Christmas Day

Behold I bring you good news of great joy: for to you is born in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10-11

Christmas Eve

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness,

on them light has shined.

Let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah 9:2

Caleb's Christmas Carol

My 10 year-old sang this song to me yesterday. The tune is familiar but the words are all him.

"Let It Flow"

(to the tune of "Let It Snow")

Oh, although the bathroom over there is frightful,

The urinal is quite delightful.

Especially if you have to go,

Let it flow, let it flow, let it flow

You'll have to excuse me, I have the sudden urge to use the restroom.

"Joy to the World" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.6)

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

"Flowers On the Wall" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.5)

I've keep hearin' you're concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you're givin' me is conscience I guess
If I were walkin' in your shoes I wouldn't worry none
While you and your friends're worryin' bout me I'm havin' lots of fun

Countin' flowers on the wall that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitare till dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do

Last night I dressed in tails pretended I was on the town
As long as I can dream it's hard to slow this swinger down
So please don't give a thought to me I'm really doin' fine
You can always find me here and havin' quite a time

It's good to see you I must go I know I look a fright
Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete

Don't tell me I've nothing to do

"Welcome Table" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.4)

I'm going to sit at the welcome table
Yes, I'm going to sit at the welcome table
One of these days, hallelujah
I'm going to sit at the welcome table
Sit at the welcome table one of these days, one of these days

I'm going to feast on milk and honey

Yes, I'm going to feast on milk and honey

One of these days, hallelujah

I'm going to feast on milk and honey

Feast on milk and honey one of these days, one of these days

I'm going to tell God how you treat me

Yes, I'm going to tell God how you treat me

One of these days, hallelujah

I'm going to tell God how you treat me

Tell God how you treat me one of these days, one of these days

All God's children gonna sit together

Yes, all God's children gonna sit together

One of these days, hallelujah

All God's children gonna sit together

All of God's children gonna sit together one of these days, one of these days

"Run On" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.3)

First up, great God, let me tell you the news 


My head got wet with the midnight dew 


I've been down on bended knee,

Talkin' to the man from Galilee 


Then my God spoke and he sounded so sweet 


I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet

Then he put one hand upon my head


Great God almighty let me tell you what he said:



Go tell that long tongue liar 


Go tell that midnight rider 


Tell the gambler, the rambler, the back biter

Tell them God Almighty gonna cut 'em down

You may run on for the long time 


Run along for the long time

Run along for the long time

Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down

You may run on for the long time

Run along for the long time

Run along for a long time

Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down 



Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand 


Work in the dark against your fellow man 


But as sure as God made rich and poor


You gonna reap just what you sow 



Some people go to church just to signify

Tryin' to get a date with the neighbor's wife

But listen to me brother, sure as you're born,

You better leave that woman alone

Cause one of these days, you mark my word,

You think that brother is goin' to work

You're gonna come up and knock on the door

That's all brother, you'll knock no more

You may run on for the long time

Run along for the long time

Run along for the long time

Let me tell you God Almighty gonna cut you down

"But For You Who Fear My Name" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.2)

But for you who fear my name,

the sun of righteousness will rise

with healing in his wings.

And you shall go forth again,

skip about like calves

coming from their stalls at last.

You shall be my very own

on the day that I

cause you to be my special home.

I shall spare you as a man,

as compassion on his son

who does the best he can.

The Market of Generosity

Don't look to the Market to guide your generosity. If your generosity is based on the ebbs and flows of the Market your "gift" will be captive to the world of acquisition and will never understand the beauty of what it means to truly give.

A spirit of generosity is not dependent upon one's bank balance but rather upon one's capacity to give of them-self to another. The Market doesn't like generosity, because true generosity expects nothing in return; no kick-back and no "return on the investment". In the eyes of the Market, generosity offers no benefit.

But the vision of Market is blinded because the Market can't see the power of "gift". More than bringing joy to the recipient, a "gift" shifts our focus from "independent" to "interconnected". It is in our interconnections that we find our humanity.

In a world driven by the Market don't let your low bank balance or busy schedule cause your muscles of generosity to atrophy. Instead, be generous with your time, generous with your possessions, generous with your money, and generous with your love.

"Society" (Songs I'm Listening to pt.1)

It's a mystery to me

We have a greed with which we have agreed

And you think you have to want more than you need

Until you have it all you won't be free

Society, you're a crazy breed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

When you want more than you have

You think you need...

And when you think more than you want

Your thoughts begin to bleed

I think I need to find a bigger place

Because when you have more than you think

You need more space

Society, you're a crazy breed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Society, crazy indeed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

There's those thinking, more-or-less, less is more

But if less is more, how you keeping score?

Means for every point you make, your level drops

Kinda like you're starting from the top

You can't do that...

Society, you're a crazy breed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Society, crazy indeed

Hope you're not lonely without me...

Society, have mercy on me

Hope you're not angry if I disagree...

Society, crazy indeed

Hope you're not lonely without me...