We sent a similar message in our Christmas card this year, fewer in number in deference to our online publishing. But the message is strong and bears repeating. At least it gives us the opportunity to tell you we love you twice.
CHRISTMAS
How powerful a name, concept, faith for Christians, image of Christmases past, our perception changing as we age. But for many, it’s different this year. As we briefly discussed in our Thanksgiving post, most of the world’s approximately 7.8 billion people are living more confining lives due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is a particularly stressful time, not to mention the feelings of plants and animals feeling this stress, some of which is existential.
This time calls for lifting up and being lifted up. Mary & I have reprised a poem we wrote in 2002, much if not all of which could have been written for this Christmas with the same if not more relevancy:
THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS
In these times, God . . . show us how . . .
To come before you . . . kneeling,
Open as vessels . . . for you to fill . . .
Contributing… to nations’ healing.
Nations can be our friend next door . . .
Family . . . someone in need,
Help us listen . . . then share our gifts
Discern your Work . . . Then Heed.
The Native American Lummi tribe . . .
State their belief this way,
“When you know you have a gift . . .
You must keep giving it away.”
God, your River of Life . . . sustains us all . . .
Teaches us how to live,
Bringing Hope, and Peace, and Joy, and Love . . .
Coming Together . . . Our Gifts to Give.
© Mary & Forrest Heaton
Based on Revelation 22: 1-2. This poem was written by Mary & me for our Christmas card 2002. We also included it in our Heaton’s Holiday Songs & Poetry songbook published 2011. As we wrote at the bottom of this poem, “Can we not, each of us around the world—all peoples—all nations—work a little harder to bring Hope, Peace, Joy, Love to one another . . . The Healing of the Nations?” We include it here with our wishes to each of you to feel, every day, the blessings of this season.
