Archive for December 2014
“Star Child”
I was stunned by Carlton Young and Shirley Murray’s song, “Star Child,” in an Advent worship service this month. Hope Publishing Company brought it out in 1994, but this was the first time I’d heard it, from the songbook The Faith We Sing. It calls Jesus “Star-Child, earth-Child, go-between of God.” Then it identifies many…
Read MoreThe Thin Places
In this past week of devotions, writer Jan Richardson1 shared a beautiful idea from the Celtic tradition: that in certain spots and at specific times, there are “thin places,” where the veil between worlds becomes permeable, and heaven and earth meet. I have a hunch that the veil between earth and heaven, time and eternity,…
Read MoreAnticipation and Advent
“Look ahead but don’t anticipate.” When we’re riding horses, that’s an important lesson to teach. You want the horse to look ahead for what’s coming next, but not to assume he or she knows what you’ll ask for next. One mistake a lot of riders make is practicing a succession of moves so many times…
Read MoreScarcity and Outreach
Now that enough rain has come to fill up our half-acre pond, more Canada Geese have joined the eleven that have waited here through the fall months of drought. The geese are wild, but those who have been with us the longest recognize my call before I throw out the scratch. They start venturing up…
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