First Photo of 2011

Yes, he made it! So did the rest of us. Not just staying awake (that was accomplished with some help from the Who Year's Marathon). Made it all the way to 2011--by the grace of almighty God (or by the almighty grace of God).

:-)

Family Members' New Year's Resolutions

1. Gain 10 pounds

2. Explore job opportunities utilizing newfound skill of imitating a lava lamp

3. Delegate (yard work)

4. Move to Great Britain (or England, or UK or whatever) and become the Doctor's next companion

5. Redecorate the dining room in steakhouse/grocery store kitsch

6. Shop for land in Barbados

7. Continue the search for the world's creepiest mannequin

8. Memorize a poem (not necessarily a long one) about an animal of some kind

9-11. [Intentionally left blank]

Happy New Year!

The Image of the Beast

We searched eagerly through the bowl of popcorn for the image of Jesus, but all we found was this bunny. If only we hadn't been so hungry...

Holy Ground, This?

So, there probably weren't pigs (especially these) in Bethlehem...

Cattle (lowing?)...
It was here, with the goats, that we really began to notice that this was a stable. For me, it was when I noticed the strings on the hem of my son's garmet dragging in the muck.
Don't step there, little one...

Just thinking a little bit about holy ground and stables.

A while back I was thinking about messy (forced into it, actually). I wasn't very happy about it then, and I was reminded of it the other day, this day that we went to the zoo, when things seemed messy for a while. I was reminded that messy has somehow become Holy ground. It was a song that reminded me. I'll copy the words at the end.

The song reminded me of Moses and a bush. Moses out herding his father-in-law's sheep (what's with God and shepherds? A lot I guess), sees a bush that's burning, but not burning up. It turns out God is there--"take off your shoes, Moses!" I wonder what the ground actually looked like that he was standing on--it was sheep territory, Moses' life was pretty messy, The Israelites' were in a mess--Slavery, crushed in spirit, all that.

The song and the season (last time this particular song turned up in my world, it was snowing) reminded me also of this baby, born in a stable, in an overcrowded town. I didn't want my son, wearing shoes, standing in that stuff (remember those photos at the beginning?) in a well-maintained and uncrowded zoo barnyard. Born there? No thank you. Was I watching where I stepped? Yes! But Jesus, He went there. He, not regarding equality with God a thing to be grasped, humbled himself. Took on messy. The messiest.

Holy Ground, this.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

the Holy One is here.

Come, bow before Him now,

with reverence and fear.

In Him no sin is found,

we stand on holy ground.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

the Holy One is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord,

is shining all around.

He burns with holy fire,

with splendor He is crowned.

How awesome is the sight,

our radiant King of Light!

Be still, for the glory of the Lord,

is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord,

is moving in this place.

He comes to cleanse and heal,

to minister His grace.

No work too hard for Him,

in faith receive from Him.

Be still, for the power of the Lord,

is moving in this place.

"Be Still For the Presence of the Lord"

words and music by David Evans (1957-)

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