Advent Day 14, December 14, 2024 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1: 28-29) “But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord shouldContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Shine”
Category Archives: spirituality
Advent 2024: JOY
Advent Day 13, December 13, 2024 “We need a little Christmas now.” Songwriter Jerry Herman If you’re looking for a prayer app, let me suggest Lectio365, a 10 minute devotional resource composed by leaders of Prayer 24/7, an international Christian movement focusing on prayer, mission, and justice. My reflection this morning is motivated by yesterday’sContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: JOY”
Advent 2024: The Long Goodbye
Advent Day 12, December 12, 2024 Today marks the 10th anniversary of my mother’s death. She died at 94 after a long decline caused by dementia and Parkinson’s disease which left her a “two-assist,” an impersonal term meaning that it required two people to move her from her bed anywhere else, even though she only weighedContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: The Long Goodbye”
Advent 2024: Notice
Advent Day 11, December 11, 2024 I am currently walking with a group through the book, The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus’ Birth, by theologians Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. It definitely isn’t Christmas Hallmark movie reading. Yet in spite of its scholarly depths, the authors make some intriguing observationsContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Notice”
Advent 2024: Waiting with Birds
(Photo courtesy of (c) Turner Matthews, Decatur, Alabama, USA) Advent Day 10, December 10, 2024 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 Some two thousand years ago, in a politicalContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Waiting with Birds”
Advent 2024: The Lynching of Robert Mosley
(Image of Robert Mosley painted with red clay from the soil of Madison County, Alabama, United States) Advent Day Nine, December 9, 2024 This past Saturday, I attended a sobering and unusual event: the dedication of the first memorial marker for the ten lynching victims in my home county alone, the last lynching in myContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: The Lynching of Robert Mosley”
Advent 2024: Week Two
Advent Day Eight, December 8, 2024 Here we are already, a week into this journey of waiting as one in this season of darkening days, waiting for the winter solstice, waiting for Christmas, waiting for Hannukah, waiting for a new year to begin, waiting to see what life will be like in 2025, waiting toContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Week Two”
Advent 2024: Love and Light
Advent Day 7, December 7, 2024 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1: 3-4) You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. (1ContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Love and Light”
Advent 2024: Harmony
(Photo credit T. Brett McMahan) Eastern Europe Advent Day Six, December 6, 2024 Definition of harmony from the Cambridge Dictionary: (1) a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being played or sung at the same time. (2) A situation in which people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when things seem right or suitable together.ContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Harmony”
Advent 2024: Look
St. Naum at Monastery of St. Naum, Macedonia, (c) T. Brett McMahan Advent Day 5, December 5, 2024 You Reading This, Be Ready ~ by William Stafford Starting here, what do you want to remember?How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?What scent of old wood hovers, what softenedsound from outside fills the air? Will youContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Look”
Spirit Reflections 