Selah's Advent- Day 22

I was hoping to go look at Christmas lights tonight as Selah's Christmasy activity, but we'll see.

Today's Bible Verse is:

    Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
   
(Matthew 2:1-2 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 21

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Manley!

Today, we are (ok, I am.) making snowflakes for Sandy Hook. It's not enough, but nothing ever will be. Hopefully, the Winter Wonderland the Connecticut PTSA is creating for the makeshift Sandy Hook Elementary School will help the little ones.

Tonight's Bible verse is:

    And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
(Luke 2:18-20 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 20

Tonight we are reading The Legend of the Candy Cane.



Today's Bible Verse is:

    When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
(Luke 2:15-17 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 19

Tonight, we are watching Veggie Tales: The Story of St Nicholas.



Today's Bible verse is:

    And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
    “Glory to God in the highest,
        and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
(Luke 2:13-14 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 18

Tonight's activity is to watch The Polar Express and the drink a cup of hot cocoa. Yes. Even Selah. :)



Today's Bible verse is:

    And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
(Luke 2:12 ESV)

Oh, Newtown... We mourn with you.

So, instead of reading about frivolous things or people, remember these innocents who will be spending Christmas with Jesus this year.

• Charlotte Bacon, 6
• Daniel Barden, 7
• Rachel Davino, 29
• Olivia Engel, 6
• Josephine Gay, 7
• Ana M Marquez-Greene, 6
• Dylan Hockley, 6
• Dawn Hocksprung, 47
• Madeline F. Hsu, 6
• Catherine V. Hubbard, 6
• Chase Kowalski, 7
• Jesse Lewis, 6
• James Mattioli, 6
• Grace McDonnell, 7
• Anne Marie Murphy, 52
• Emilie Parker, 6
• Jack Pinto, 6
• Noah Pozner, 6
• Caroline Previdi, 6
• Jessica Rekos, 6
• Avielle Richman, 6
• Lauren Russeau, 30
• Mary Sherlach, 56
• Victoria Soto, 27
• Benjamin Wheeler, 6
• Allison N Wyatt, 6

Pray for Peace

Pray to whoever you kneel down to:
Jesus nailed to his wooden or marble or plastic cross,
his suffering face bent to kiss you,
Buddha still under the Bo tree in scorching heat,
Yahweh, Allah, raise your arms to Mary
that she may lay her palm on our brows,
to Shekinhah, Queen of Heaven and Earth,
to Inanna in her stripped descent.

Hawk or Wolf, or the Great Whale, Record Keeper
of time before, time now, time ahead, pray. Bow down
to terriers and shepherds and siamese cats.
Fields of artichokes and elegant strawberries.

Pray to the bus driver who takes you to work,
pray on the bus, pray for everyone riding that bus
and for everyone riding buses all over the world.
If you haven't been on a bus in a long time,
climb the few steps, drop some silver, and pray.

Waiting in line for the movies, for the ATM,
for your latté and croissant, offer your plea.
Make your eating and drinking a supplication.
Make your slicing of carrots a holy act,
each translucent layer of the onion, a deeper prayer.

Make the brushing of your hair
a prayer, every strand its own voice,
singing in the choir on your head.
As you wash your face, the water slipping
through your fingers, a prayer: Water,
softest thing on earth, gentleness
that wears away rock.

Making love, of course, is already a prayer.
Skin and open mouths worshipping that skin,
the fragile case we are poured into,
each caress a season of peace.

If you're hungry, pray. If you're tired.
Pray to Gandhi and Dorothy Day.
Shakespeare. Sappho. Sojourner Truth.
Pray to the angels and the ghost of your grandfather.

When you walk to your car, to the mailbox,
to the video store, let each step
be a prayer that we all keep our legs,
that we do not blow off anyone else's legs.
Or crush their skulls.
And if you are riding on a bicycle
or a skateboard, in a wheel chair, each revolution
of the wheels a prayer that as the earth revolves
we will do less harm, less harm, less harm.

And as you work, typing with a new manicure,
a tiny palm tree painted on one pearlescent nail
or delivering soda or drawing good blood
into rubber-capped vials, writing on a blackboard
with yellow chalk, twirling pizzas, pray for peace.

With each breath in, take in the faith of those
who have believed when belief seemed foolish,
who persevered. With each breath out, cherish.

Pull weeds for peace, turn over in your sleep for peace,
feed the birds for peace, each shiny seed
that spills onto the earth, another second of peace.
Wash your dishes, call your mother, drink wine.

Shovel leaves or snow or trash from your sidewalk.
Make a path. Fold a photo of a dead child
around your VISA card. Gnaw your crust
of prayer, scoop your prayer water from the gutter.
Mumble along like a crazy person, stumbling
your prayer through the streets.

by Ellen Bass

Selah's Advent- Day 16 and 17

Tonight, I am going to my women's bible study'd Christmas party. It's a pajama party, full of cookies, food and lovely ladies. And minus one baby girl. That's right. T is off so he's watching Selah! This is an item for momma's Advent.

Tomorrow, we are going to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens to see their FABULOUS Christmas lights, thanks to a free ticket courtesy of my friend Jill (V). I'll post pictures on Tuesday.

Today's (and tomorrow's) Bible verses:

    And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
(Luke 2:8 ESV)

    And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(Luke 2:9-11 ESV)