An estimated 2 million children are ensnared in the global commercial sex trade — most of them girls. Those who escape or are rescued face a difficult physical and emotional recovery process. Your gift will offer them hope through assistance such as medical care, nutritious food, nonformal education, vocational training, compassionate counseling, and, where possible, reintegration into a loving family environment.

Click here to give these women hope this Christmas or to find other ways to give to our global neighbors this year.

As I sat and watched all four performances I became aware of an upwelling of emotion at various points. This was not an emotional response to seeing “my baby” growing up as I might have thought but something different and it took me some time to understand what I was feeling. Sitting in the darkened theater I felt myself immersed in beauty and abundance. As I watched these beautiful young people I was aware of just how privileged and fortunate they are. They are healthy. They have parents (or someone) who is committed enough to get them to rehearsals and make sure they have the equipment they need to participate. They are Americans so they enjoy a standard of living that is only a distant dream for many around the globe. They get a chance to learn to dance and to be surrounded by beauty. As I experienced Tchaivosky’s “Waltz of the Flowers,” enchanted by the music and the young dancers who looked very much like beautiful flowers, I found myself saying a prayer of thanks to God for the gift of beauty and music and the abundance that makes it possible for me to partake in such a feast for the senses.

The sweetness of the experience was tempered only by the knowledge that so many of our fellow humans will never know abundance but will spend much of their lives struggling just to have enough. The contrast of these dual realities brings to mind the story of the nativity in which the jubilant proclamation of the Angels to the shepherds regarding the birth of Jesus is contrasted with the humble stable which housed him and the violence that followed his life. We live in the paradox of “already and not yet.” God has already provided for the redemption and reconciliation of all creation and yet that work is not yet complete. Living with such abundance it is easy to stop with what we “already” have (most everything we need and much of what we want) and forget that so many do “not yet” have even the basic necessities of life.

I pray that the sweetness of our celebrations this holiday season will be tinged with the awareness of and compassion for those who do not live with the abundance we will experience in the next couple of weeks. I pray that their need will be before us, not to spoil our celebrations, but to remind us to be thankful and to motivate us to generosity and compassion as we seek to follow the one whose birth we celebrate.

Lord hear our prayer.

This will be my third Christmas (in a row) away from my parents and siblings, and I’m a little homesick.

My nephew’s first birthday is still a few months away…but I am thinking about bending my “I don’t celebrate the commerical aspects of Christmas” rule for him.

At the beginning of December, our church’s young adult/college ministry is planning on doing another night of Sacred Space. (for more information on what that is, please read this post) Our theme is Advent: Rediscovering the Wonder of Christ’s Coming – and I’m looking for creative ideas for worship stations that will help us to engage in worship using all of our senses, and point our minds and hearts toward the wonder of Christmas. Do any of you have any ideas you’d be willing to share, or resources you can direct me to? Thanks!

Happy

Since many of us are probably quite involved with both church and family in the coming several days, I wanted to post a greeting to all the Emerging Women participants. May God bless you and make you a great blessing as we celebrate the birth of the Savior!

Peace,
Psalmist

I’m curious, so here’s the official question: Do you ladies drink? If so, how often, and how much? Think of it as an informal survey.

Happy Holidays!
or Cheers! as the case may be.

What are you making for Christmas? Share those recipes for those dozens and dozens of cookies you are creating. Share the memories of the food. Share your mishaps and funny stories (click here for my chocolate crap adventure from last year…). I wish I could sit down with all of you over spiced wine and appetizers and chat, but we’ll have to settle for a virtual EW holiday party. So let’s be foodal and get to know each other better over food.

And as a reminder – the book discussion for God’s Politics by Jim Wallis starts on Friday. Even if you haven’t finished it yet, you are welcome to join the conversation.

(From http://www.carols.org.uk/ring-out-loud-bells-tennyson.htm)

Ring out, wild bells – Christmas Poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

Miniature Biography_Alfred, Lord Tennyson _Nationality – English _Lifespan – 1809 – 1892_Father – Reverand George Clayton Tennyson, Clergyman_Educated – Trinity College , Cambridge_Career – Poet and dramatist

copied from this website:http://www.carols.org.uk/ring-out-loud-bells-tennyson.htm