advent venture.
the magnificat from the message.
Luke 46-55And Mary said,
I'm bursting with God-news;
I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It's exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now.
Showing posts with label advent ventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advent ventures. Show all posts
12.23.2011
12.22.2011
advent venture - dec 22
advent venture.
freewrite on the meaning of christmas: go!
when i was little, i was so extremely holy. every year i forgot about presents. i was obsessed with mary and Baby Jesus. (in kindergarten for halloween my mom put me on the bus to public school draped in a blue sheet. as mary.) i made a fully loaded nativity out of playdoh when i was 4. i'm talking complete facial features. individual pieces of straw. out of playdoh. i just loved Jesus more than anything.
as i grew up, to my shame, christmas got to be more about the presents as i tried and failed to read the story afresh. when i no longer had a baby sibling to be Baby Jesus, i couldn't act out the nativity story anymore. plus JT refused to be the donkey. the scales tipped and presents meant more than the incarnation. this was true as recently as 2 yrs ago.
now is the moment where it would be lovely to write that i have Baby Jesus first in my heart again, but honestly, for the past few years, the true meaning of christmas has been time with my family all together, which has become precious and rare (although even more honestly, this year i'm *a little bit* tired and messing with freddy's sleep will be a high price to pay... i'm an old lady).
so how can i bring this freewrite to a place of worship?
it is the most beautiful thing in the world that the more materialistic and apathetic i become (and sickeningly, the more pride i take in my state and think it's funny and great freewrite material)*, the greater my need for Him to come down as a real human being, and the more He does come to me as a real hero**.
*not to say shall we sin so that grace may abound by no means!!
**song "a real hero" by college. NOT a xian song. the only words i know are "real human being, and a real hero. real human being, and a real hero. real human being..."
"it is our heaven to lay many weights and burdens upon Christ. let Him find much employment for his calling with you; for He is such a friend as delighteth to be burdened with suits and employments; and the more homely ye be with Him, the more welcome." -Samuel Rutherford.
freewrite on the meaning of christmas: go!
when i was little, i was so extremely holy. every year i forgot about presents. i was obsessed with mary and Baby Jesus. (in kindergarten for halloween my mom put me on the bus to public school draped in a blue sheet. as mary.) i made a fully loaded nativity out of playdoh when i was 4. i'm talking complete facial features. individual pieces of straw. out of playdoh. i just loved Jesus more than anything.
as i grew up, to my shame, christmas got to be more about the presents as i tried and failed to read the story afresh. when i no longer had a baby sibling to be Baby Jesus, i couldn't act out the nativity story anymore. plus JT refused to be the donkey. the scales tipped and presents meant more than the incarnation. this was true as recently as 2 yrs ago.
now is the moment where it would be lovely to write that i have Baby Jesus first in my heart again, but honestly, for the past few years, the true meaning of christmas has been time with my family all together, which has become precious and rare (although even more honestly, this year i'm *a little bit* tired and messing with freddy's sleep will be a high price to pay... i'm an old lady).
so how can i bring this freewrite to a place of worship?
it is the most beautiful thing in the world that the more materialistic and apathetic i become (and sickeningly, the more pride i take in my state and think it's funny and great freewrite material)*, the greater my need for Him to come down as a real human being, and the more He does come to me as a real hero**.
*not to say shall we sin so that grace may abound by no means!!
**song "a real hero" by college. NOT a xian song. the only words i know are "real human being, and a real hero. real human being, and a real hero. real human being..."
"it is our heaven to lay many weights and burdens upon Christ. let Him find much employment for his calling with you; for He is such a friend as delighteth to be burdened with suits and employments; and the more homely ye be with Him, the more welcome." -Samuel Rutherford.
12.21.2011
12.19.2011
advent venture - dec 19
The Mother of God
by William Butler Yeats
The threefold terror of love; a fallen flare
through the hollow of an ear;
Wings beating about the room;
The terror of all terrors that I bore
The Heavens in my womb.
