Saturday, December 25, 2010

Rest Ye Merry

God rest ye merry, bloggy-friends!
Let nothing you dismay!
It's Christmas morning. The stockings are filled, the presents are piled at the base of the stereo cabinet (atop which sits the little artificial tree), the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls are in the refrigerator waiting to be baked.

And I'm visiting the computer before the girls wake up.

On this day of celebrating the gift and wonder of Emmanuel, God-With-Us, I wanted to share the banners that have hung at the front of the sanctuary at our church during Advent. Had I been very organized, I'd've taken a photo last Sunday -- but there was an image of at least one of them online and that will do.

Peace Born Here
At the top of each banner appear the words "God Spoken Here." The individual banners then variously declare:

Peace Born Here
Hope Prayed Here
Love Sung Here
Joy Shared Here

These past weeks the banners have struck me as a lovely declaration of how a congregation makes a fitting place to celebrate Advent and the birth of Christ.

I can only claim bits and pieces of it for Elvis Sightings, in fits and starts. It wouldn't be a bad sequence to keep in mind for blogging into the New Year, though.

And there's one of the banners -- Joy Shared Here -- that's pretty much the guiding principle!

May this season of celebration hold good measure of peace, hope, love, and joy for all.

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy,
oh, tidings of comfort and Joy!

4 comments:

Floortime Lite Mama said...

merry merry christmas to you too
Truly, the sharing of joy is a lovely thing joymama

Lynn said...

How did you manage to get up before your girls?

Joy Shared Here, indeed!

Anonymous said...

Banner post, Friend!

JoyMama said...

K - :-)

Lynn - You would not believe. Rose got up eventually, was in no big rush, let me bake the rolls and then we had family breakfast before a single present was opened. Joy didn't protest the timing either. It was eerie.

TherExtras - You win for the best pun!