Wes Roberts

...this is our God:

A throne for Christ the King
or a pavements with the lonely and homeless

A court for our God
or a food queue with the down and outs

A crown for our Saviour
or a twist of thorns shaped in mockery

A robe for our Lord
or a blanket wound round a quiet doorway sleeper

A banquet for our Redeemer
or a broken loaf shared at a broken table in a broken world

A jewelled goblet for the use of Christ
or a bowl of water for Christ to wash the feet of others

It is a dull glory
a tarnished grandeur
but it is the reign of grace
This is our God

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

...with thanks, again, to Roddy Hamilton

...excellent Advent series

...begins here

...and continues here

...on a welcome website I thoroughly enjoy

...monthly moments:

...each month when further thoughts show up from Roddy Hamilton at Mucky Paws

...I hope again that some day I get to worship, in person, with these good people in Scotland who encourage my soul in ways that only our God knows

...I pause, and read through the meaningful, edgy, original liturgy this group creates that does bless the hours of my days and guides me to reflection, confession, and decision to live more fully as our Triune God would have me live

...on their website, scroll down, right side and sign up for your own stream of reminders and blessings

...looking out the window from The Cave this morning

...watching the pink/orange rays of dawn being reflected off new fallen snow

...this came from Mucky Paws to help me welcome the weekend and the first Sunday of Advent:

Quiet Advent...

...the color of this particular Friday:

...my good friend, Jim Hancock, sometimes writes a column that I, indeed, pay attention to and always ponder a bit...for at the end of his post look for the trailer that gives us pause to think about the color of this particular Friday

...as we rich, or middle class, poor or now poorer

...are encouraged to $pend...$pend...$pend...to do what?

...help the economy

...who's economy, may I ask?!!

...this will be our second Christmas of no presents purchased for our various family members and some special friends far and wide (and we're still family, and have our friends...)

...last year we bought bikes for said family and friends, however no one over here got one, but over there, great joy!

...what?  You ask?  How can that be?  No presents under the tree?

...in talking with our daughter, we all agreed that we simply do not need one more thing, so let's do something together...with the being together, helping others, the more important thing...when we are with her and her boyfriend in Austin to celebrate the original reason of the season...celebrate life...celebrate our love for each other as family

...just curious...but what would a "no spend" Christmas look like for you...not just a "no spend day" look like...as has been suggested for what retailers have now been calling for years "Black Friday?"

...looking out the window of The Cave at this early hour, with the first streaks of daylight showing up on the horizon, it looks like it's going to be a bright day...within and without

...and now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get into this good Friday.......

...amen:

...and amen.

...from an unknown friend:

Experience
is something
you don't get
until
just after
you don't need it.

...Anonymous (whoever that may be...)

...strength and renewal:

...much earlier today, Sunday, 23 Nov '8

...as dawn was breaking in quiet brilliance

...I was up here in The Cave

...sitting in the dark, in silence

...wrestling through some issues within my own soul

...wrestling with how to encourage a group I'm invested in and care much about that is facing some predictable, but tough, moments

...wrestling with wanting, longing, hoping to hear somehow, somewhere from our Triune God within this very day

...I did.........

...and knew it was a Holy nudge as soon as I read the words

...and heard these words spoken before participating in the Eucharist

...beginning to think about Advent:

...from Luther’s Catechism::

This I call to mind,
     and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
     his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
     great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
     “therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
     to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
     for the salvation of the Lord.

...potent post:

...to give one pause

...from my good friend, Mike Todd

...again:

...good words to ponder from Inward/Outward for today

...and thank you, Thomas Merton        

          If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live,
          or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair,
          but ask me what I think I’m living for, in detail,
          and ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully
          for the thing I want to live for.
          Between those two answers
          you can determine the identity of any person.