Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas! So I am home in Michigan and it has been great. I have wanted to blog more, but I just can't face my 28k internet for that long, it's draining. But I really wanted to post on this special day. I want to share a poem written by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow during the Civil War...

'I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said: "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead; nor doth he sleep! The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men!" '

...So we may no longer be hearing cannons from the south, but I know for me there is so much brokenness in the world that it easily takes the cannons place and drowns out the bells, their carols, and the words of peace on earth, good-will to men. But we must be truly thankful for today. The songs chime louder than the sounds of hate because of today. Because of Jesus Christ, God incarnate. How powerful the incarnation is. Simply mindblowing. Or rather, profoundly mindblowing. A truly awesome thing. I sit here in wonder as I only begin to think about it. Today I am happy to be celebrating the coming of a babe who turned the world on its head and gave, and continues to give, hope to all.

Merry Christmas.