Thoughts of Barberries

The barberry bushes have lost their leaves. The stems naked reveal twists and turns, skinniness and thorns, ugliness. I pick them and bring them in creating little vases of barberry and evergreen. I like the reminder. Eternal life has its price. The ugly made beautiful in red-stained thorns. And it is in that juxtaposition that Christ came--the glory of God contained in a man, the sinless becoming sin, the death that brings life.

And I count (131-142)

:: bread rising for last minute gifts ::

:: peace even from a "no" ::

:: weekends with colds ::

:: taking a walk ::

:: thinking of babies ::

:: counting our stockings ::

:: Christmas gifts stashed ::

:: St. Nicholas truth ::

:: the fun had in the truth ::

:: gifting girls ::

:: Christmas carols ::

(There is no baby announcement in this. Just thoughts of and dreams about and research on. More will come after our mothers call to have this issue clarified.)