Away in a Manger

Last night, as my Kindergarten students sang under the bright lights at our concert, I saw the delight in the faces of those watching. Because I was facing them as I played the piano, I could enjoy, through their faces, the innocence and excitement of young children at Christmas.

As we have practised Away in a Manger during the last few weeks, I have reflected on the beauty and depth of the words of this ancient carol. When you combine all three verses, there is a beautiful picture that extends to us even today.

Not only is there a picture of peace in the midst of "lowing" animals and a straw-lined manger, but also a prayer for God's presence through our messes and struggles. Night time can be terrifying for a young child and the reassurance of a parent's presence nearby can chase the terrors away. What can calm our fears more than an awareness of our heavenly Daddy's presence? We will all need that through our nights "until morning is nigh".

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unexpected Beauty

There is snow and then there is fluffy snow. Today everything is becoming frosted in freshness as large flakes waft down steadily. With little wind blowing, the flakes are settling on top of everything, sticking evenly and outlining what is beneath. No longer is the ice, sand and salt visible, as beauty is everywhere. I chose this morning to enjoy the beauty. I know the slippery ice is still there as well as all the dirt and grime from yesterday. Yet I would be missing out on fresh joy if I focused instead on the ice. I'm thinking too of the loses in life that are out of my control to change. It's one thing to feel sad and mourn that loss but it's my choice whether to focus on it totally or look for fresh beauty. Today I want to start a "Beautiful" list, topped by today's snowfall and the names of special people in my life. After that, only time will tell what I will add as I intentionally look for beauty all around me.
Read more

The joy Inside

Here in Canada, we are celebrating Thanksgiving. I love this early October celebration as the trees start to change and show their true colours. It's like we are finally getting a real glimpse of the inner beauty hidden inside some the trees. It takes the harshness of the weather conditions and the lack of nourishment to bring out that colour. In the same way, it often takes the hard times of life and it's challenges to bring what's inside me. Sometimes it's ugly and sometimes it's beautiful but it makes me more aware of me. I am good at pretending; of smiling and thinking all is well. When the hurtful words come out, I'd like to blame my circumstances or other people, because then it's not my fault. It's taken time, but I'm learning to accept myself with my unique colours and allow God to work on the stuff than needs removing. I'm so thankful today for the bits of love, joy and peace that I have experienced in this past year. I see that n
Read more

Playing Hide and Seek

Image
Tony Campolo tells of a rabbi's child who was playing hide-and-seek with some children.  She went away and hid herself.  But the other children decided to be mean.  While she was hiding, they ran away and left her behind. When the little girl realized she had been abandoned by her friends, she came running home and threw herself into her father's arms and cried, "Daddy, I was hiding and nobody tried to find me!"  The father hugged his daughter and said, "God understands.  He understands much more than you realize." This was a fresh thought for me. Is God frustrated when I don't seek him out?  Is he patiently waiting for me to pursue him with heart, soul and mind, wanting me to experience delight in the discovery? Is he in the ordinary of each day, waiting for my eyes to catch a glimpse of him, to smile with the joy of sensing his presence?  My Mom used to call this "God Sightings". Just this past weekend, where snow or frost is often c
Read more