Rounding out week one

The world is awash and alive with the fingerprints of God.

But in our rushing and racing, the holy becomes a blur.

Such was true of the day two thousand years ago, when God entered the world in the oddest place: a stable.

The world was caught up in jumping to Caesar's plan for a census.

The world was in a tizzy and minds were dizzy.  The world was out of focus and fuzzy.

You had to hurry to get where you were going.

Don't be late.

Don't forget that piece of paper we need.

Wait!! Did I tie up the goat before we left home?

Too much gawking, too much squawking, and too much of too much.

How much have we really changed?

How far are we really from the crowds crammed into dirt roads of that little town of Bethlehem?

Most of them didn't see the stars.

Most of them didn't follow the shepherds to the stable.

Most of them were too wrapped up in all that was happening to look outside their tunnel vision.

Most didn't saunter or prayerfully ponder.

Most of those in Bethlehem didn't notice and name that God was entering the world.

God entering our world in a vulnerable way.

God entering our world in a smelly stable.

God entering our world born to two unwed parents which placed Mary and Joseph outside of all that was classified or considered "Holy" and "Righteous".

More to the point, all the above is absurd and even unimaginable, which is perhaps one reason why we return to this familiar road each year.

All the above is too much for our mental computer systems to comprehend completely.

The possibility and potential that the interruption of God in our world was a disruption to Caesar's plot and plan both in those days and in these days still.  God still disrupting and interrupting the powerful Caesars today.

God still calling us to take the detour.

God still beckoning us to step inside the straw of the stable.

God softly singing to us to gaze not just take a quick glance.

God making room for you and me to stand beside Mary prayerfully pondering as a practice today and for the year to come.

That is the invitation.

This is the journey.

Awake.

Aware.

Alert.

The world is still alive with the traces of God's grace here and now.

Let's start on our Advent Adventure this year.

Blessings ~~