The real work of Christmas

The Real Work of Christmas

When the last present has been opened

and the last mouth fed.

When weariness lays like a blanket over all mankind - 

The real work of Christmas begins:

To seek the lost

To support the lonely

To feed the starving

To shelter the homeless

To console the broken

To love the unlovely

To pray for peace 

To...

LOVE.


(c) Liz Babbs

Hope in Darkness this Advent

Advent is a season of waiting...of preparation...of promise. God is announcing: 'Behold, I make all things new' (Revelations 21:5). But it can be hard to glimpse or even imagine the new when you're stuck in a dark tunnel. And that is many people's experience at this time in the lead up to Christmas. Christmas and New Year can spotlight and heighten the difficulties in our lives and lead to a sense of hopelessness.

But for such a time as this, God gave us Jesus. 'We walk by faith, not by sight' (2 Corinthians 5:7), so despite the darkness and apparent absence of hope, we must hold onto the fact that Jesus, The Light of the World, Emmanuel, is here with us now illuminating a pathway through the darkness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel.

While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 9:5

 ‎'The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.' John 1:5

Christmas is Here!

Happy Christmas

Christmas is Here!

Kings travel from afar

Christmas is coming...

Guided by the brightest star

Christmas is coming...

Bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh

Christmas is coming... 

To the Son of Man born on earth

Christmas is here!

Liz Babbs

'Smooring the Fire' Prayer

The Celts believed that God was with them in every aspect of their daily lives. Whatever the task or time of day, there was a special prayer to be said.  I love this 'Smooring the Fire' prayer as it reminds me of families gathering together around the fire at Christmas and New Year. With all the snow we've had here in the UK and more on the way, I think many of us will be turning up our heating or throwing extra logs on the fire as we huddle together to keep warm.

Smooring the Fire
The sacred Three

To save,

To surround

The hearth,

The household,

This eve,

This night,

Oh! this eve,

This night,

And every night,

Each single night.

Amen

(from Carmina Gadelica p.32 Celtic Treasure)