Terrapin Station

A Great Light

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined.

 

You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, 

as people exult when dividing plunder.

 

For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,  the rod of their oppressor,  you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood  shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

 

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore.

 

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Friday Five: Festive Fun!

Julie says at RevGals:

Making a list, checking it twice!
I live by lists. And at this time of year in particular I can’t live without them!

I have yet to make a food list.
Or a present list. Or a card list….
Or my end of year expenses list!
Do you see a theme developing?!
I have a list of the lists I want to make…

My desk…. really not a clean workspace!!

So, in no particular order. Seasonal, serious or silly.
What are your top five lists?!

1. Gratitude list, topped by appreciation for my academic work schedule, which affords me ten consecutive days off work this year. Aaaaahhh.
2. Things I want to do in the time off. Including reading and sleeping, but definitely must include MORE than reading and sleeping. Such as:

• Exercise
• Cooking healthily (new WW SmartPoints plan to be studied)
• Decluttering
• Time outside, in what promises to be unseasonably balmy weather
• Two gifts yet to find
• Five cards yet to send
• Contemplative practice

 

 

Advent Photo: Abound

These are the gifts that my colleagues chose for residents of the Denton State Supported Living Center. This huge complex on the south side of our city is not well known to most of us. I had never been there until I dropped off gifts. That is another blog post.

The abundance that this picture represents is not just of gifts, but of the love and concern of my colleagues and the joy they took in selecting them. I saw a tenderness on faces as they talked about the gifts that their adopted residents had requested ... that is different and greater than when we adopted Salvation Army Angels or collected for other groups.

What a blessing.

 

Advent Photo #5: Wonder

How does the tree know how to do this, gradually, losing its leaves but turning their colors first? I know there's a biological answer. Today I need the beauty and the wonder.

Advent Photo #4: Guide

Here's a photo of the new Sacred Ordinary Days Planner. I am loving it. It's my first time to use a planner with the Daily Office readings built in and I start my morning with Psalms...then the listing of the scriptures is in front of me all day to remind me of what I read.

It was a Kickstarter project this year, so it won't be available commercially until next year (I guess). But so far, it's made a big difference to me. It is a guide for my daily tasks, and in the larger sense, it reminds me of what guides me and why I am here doing this.