Faith, Folklore, and Friends

The air up there in the clouds  is very pure and fine,  bracing and delicious.  And why  shouldn't it be?  — it is the same the angels breathe.  ~Mark Twain 

Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, And teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

It is an ancient profession, this job of being a shepherd. Someone has to tend the sheep. Someone has to keep the flock together; to chase away the predators. They have to keep the little lambs from wandering off and getting lost. They have to keep moving sheep to different pastures, searching for fresh grass. Fresco by Taddeo Gaddi, Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, Italy, 1332-1338 In the days when believers read Isaiah and waited for the promise, there were many shepherds. The job sometimes fell to single men who had no family responsibilities, who could stay with the sheep day and night. They moved about with the sheep, living in tents or wagons. Being a shepherd was a cold, lonely job with little to eat and none of the comforts of home. Throughout time, God has used shepherds for his purpose. Before he became the Father of Nations, Abraham tended sheep. Jacob and Isaac were shepherds. Moses spent his time in exile tending sheep. David, who had God's heart...

It is an old profession. Someone had to tend the sheep. Someone had to keep the flock together; to chase away the predators. They had to keep the little lambs from wandering off and getting lost. They had to keep moving sheep to different pastures, searching for fresh grass. The job sometimes fell on single men who had no family responsibilities, who could stay with the sheep day and night. They moved about with the sheep, living in tents or wagons. Being a shepherd was a cold, lonely job with little to eat and none of the comforts of home. Throughout time, God has used shepherds for his purpose. Before he became the Father of Nations, Abraham tended sheep. Jacob and Isaac were shepherds. Moses spent his time in exile tending sheep. David, who had God's heart, was with his flock when he was called to service. Then the day came. The day God had known about since the beginning, the day that would change us forever. Heaven trembled with excitement. The angel mi...

It's a big, scary world out there. Twenty-four hours a day, multimedia saturates with information. Some useless, some just plain silly, the majority unwelcome. News of terrorism, wars, natural disasters, impending epidemics, fuel prices, abuse, unemployment--it never ends. Christians are promised that we will never left alone or unattended. Legions of angels hover about, guiding, clearing the road ahead. Not scared of the darkness or what lies waiting, they are in complete control, obeying orders sent from the throne. Mighty warriors of God gently hold us in their hands, moving us out of harm's way. Clothed with power too wonderful for earthy eyes, they comform to recognizable images: the kind man with salt-and-pepper hair wearing a black turtleneck, the grizzled old man in a battered Ford who gets you to the airport on time, the homeless unkept there at just the right time. We are told of accidents where trees were missed by mere inches, where a young father was ...