a Christmas carol

In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak mid-winter

Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold him,

Nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away

When he comes to reign:

In the bleak mid-winter

A stable-place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty

Jesus Christ.

Enough for him whom cherubim

Worship night and day,

A breastful of milk

And a mangerful of hay;

Enough for him whom angels

Fall down before,

The ox and ass and camel

Which adore.

Angels and archangels

May have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim

Thronged the air,

But only his mother

In her maiden bliss

Worshipped the Beloved

With a kiss.

What can I give him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring him a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part -

Yet what can I give him,

Give my heart.

-by Christina Rossetti {1830-1894}

"The Christian Christmas story

is filled with a wonder and an enchantment that makes our modern embellishments pale by comparison. All our plastic Santa Clauses and reindeer icons, all our flashing tinsel decorations, and our champagne-laden office parties - they all crumple in a heap whenever we try and wrap our mind around the miracle of God come in the flesh." {Richard Foster}

do we recognize the heavenly in our days?

for in our every day, heaven and earth engage each other.

if our focus is on the earthly - we can easily get caught up with

self. stuff. sin.

but the heavenly is ever-present and ever-invisible.

it offers the best views. best pictures. best vantage point.

it surpasses what this earth can offer.

what can you and i give Him this season?

our heart.

"Going through the motions doesn’t please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don’t for a moment escape God’s notice."

{Psalm 51.16-17, The Message}