Had I not found content among the shows
Every common woman knows,
Chimney corner, garden walk,
Or rocky cistern where we tread the clothes
And gather all the talk?
What is this flesh I purchased with my pains,
This fallen star my milk sustains,
This love that makes my heart's blood stop
Or strikes a sudden chill into my bones
And bids my hair stand up?
(poem found in the book Chapters into Verse: A Selection of Poetry Inspired by the Bible, from Jared Christmas 2008)
by William Butler Yeats
The threefold terror of love; a fallen flare
through the hollow of an ear;
Wings beating about the room;
The terror of all terrors that I bore
The Heavens in my womb.
Had I not found content among the shows
Every common woman knows,
Chimney corner, garden walk,
Or rocky cistern where we tread the clothes
And gather all the talk?
What is this flesh I purchased with my pains,
This fallen star my milk sustains,
This love that makes my heart's blood stop
Or strikes a sudden chill into my bones
And bids my hair stand up?
(poem found in the book Chapters into Verse: A Selection of Poetry Inspired by the Bible, from Jared Christmas 2008)
12.16.2011
advent venture - dec 16
Nativity
by John Donne
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb,
Now leaves his well-beloved imprisonment,
There he hath made himself to his intent
Weak enough, now into our world to come;
But Oh, for thee, for him, hath th' Inn no room?
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Stars, and wisemen will travel to prevent
Th' effect of Herod's jealous general doom.
See'st thou, my soul, with thy faith's eyes, how he
Which fills all place, yet none holds him, doth lie?
Was not his pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee?
Kiss him, and with him into Egypt go,
With his kind mother, who partakes thy woe.
(poem found in the book Chapters into Verse: A Selection of Poetry Inspired by the Bible, from Jared Christmas 2008)
by John Donne
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb,
Now leaves his well-beloved imprisonment,
There he hath made himself to his intent
Weak enough, now into our world to come;
But Oh, for thee, for him, hath th' Inn no room?
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Stars, and wisemen will travel to prevent
Th' effect of Herod's jealous general doom.
See'st thou, my soul, with thy faith's eyes, how he
Which fills all place, yet none holds him, doth lie?
Was not his pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee?
Kiss him, and with him into Egypt go,
With his kind mother, who partakes thy woe.
(poem found in the book Chapters into Verse: A Selection of Poetry Inspired by the Bible, from Jared Christmas 2008)
12.15.2011
advent venture - dec 15
advent venture.
Mary's Song
by Luci Shaw
Blue homespun and the bend of my breast
keep warm this small hot naked star
fallen to my arms. (Rest…
you who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies
the body of God sweetly. Quiet he lies
whose vigor hurled a universe. He sleeps
whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so light it seems
no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps
to sprout a world. Charmed by doves’ voices,
the whisper of straw, he dreams,
hearing no music from his other spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes
he is curtailed who overflowed all skies,
all years. Older than eternity, now he
is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed
to my poor planet, caught
that I might be free, blind in my womb
to know my darkness ended,
brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
and for him to see me mended
I must see him torn.
[i first read this on mama:monk. you must read her posts this month, amazing.]
Mary's Song
by Luci Shaw
Blue homespun and the bend of my breast
keep warm this small hot naked star
fallen to my arms. (Rest…
you who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies
the body of God sweetly. Quiet he lies
whose vigor hurled a universe. He sleeps
whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so light it seems
no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps
to sprout a world. Charmed by doves’ voices,
the whisper of straw, he dreams,
hearing no music from his other spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes
he is curtailed who overflowed all skies,
all years. Older than eternity, now he
is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed
to my poor planet, caught
that I might be free, blind in my womb
to know my darkness ended,
brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
and for him to see me mended
I must see him torn.
[i first read this on mama:monk. you must read her posts this month, amazing.]
12.12.2011
advent venture - dec 12
God of Advent,
we confess our failure at watching for signs of Your presence in the world -- in our lives, and in our homes --
and our faithlessness in believing Your promises.
