by Christie Purifoy | Nov 26, 2012 | Advent, Family, God's Love, Grateful, motherhood, Pennsylvania, Poetry, Pregnancy, Uncategorized, Waiting
One year ago, I was waiting, holding on to these words from Psalm 81: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.”
The date inked in beside those words in my Bible is August 23, 2011. By the time Advent began, I’d spent three months wringing out every drop of hope they had to give.
I did not know when (or even if) we would be moving on from Florida, but I longed to leave the desert behind. I was not yet pregnant, but I had a daughter who prayed every night for a sister. I had only imprecise dreams of what the future might hold, but I kept my mouth open and imagined a cup running over.
I wrote every day that Advent, and I shared it all with you here.
Before I’d even packed away the Christmas tree, I was pregnant, and the events which would bring us to Pennsylvania had been set in motion. I celebrated the new year with anticipation, though I still knew nothing of a baby girl or a red brick farmhouse.
Such a year it has been. Such a year.
And now – now, it is a season for singing. And, so, like last year, I will have something for you here each day of Advent.
We will wait and sing, together.
Magnificat
I am singing my Advent anthem to you, God: How all year
I’ve felt your thrusts, every sound and sight stabbing
like a little blade – the creak of gulls, the racket
as waves jostle pebbles, the road after rain, shining
like a river, the scrub of wind on the cheek, a flute
trilling – clean as a knife, the immeasurable chants of green,
of sky: messages, announcements. But of what? Who?
Then last Tuesday, a peacock feather (surprise!)
spoke from the grass; Flannery calls hers “a genuine
word of the Lord.” And I – as startled as Mary, nearly,
at your arrival in her chamber (the invisible
suddenly seen, urgent, iridescent, having put on light
for her regard) – I brim over like her, quickening. I can’t
stop singing, thoroughly pregnant with Word!
– Luci Shaw
by Christie Purifoy | Dec 25, 2011 | Advent, Jesus
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Merry Christmas, friends.
by Christie Purifoy | Dec 24, 2011 | Advent, Jesus, Music
O Holy Night
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angels’ voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
by Christie Purifoy | Dec 23, 2011 | Advent, Jesus, Scripture
“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty – he is the King of glory.”
Psalm 24:7-10
by Christie Purifoy | Dec 22, 2011 | Advent, God's promises, Jesus
Advent, like life, is bittersweet. And this is as it should be. “In this world you will have trouble,” Jesus said.
Yet, he didn’t finish there. He continued: “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
And that is the unadulterated sweetness of Christmas. He came to us. He overcame everything that troubles us.
This has been his song since the beginning. Unlike the ancients, we are privileged not to hope for it but to know it. We who live in the end times (and that is no prophetic prediction, only a reader’s observation that we are living neither in the beginning nor the middle of God’s great story), we are privileged to know how trustworthy his promises have always been. He promised us a Savior and an everlasting King, and he kept his promise.
And so we have no doubt that every promise he has made is a solid stone beneath our feet. We are unshaken. We have tasted, we have seen that the Lord is very good (Psalm 34:8).
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. … with honey from the rock I [will] satisfy you.”
Psalm 81:10,16
by Christie Purifoy | Dec 21, 2011 | Advent, God's promises, Jesus, Scripture
Do not be afraid (Luke 2:10).
Those words still echo from the day of his birth. How is it that we forget? Why do we close our ears?
We busy ourselves with words, with rules, with judgements and controversies. We worry. And, yes, we continue to live lives rooted in fear.
Afraid we’re doing it wrong. Afraid we’ll lose it all. Afraid someone will find out. Afraid there’s nothing to look forward to.
Afraid, afraid, afraid.
We set up our fences. We wonder who’s in, who’s out. We criticize. We condemn.
Why?
When he had risen from the dead the command was the same: Do not be afraid (Matthew 10).
How would you live if you believed there was no need to ever be afraid?
