Writing In Twilight

A couple of blog entries of interest to me, re: ( politics and faith: may get kind of personal )

King George III voice: "President Donald Trump... Good luck!"

So, the tingling has settled with the change of diet. One less thing to fret about. Alas, no more tomatoes! And lemons may also be out - a double blow of sharp-and-tasty things.

Ultimately, I'm going to have to become accustomed to a new definition of normal. Along with the ups and downs of acclimating to exactly where 'normal' lies for me.

This is going to be a challenge.

There's a part of me that wants to apologise for dragging you along the journey with me. Although you can always unsubscribe from reading this; fair's fair. I hope you won't, but I understand that looking after yourself is more important than holding my hand or offering encouragements (and it should be).

I've started a blog on which I'm going to talk more about my faith and spiritual things. It's kind of a midway point between FB and LJ/DW, because, frankly, I'm not entirely comfortable 'coming out' fannishly on FB, and I feel...self-conscious sharing about my faith here on LJ.

We celebrate the time of year with food and gifts, with gatherings of family (both blood and found) and friends, hopefully with charity and concordance with all humanity, whatever their creed.

I'm listening to 'Do They Know It's Christmastime?' And thinking about the late night service at the local church last night and a newspaper opinion piece I read yesterday from the Sydney Centre For Public Christianity, where one of the leaders there spoke to several people who aren't in what we'd consider any kind of place to 'celebrate' Christmas - a church minister in Syria, a man waiting in one of Australia's detention centres for immigrants waiting for their amnesty applications to be processed, and a woman working with women in prisons who was once a prisoner herself. All spoke of their faith, of the knowledge that Christ is come and what it means to them.

Do they know it's Christmastime?

They can.

Because Christ has come, the saviour draws near. First as an infant child, adored and worshipped; then as an itinerant preacher, asking questions of the crowd that have no earthly answer; then as a contradiction - a crucified messiah, a dead man risen, a power that rose through love rather than war.

That's what I am most pointedly reminded of at Christmas, although the thought lingers all year around.

And knowing this is not just at Christmas, but all year around, every day of the year, every hour waking, every moment sleeping. Faith isn't something to bring out at the big celebrations, like spiritual devotion is something to be put on and taken off like fancy dress.

So, yes, they can know it's Christmastime, even without the trappings we've added to the celebration of Immanuel: God With Us.

And, TBH, Christmas gives me a chance to talk with others about it. Like you. :)

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyful Solstice - whatever your jam I hope and pray it's good for you and that you're spending it with people who matter to you, or in a manner that works for you. (And if you're not, then I hope that at the end of the ordeal, you get to come home, put your feet up and think, "I'm so glad that's over for another year.")

Last night, I attended the 'start night' for the small groups of my church's service. It's a 'youth' service that's trying to cater for a broader range of people as the years go by - with more workers, families with children, and mature-life-stage members.

( a story therein, small tidbit, nice feeling )