Tag: christmas
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advent: family trees
Especially this time of year, projections of happy, marvelous relationship with friends and family abound, conflicting with the reality many of us are living. Our family trees are complicated, messy, the bonds seemingly unresolvable. Pondering these incongruities, I read about the heritage and life of Jesus. His family tree includes: foreign women, non-Jewish women, public…
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advent: stars and stables
John Maxwell asks, “What if you follow a star and find a stable?” Consider the Magi. Wisemen from the East, donned in kingly array, bearing precious gifts for the new King. On their long journey, following the special heavenly star, anticipating a grand royal palace, royal court and kingly throne. Instead, the eastern kings find…
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advent: duality of thought
By their very nature, spiritual beliefs and doctrines present paradoxical dilemmas. God is three in one. Jesus comes as a human and is of divine nature. His mother Mary is a virgin and a mother. To understand these and other contradictions, those with rational minds search on, through other modalities: intellectual, spiritual, emotional. Creatively searching…
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the problem of christmas
I have fond memories of Christmas past, from my family of origin, as well as with my young family. But then, a while back, problems began within Christendom. Traditional symbols connected up to pagan rites, a portion of believers condemned, and indeed did not participate in Christmas celebrations. As I scaled back my over-the-board enthusiasm,…
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