LOVE - I love the Christmas lights in our road. Neighbours have worked really hard this year - with reindeer, Santas, trains, snowflakes, projected images. Our road sparkles and twinkles like Blackpool illuminations.[most of our lights are on timers at Cornerstones- we just have a lighted wreath and two big stars this year]
BEARS - In the next road to us, there are some terraced houses. For the last few years.they have had a lighted, inflatable polar bear family decorating their home. The bears used to sit on the flat roof above the front door. This year, I notice, they have moved down to occupy the top of the wheelie bin store.
ALL THINGS - absolutely everything seems difficult right now. And it is so hard to say the right thing-
if you are cheerful, people think you are belittling the awful death toll, the appalling mental health issues, the lack of employment, food and housing.
If you are miserable about the pain and sadness, people think you should snap out of it and be grateful for the blessings you do have.
If you are angry, people tell you that the politicians, scientists, and powers-that-be have an impossible job so you should forgive their lies and screw-ups unfortunate mistakes.
The apostle Paul reminds us, love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. While we have love, we will get through this together. I've revised the words of O Little Town of Bethlehem. Here 's my 2020 version
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the tiers are met in thee tonight.
I may never be able to sing the proper words again! (bit like when shepherds washed their socks)
ReplyDeleteSorry!! I'm afraid I have a whole collection of incorrect carol lyrics. The old ones [like "Round John Virgin", and "Most Highly Flavoured Lady Gloria"] and newer ones [such as "Come on and celebrate, Sellotape and string" and "Bringing precious gifts from Lanzarotte"] I do hope I haven't ruined too many people's carol services.
DeleteBad girl!!! I can't sing 'All we like sheep!" in Handel's Messiah oratorio without sniggering. The musical phrasing really does make it seem like the singer's have a particular thing for sheep rather than All we, like sheep, have gone astray!
Deletethe Christmas lights have been so cheering this year. I light a candle lantern outside the front door as dusk - I don't know how long the candle lasts though!
ReplyDeleteOh what a lovely idea
DeleteIn the midst of a serious and important message, you still manage to make me giggle. The hopes and tiers- snigger!
ReplyDeleteI think people need to acknowledge that we feel differently on different days and that you can be positive and cheerful whilst finding things sad and hard (as I mentioned in my post last week). I did read a really mean comment someone left on someone else's blog last week (someone I found through you) where she said, "Stop whining!"- it was really harsh and the blog owner really didn't whine!
Yes I thought it was an unnecessarily harsh comment too.
DeleteYes, it is really difficult to say the right thing right now, isn't it? The Christmas lights are lovely!
ReplyDelete