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I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren. (Thessalonians 5:27)
Subject: Re: devotion for today
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:01:00 +0000 (UTC)
From: pastor-anne <pastor-anne@comcast.net>
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Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:01:00 +0000 (UTC)
From: pastor-anne <pastor-anne@comcast.net>
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Subject: Re: devotion for today
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Thank you La Vinnia for drawing me back to one of my faorite Advent books.
Anne Carlson

----- Original Message -----

From: LaVinnia 

To: SCVLP 

Sent: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:40:43 +0000 (UTC)

Subject: devotion for today





One of my favorite books for Advent and Christmas is"Kneeling in

Bethlehem" by Ann Weems.

The following two poems are ones that I return to every advent.



Mary, Nazareth Girl



Mary, Nazareth Girl:

What did you know of ethereal beings with messages from God?

What did you know of men when you found yourself with child?

What did you know of babies, you, barely out of childhood yourself?



God-chosen girl:  What did you know of God that brought you to this

stable, blessed among women?



Could it be that you had been ready

     waiting, listening for the footsteps of an angel?

Could it be there are messages for us if we have the faith to

listen?





This year will be Different



Who among us does not have dreams that this year will be different?

Who among us does not intend to go peacefully, leaisurely, carefully

toward Bethehem, for who among us likes to cope with the commercialism

of Christmas, which lures us to tinsel not only the tree, but also our

hearsts?



Who among us intends to get caught up in tearing around and wearing

down?

Who among us does not long for:  gifts that give love, shopping in

serenity, cards and presents sent off yearly, long evenings by the

fireside with those we love?  (the trimming devoid of any arguing

about who's going to hang what where, The aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg

mingling with the pine scent of the tree, and carols gently playing

over our idyllic scene).

And the children! the children cheerfully talking about giving instead

of getting?



Who among us does not yearn for time for our hearts to ponder the word

of God?  For moments of kneeling bursts of song? for the peace of

quiet calm for our spirit's journey?



This year we intend to follow the star, instead of the crowd.  But of

course, we always do intend the best.  (And sometimes our intentions

get the best of us!)



This year, when we find ourselves off the path again, (and we

invariably will), lets not add yet another stress to our Advent days,

that of "trying to do Christmas correctly"!



Instead, lets approach the birth of our Lord with joyful abandon!



And this year

  lets do what Mary did and rejoice in God,

  lets do what Joseph did and listen to our dreams,

  lets do what the Wise Men did and go to worship,

  lets do what the shepherds did and praise and glorify God for all

we've seen and heard!

As for the advent frantic pace, we don't have time for that.  We'll be

too busy singing!

This year will be different!



May your advent journey be blessed.

LaVinnia Pierson







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<html><body>Thank you La Vinnia for drawing me back to one of my faorite Ad=
vent books.<br>Anne Carlson<br><br>----- Original Message -----<br><br>From=
: LaVinnia <LAVPIER@AOL.COM><br><br>To: SCVLP <SCVLP@GOOGLEGROUPS.COM><br><=
br>Sent: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:40:43 +0000 (UTC)<br><br>Subject: devotion for=
 today<br><br><br><br><br><br>One of my favorite books for Advent and Chris=
tmas is"Kneeling in<br><br>Bethlehem" by Ann Weems.<br><br>The following tw=
o poems are ones that I return to every advent.<br><br><br><br>Mary, Nazare=
th Girl<br><br><br><br>Mary, Nazareth Girl:<br><br>What did you know of eth=
ereal beings with messages from God?<br><br>What did you know of men when y=
ou found yourself with child?<br><br>What did you know of babies, you, bare=
ly out of childhood yourself?<br><br><br><br>God-chosen girl:&nbsp;&nbsp;Wh=
at did you know of God that brought you to this<br><br>stable, blessed amon=
g women?<br><br><br><br>Could it be that you had been ready<br><br>&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; waiting, listening for the footsteps of an angel?<br><br>C=
ould it be there are messages for us if we have the faith to<br><br>listen?=
<br><br><br><br><br><br>This year will be Different<br><br><br><br>Who amon=
g us does not have dreams that this year will be different?<br><br>Who amon=
g us does not intend to go peacefully, leaisurely, carefully<br><br>toward =
Bethehem, for who among us likes to cope with the commercialism<br><br>of C=
hristmas, which lures us to tinsel not only the tree, but also our<br><br>h=
earsts?<br><br><br><br>Who among us intends to get caught up in tearing aro=
und and wearing<br><br>down?<br><br>Who among us does not long for:&nbsp;&n=
bsp;gifts that give love, shopping in<br><br>serenity, cards and presents s=
ent off yearly, long evenings by the<br><br>fireside with those we love?&nb=
sp;&nbsp;(the trimming devoid of any arguing<br><br>about who's going to ha=
ng what where, The aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg<br><br>mingling with the pi=
ne scent of the tree, and carols gently playing<br><br>over our idyllic sce=
ne).<br><br>And the children! the children cheerfully talking about giving =
instead<br><br>of getting?<br><br><br><br>Who among us does not yearn for t=
ime for our hearts to ponder the word<br><br>of God?&nbsp;&nbsp;For moments=
 of kneeling bursts of song? for the peace of<br><br>quiet calm for our spi=
rit's journey?<br><br><br><br>This year we intend to follow the star, inste=
ad of the crowd.&nbsp;&nbsp;But of<br><br>course, we always do intend the b=
est.&nbsp;&nbsp;(And sometimes our intentions<br><br>get the best of us!)<b=
r><br><br><br>This year, when we find ourselves off the path again, (and we=
<br><br>invariably will), lets not add yet another stress to our Advent day=
s,<br><br>that of "trying to do Christmas correctly"!<br><br><br><br>Instea=
d, lets approach the birth of our Lord with joyful abandon!<br><br><br><br>=
And this year<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;lets do what Mary did and rejoice in God,<=
br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;lets do what Joseph did and listen to our dreams,<br><br=
>&nbsp;&nbsp;lets do what the Wise Men did and go to worship,<br><br>&nbsp;=
&nbsp;lets do what the shepherds did and praise and glorify God for all<br>=
<br>we've seen and heard!<br><br>As for the advent frantic pace, we don't h=
ave time for that.&nbsp;&nbsp;We'll be<br><br>too busy singing!<br><br>This=
 year will be different!<br><br><br><br>May your advent journey be blessed.=
<br><br>LaVinnia Pierson<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></body></html>
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