“With all it’s sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.” Max Ehrman
Let’s de-Hallmark-ify the Christmas story, shall we? Instead of a warm and cozy barn - try picturing a dark, grimy cave, full of loud, smelly animals who aren’t fond of sharing their home. Instead of a serene, beaming Mary - let’s imagine an exhausted teenager who just survived the risky business of labor, far from … Continue reading Let’s de-Hallmark-ify the Christmas story, shall we?
As I've counted down the days to Christmas, I haven't been able to shake this big question: Why in the world did God choose to come to us as he did, as a newborn babe lying in a manger? Instead, what if God had come to us as a Herculean warrior? With shining armor and … Continue reading Just To Be With Us: A Mother’s Reflection on Christmas
Was no one there to rub her backwhen she got sick by the side of the road?Poor child, that Mary,fleeing the angel's earth-shattering words to Elizabeth's tranquil countryside.Did her traveling companions pretend not to noticeher queasiness and sleepy eyes and swelling gut,or did they whisper too loudly in her directionwith obvious glares of disdain?One can … Continue reading Naming the Blessing as a Blessing: A Poem of Mary and Elizabeth
One of my favorite pictures of my grandmother shows her sleeves rolled up and her hands covered in cookie dough. Making rum balls was one of her favorite Christmas traditions. A couple years before she died I made a date with her to make rum balls together. I learned why she loved these so dearly. … Continue reading The Sweet Side of Messy
Rev. Laura Johnson 