Image via WikipediaThis Sunday we'll light the candle of "LOVE" on our Advent wreath at church. And, as we've focused on the themes of HOPE and PEACE and JOY so far, we've kind of been inward-focused.  We came into Advent with a lot of communal pain over the tragic deaths of two persons in our church family.  It was rough.  I lived some of that out here on this blog.  But, now as we get closer, we're going to hear how when LOVE came down at Christmas, this LOVE was for us to offer to the world.  We are wounded, yes.  But we offer ourselves to others as Christ offers himself to us...in love.

I came across three poems today on Bishop Robert Schnase's website, FivePractices.org.  They have helped move my thought and prayer along this morning.  I'll give each one a separate post.  Each one is beautiful.





A CHRISTMAS POEM -- By Esther Schnase (Robert's wife)

How 'bout that last line there?  "Ours are the hands that help Him grow until He fills the whole world with Love."  It connects Christ's coming with our doing in the world.  Beautiful.

You'll find lots of good stuff at Bishop Schnase's site.