Forgive us when we pay more attention to satsifying our own needs than seeking You and Your will for our lives;
for being more interested in possessing the material things of life
than in possessing Your own gracious gifts to us.
We pray this season that You would turn our lives around
so that we are looking toward You.
Only then can we hope to recognize
the signs of Your presence in the world.
In Jesus' powerful Name
Amen.
(Prayer of Confession at Christ Church, 12/4)
we confess our failure at watching for signs of Your presence in the world -- in our lives, and in our homes --
and our faithlessness in believing Your promises.
Forgive us when we pay more attention to satsifying our own needs than seeking You and Your will for our lives;
for being more interested in possessing the material things of life
than in possessing Your own gracious gifts to us.
We pray this season that You would turn our lives around
so that we are looking toward You.
Only then can we hope to recognize
the signs of Your presence in the world.
In Jesus' powerful Name
Amen.
(Prayer of Confession at Christ Church, 12/4)
12.09.2011
advent venture - dec 9
i saw this book on Design Mom and requested it for Christmas. my m-i-l gave to me already, thanks mindy!
not surprised that it's not exactly presbyterian (Design Mom is lds), but it is so worshipful! i love love love the title. and this part about Joseph's response to Mary's pregnancy:
Now Mary be new wife for Joseph
And Joseph ain't touch Mary self
So first time Joseph vex.
But God say,
"Nev mind, Joseph,
This be God palaver."
And Joseph heart lay down.
[palaver is a very interesting word, here loosely means business, work]
advent venture
Joseph heart lay down.
12.08.2011
12.07.2011
advent venture - dec 7
if you read this post you will know that i am already baby crazy even though my boy is only 7 months old. i am resolved to not try to get pregnant right now (because i realized my motives are APPALLING and TERRIBLE, the same sick over-achieving martyr motives that made me take calc bc in high school when i hate math). that makes me sad.
last year i was pregnant at christmas. i was showing, we knew freddy was a boy, and he was a KICKER! it was very special. i was primed with christmas-y emotions of anticipation and tenderness and wonder.
but this year i am primed in a different way. last year i had the (subconscious) anticipation of a baby who would give me the identity i always craved. this year i am struggling with the (unfortunately conscious) fact that the long-awaited magical mother identity does not save! i have the anticipation of someday "coming up from the desert, leaning on her lover's arm" (song of sol 8:5). i have the anticipation of the one Baby who did give me a new identity. a new name, a new heart.
last year i was pregnant at christmas. i was showing, we knew freddy was a boy, and he was a KICKER! it was very special. i was primed with christmas-y emotions of anticipation and tenderness and wonder.
but this year i am primed in a different way. last year i had the (subconscious) anticipation of a baby who would give me the identity i always craved. this year i am struggling with the (unfortunately conscious) fact that the long-awaited magical mother identity does not save! i have the anticipation of someday "coming up from the desert, leaning on her lover's arm" (song of sol 8:5). i have the anticipation of the one Baby who did give me a new identity. a new name, a new heart.
12.06.2011
advent venture - dec 6
i'm not saying this "slideshow" is great but this is one of my very favorite christmas songs. i love love love the little bells after "sing mary sing ding ding ding" (and if i know myself i would love this Nativity movie).
advent venture
advent venture
12.05.2011
advent venture - dec 5
the sermon at the church jared grew up in was an altar call type sermon. it's so intriguing to me that they preach that way every sunday.
but it was a great sermon for dry, dirty me. you know-- the gospel is His work. He argues and persuades, warns and woos. wait expectantly. cry out. pursue the means of grace.
advent venture.
"if you want peace, you know to Whom you ought to go."
the pastor has the most delicious scottish accent. read it again with a scottish accent:
"if you want peace, you know to Whom you ought to go."
to Whom!! i like that name for Him.
but it was a great sermon for dry, dirty me. you know-- the gospel is His work. He argues and persuades, warns and woos. wait expectantly. cry out. pursue the means of grace.
advent venture.
