Unto us a child is born

In the midst of our busy Christmas "comings and goings" life still goes on - the joy and the heartache do not take a break. Wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow suspend "the stuff of life" just long enough to give everyone a free no-pain-pass from Nov. 20-Jan. 5!

In the past week I have witnessed:

• a family face the loss of a 20 week old-pre-term baby,
• an amazing woman - who battled cancer for 5+ years, leave this physical earth to begin her life eternal,
• a family have their electricity get cut off,
• another family wait anxiously for biospy results for their son,
• a family have their teenage child commited to a Psychiatric hospital,
• a family shun a child for acknowledging his homosexuality

What am I supposed to do, what are you supposed to do to be present for these in pain?

I believe God sent Jesus to walk among us to teach us how to love each other just as we are loved by God. I wonder how we are doing? Are we really loving "our neighbor as ourself"?

Who knows maybe we do this better during this time of year than any other time? Humm?

Maybe this little poem from Ann Weems book: Kneeling in Bethlehem speaks a word to us:

The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas spirit is that hope

which tenacioulsy clings

to the hearts of the faithful

and anounces

in the face

of any Herod the world can produce

and all the inn doors slamed in our faces

and all the darks nights of our souls

that with God

all things still are possible,

that even now

unto us

a Child is born!