[Fifth Day of Christmas]

Sat. Dec. 29, 2012

Hey, Shoshana, it snowed! in December! :)

Also, you were right -- I finished Glory Season this morning. (Having this much free time is weird. I feel like I should have stocked up on library books -- though I do own fiction I haven't read, and I only have a few days of vacation left.)

***

"Joy Sadhana is a daily practice in the observation of joy."
-mylittleredgirl [more info]

⁵ Thus says YHWH,
who formed me in the womb to be God's Servant,
who destined me to bring back the children of Jacob
and gather again the people of Israel:
⁶ "It is not enough for you to do my bidding,
to restore the tribes of Jacob, of Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah,
and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I will make you the light of nations,
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

⁷ Thus says YHWH,
the Redeenmer of Israel, the Holy One,
to the one deeply despised,
the one abhorred by nations,
the one enslaved by despots:
"Rulers will rise when you walk in the room
and court officials will pay homage
because of YHWH, who is faithful,
because of the Holy One of Israel, who chose you."
⁸ Thus says YHWH:
"At the time of my favor I will answer you,
on the day of salvation I will help you.
I will keep you,
and appoint you to be a covenant people.
I will restore the land
and assign you the properties that have lain waste.
⁹ I will say to the prisoners, "Come out!"
and to those who are in darkness, "Show yourselves!"
Congested roadways will become
places where they can safely graze,
and barren heights will become
lush pastureland for them,
¹⁰ They will never hunger or thirst,
and scorching wind and sun will never plague them;
for the One who has compassion on them
will lead and guide them to springs of water.
¹¹ I will make roads through all the mountains,
and my highways will be raised up,
¹² because they are on their way from afar,
some from the north or the west,
others from the land of Aswan.
¹³ Shout for joy, you heavens! Exult, you earth!
You mountains, break into happy cries!
For YHWH consoles the people
and takes pity on those who are afflicted.
¹⁴ But Zion said,
'YHWH has abandoned me,
Adonai has forgotten me.'
¹⁵ Does a mother forget her baby at the breast,
or fail to cherish the child of her womb?
Yet even if these forget,
I will never forget you.

(Isaiah 49:5-15, The Inclusive Bible, alt.)

My Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings book says one of the assigned readings for December 29 [edit: I was accidentally looking in Year B rather than Year C -- but I like this reading better anyway] is:

Isaiah 49:5-15
God like a nursing mother

+

when love comes to town posted:

Reflections on the holy family...

Here are my worship notes for this coming Sunday, December 30th 2012 on the Holy Family. [...]
Introduction
In some of the high church traditions of Christianity, this Sunday is known as the Feast of the Holy Family: a quiet and gentle time offered to us for the consideration of family life from the perspective of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

[NB: I have some answers to "Why do you think worshipping as a family is important? If dad - or mom or one partner - doesn’t go, what does that teach our children?" which are perhaps not exactly what he's looking for.]


( joy sadhana )