Christmas Eve

Spent most of today driving, have a couple more hours to do, but am giving my back a break, and hoping that the rainstorm I just drove the last 45 minutes through passes over before I go back.  Nothing worked out, and I was too late to make the service I was singing at...but, god, it was a beautiful day to drive up to my hometown.  The clouds broke and a raking golden light lit the flooded fields.  Saw eagles, hawks, herons, flocks of snow geese, and trumpeter swans near the road.  Driving through the forest near Deception Pass, the sun raked through the trees, wide rays anointing the highway.  (My brother's dog is still terrified of me.  I won him over last year, now I'll have to start again.  Should've brought him a present.)  Driving back to Seattle, as the dusk set in, fog began rising up from the fields, and then I took a back road to avoid mall traffic (got off of the freeway), and hit the rainstorm just as it got dark, and still there was traffic.  You can drive it in 90 minutes but it took an extra hour in both directions today.  (I couldn't really pull over, so I turned onto this side road, stopped in the middle and shot this through the window.)

Skagit Valley, close to sunset, December 24/L Herlevi 2014

Wishing all many blessings, forgiveness, grace, trust, courage, peace, and above all love.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning

For those who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas.  For everyone, may you spend your days in the company of people you love and who love you, and feel your full worth simply because you are.

This is a Christmas hymn I particularly like- "Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn"- Marty Haugen

Awake! awake, and greet the new morn,

an angel heralds its dawning,
sing out your joy, for Christ will be born,
God's gift, this Child of our longing.
Christ comes as a baby weak and poor,
to bring all hearts together,
to open wide the heavenly door,
and live here inside us forever. 

To everyone who sorrows or fears,

Emmanuel comes asinging;
the humble song is quiet and clear,
but fills the earth with its ringing.
Music to heal the broken soul
and hymns of loving kindness,
the thunder of the anthems roll
to shatter all hate and injustice.

In deepest night Christ's coming shall be,

when all the world is despairing.
Where people long to love and be free,
Christ comes to speak of God's caring.
A soul without voice breaks forth in song,
a lame one leaps in wonder,
the weak are raised above the strong,
and weapons are broken asunder.

Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night,

though winds blow wildly and cheerless,
the rising sun shall crown you with light,
be strong and loving and fearless.
Love be our song and love our prayer,
and love, our endless story,
may God fill every day we share,
and bring us at last into glory.

Music: Rejoice, Rejoice Marty Haugen (20th C)

Words: Marty Haugen (20th C)
Sequence: Cathouse Pandemonium, Ltd.