually finish all four. Taking on these daily Advent pictures has added time for myself. Choosing and applying the colors, thinking about the day's offering, all quiet time.

PLUS I continue to read the chapter a day of Luke. This is even more time away from 'communication' with others. And I have learned that reading Luke BEFORE I play with the colors is better. More time to meditate on the chapter. Like today there were included six parables, count them SIX. And in addition, a couple of little asides. So, once again, a chance to lament the demise of the swine herd. And what about the one where Jesus notices that power went out from him. I've always wondered if that meant that there was power taken away from the whole of his power and therefore it could get used up or that there might be an unlimited supply. Then I think, no, this is Jesus we're talking about. God has power going on forever. But these thoughts do surface every time I hear the story.