Blessed Nativity

How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is given
How God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of all heaven
No ear may hear his coming
but in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in

Christmastime is Here...

Happiness and cheer...
Fun for all, the children call...

And that's all I remember of that song right now. So instead of Peanuts Christmas songs, how about we try this week's Friday Five, from Rev HRod?

1. What was one of your favorite childhood gifts that you gave?
My favorite thing to give as a kid was a plate of Christmas cookies. My mom would put together cookies for a bunch of our neighbor friends, and then I'd go around and deliver them. Sometimes a few of us would go, and we'd sing a Christmas carol too.

2. What is one of your favorite Christmas recipes? Bonus points if you share the recipe with us.
When I was very little, and my grandma was still alive and traveling, my grandparents would bring Cuban treats for Christmas. My favorite was guava paste - it came in a brick, with a strip of guava jelly on top. Here is the recipe: Cut a thin piece of guava paste. Put it on a Club cracker with cream cheese. Eat until you pass out from the sugar coma.


3. What is a tradition that your family can't do without? (And by family, I mean family of origin, family of adulthood, or that bunch of cool people that just feel like family.)
The order we do presents and stuff... it would just be odd to change it! First we do stockings, which always have an orange in them. Then we take our oranges and go eat breakfast - a cinnamon roll coffee cake thing my mom's been doing for years. Then, finally, we open presents under the tree.

4. Pastors and other church folk often have very strange traditions dictated by the "work" of the holidays. What happens at your place?
I don't think I've been in this ordained life long enough to figure that out. My first year, another family with a clergy dad (who's youngest son is a good friend) invited us over in between early and late services. This year, we'll be joining another clergy family for in-between services dinner too... so I guess thats becoming a tradition that I'd love to continue.

5. If you could just ditch all the traditions and do something unexpected... what would it be?
Leave the crazy snow behind and go to Puerto Rico. My husband has always wanted to visit.

Amen (Sung, of course)

Do y'all ever look at the Christian Century's blog? I only look once a week or so, but a headline from last week caught my eye. Check out Jason Byasee's piece on Singing Clergy. Its very short and very true.

The Whys

Today is entirely a day off, and I'm happy for that. Instead of making lunch or getting to that laundry that is still in the suitcase from a conference last week, I'm reading blogs. And in doing so, I'm remembering why I love this blogiverse, even if I don't write so often anymore.

Blogs make me laugh out loud so that my husband gives me funny looks.Like this piece from Preacher Mom.

Sometimes, blogs give words to stuff I've been wondering about. Or, they share poet's words that I wanted to hear, like this Rumi writing from Ladyburg.

Often blogs make me cry, like PPB's witness of grief. Or, for tears of joy, Reverend Mother's newly-expanded family pictures!

Today, I'm celebrating blogs.