Biblical Haiku: Isaiah 11: 1 – 9

green shoots from dead stumps
and wolves with lambs at peace
when the Spirit guides

Biblical Limericks: The Immaculate Conception

Was she immaculately conceived
as Catholics, of Mary, believe,
and if so, how far back
should this sinlessness track;
what womb could this perfection receive?

Downtown Lights

The town of Newton, Iowa lights up the courthouse square for the Christmas holiday season. I took some photos of it the other night.

Lost in the Noise

I’ve been out playing my horn at one of our Red Kettles today.  I usually play at one of our local grocery stores.  They have an entry way that is large enough that I can set up with my Eb Bass (it’s not a French Horn) and not be in the way of people going in and out of the store.  I like playing there because the entry way has a high ceiling and the sound of the horn can really ring in there.  (That it’s heated is also a plus.  The valves of the horn tend to freeze when I play outside during the winter…)

But today it was a little difficult.

I was playing the Coventry Carol – a quiet, melodic meditation on the tragedy that surrounded the birth of Jesus, as recorded in Matthew’s gospel, namely King Herod’s order that “all young children” be slain.  (Matthew says that Herod ordered the deaths of boys 2 years old and younger…).  And at the same time the store’s muzak system was blaring out some Latin jazz version of Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.  And the store employees were bringing the shopping carts back into the store from the corrals in the parking lot. With all the bang and clatter and muzac, the Coventry Carol got lost in the noise.

If I were one of those pastors who are always on the lookout for sermon illustrations, I might find something in that….

If you’d like to contribute to The Salvation Army – specifically The Salvation Army in Newton, Iowa – you can make a donation at this online kettle.  (You can also use the link to find a Salvation Army unit nearer to you, if you like.) Thank you for thinking of the Salvation Army during this, our biggest fundraising season of the year.  The money we raise during this time will allow us to keep the lights on the programs going all through the year.

Powerpoint Slides for Everyone - 2013 - Week 50 Bonus

Each week I create a background image to use in Powerpoint (or similar presentation programs) and to give away here on my blog.  Last week I posted the slides for the four weeks of Advent / the last four weeks of this year that we'll be using at my little church.  But perhaps your church won't be using those same themes - or perhaps you'd like something different.  Well, you're in luck.  Here is a bonus slide for this week.

As with all these 'powerpoint slides for everyone' posts, you are free to download this image and to use it in your own projects - at home, work, school, or church.  Use them however you like.  I only ask that you share them freely and that you tell others that you found them here.