Thursday December 17, 2020
12/17/2020
Joyce Antilla Phipps
Thursday December 17, 2020
Snowy mornings are a mixed blessing. If there’s so much snow that offices and courts are closed it’s almost relaxing. As the snow gently falls this morning -- quite different from the blustery snow last night – you can hear the sounds of birds madly chirping at the bird feeders.
You do hear other noises, of course: mainly the snow plows clearing the streets which happily are largely empty. Snow blankets the earth all around, a sign perhaps to slow down and consider the wonder of God’s world.
This is late this morning because I overslept, something I rarely do but I was awakened at 2:00 in the morning by a plow driver madly honking his horn at a small herd of deer wandering about in the middle of the night.
Prayer for the Day
Caught between our old fears and new hopes, we come to you, O God,
In this Advent season close to the end of our calendar year;
But we remember that Advent is the beginning of a new year
Even as we consider uncertain futures and possibilities.
Move us, O God, beyond a winter of faith so we have hope.
And may we be open to your Spirit sharing our hope with others.
In the name of him who is the foundation of our faith,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
…there’s just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you’re special, even though you know you’re not.
- Carol Rifka Brunt, American novelist
All Heaven and Earth
Flowered white obliterate...
Snow...unceasing snow
- Kajiwara Hashin, Japanese poet (b. 1864)
O Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
The moon, the stars that you have established;
What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than divine beings,
And crowned them with glory and honor.
Psalm 8: 1, 3-5