"if you want peace, you know to Whom you ought to go."
the pastor has the most delicious scottish accent. read it again with a scottish accent:
"if you want peace, you know to Whom you ought to go."
to Whom!! i like that name for Him.
12.04.2011
advent venture - dec 4
over thanksgiving jared and i got to go to the church he grew up in.
we sang this hymn. when this droughty droughty season is over i will know that i wasn't seeking i was being found. i'm trying to invite Him and He already brought me to His house.
advent venture
we sang this hymn. when this droughty droughty season is over i will know that i wasn't seeking i was being found. i'm trying to invite Him and He already brought me to His house.
advent venture
I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee.
Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm vexed sea.
’Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
As Thou, dear Lord, on me.
I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou were long beforehand with my soul,
Always Thou lovedst me.
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee.
Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm vexed sea.
’Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
As Thou, dear Lord, on me.
I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou were long beforehand with my soul,
Always Thou lovedst me.
12.03.2011
advent venture - dec 3
Smith College has the most magical Vespers service each year. when i was a senior i was so honored to read scripture to my insane schoolmates. they are streaming the service live this year -- tomorrow at 1p.
advent venture.
click here. you must.
advent venture.
click here. you must.
12.02.2011
advent venture - dec 2
in yesterday's post i pretty much took the christ out of christmas. i wanted to simplify for simplicity's sake. lately i have been trying to sweep my house of devils just so that more attractive devils can come in instead of so that the King can enter and be proclaimed. proclaiming the King to myself is the other/real goal of Advent.
advent venture:
Mt 12:43"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
This is what is meant by “The king cometh.” You do not seek
him, but he seeks you. You do not find Him, he finds you. For the
preachers come from him, not from you; their sermons come from him, not
from you; your faith comes from him, not from you; everything that
faith works in you comes from him, not from you; and where he does not
come, you remain outside; and where there is no Gospel, there is no
God, but only sin and damnation. Therefore you should not ask, where to
begin to be godly; there is no beginning, except where the king enters
and is proclaimed.
advent venture:
Mt 12:43"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
This is what is meant by “The king cometh.” You do not seek
him, but he seeks you. You do not find Him, he finds you. For the
preachers come from him, not from you; their sermons come from him, not
from you; your faith comes from him, not from you; everything that
faith works in you comes from him, not from you; and where he does not
come, you remain outside; and where there is no Gospel, there is no
God, but only sin and damnation. Therefore you should not ask, where to
begin to be godly; there is no beginning, except where the king enters
and is proclaimed.
-martin luther
12.01.2011
advent venture - dec 1
somehow this is the first year i have personally experienced the widely cliched conflict between the busyness of the holiday season and the true meaning of christmas--maybe it's because shopping will take more effort toting freddy around, or maybe because i have the full decorating potential of a real house, or maybe because i'm trying to follow a budget for the first time in my life--how am i only just understanding this now?
so much mania makes me malcontent with my little life with freddy. so i this advent i want to invest myself in something more creative, contemplative (and free).
advent ventures.
today's venture is a simple repost of this great post.
i have at least 5 advent calendars on my pinterest but my mom gave me a nice one from TJ's that will do wonderfully. i think my real challenge in this department will be to forgo stockings this year -- i wanted to MAKE stockings for us 3. and buy one (or 3) $25 stocking hooks shaped like a little house.
so much mania makes me malcontent with my little life with freddy. so i this advent i want to invest myself in something more creative, contemplative (and free).
advent ventures.
today's venture is a simple repost of this great post.
i have at least 5 advent calendars on my pinterest but my mom gave me a nice one from TJ's that will do wonderfully. i think my real challenge in this department will be to forgo stockings this year -- i wanted to MAKE stockings for us 3. and buy one (or 3) $25 stocking hooks shaped like a little house.
(from crate + barrel. dang it! on sale!)
and then fill them with stuff jared doesn't want and freddy doesn't need, like chocolate oranges and then eat them myself. so you are my witnesses that i'm not doing stockings this year.
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