My great-great-grandfather was a circuit riding Methodist preacher in the hills of North Carolina. I don't know much about him except his daughter (my great-grandmother Daisy) eloped with a young man attending a worship service. (And a good match it was, I'm told.) Daisy's daughter, my grandmother Josephine, was a bible teacher in a large city church. … [Read more...] about Advent Day 12–From generation to generation
Archives for December 2012
Advent Day 11- If a punch bowl were holy
And Mary sang: "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is his name."When I was growing up there was a china closet in the dining room. In the china closet … [Read more...] about Advent Day 11- If a punch bowl were holy
Advent Day 10- How do you see things?
It's all in how you see things...I mean, how you really see things. The kind of seeing that is not just through your physical eyes, but, instead, how you see things with your soul paying attention to what God's doing. This "soul seeing" sees more clearly when praying is happening. What this soul seeing sees is often invisible to others unless they too are … [Read more...] about Advent Day 10- How do you see things?
Advent Day 9- Difficult Blessing
Mary sang: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed....(Luke 1:46-48)Yesterday I attended the worship service where three young adults were ordained to be pastors in the Lutheran church. I had had the privilege of … [Read more...] about Advent Day 9- Difficult Blessing
A Sabbath Advent Day 8
As I write this, it is still Saturday. Tomorrow, Sunday, I will take a sabbath from writing. (Not from work: two worship services, a congregational meeting, a mission project in the city and an ordination.) By the end of the day, I will sit still and listen to this beautiful anthem written by Christine McIntosh that a friend posted.I can imagine these words … [Read more...] about A Sabbath Advent Day 8