selections from
You Meet Us at the Gate:
Meditations for Advent
an original series of daily readings, poems, songs, and art
weary world, weeping (retrospective 3)
from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
a broken world collapses
clinging to what semblance
of normalcy there is left
crowds of angry men
acknowledgments and closing thoughts (4.7)
We did it! We made it all the way through advent, and into the new year.
Today I want to acknowledge and shower with love the people who made this project a possibility, who walked with me, and carried me through the gate.
So, without further ado,
come, thou long expected Jesus (4.6)
We’ve made it! Merry Christmas! Sing of joy to your world, for the Lord has come!
Today, the final day, there are two things to do that remain:
First, I want to encourage you to read today’s reading aloud with your family, take turns reading, and hear the story of Jesus’ coming down to us, the extraordinary hidden in
o little town of bethlehem (4.4)
Every December, on the last meeting before Christmas break, my theater ensemble would gather together and create an embodied reenactment of the Christmas story. We split into small groups, and, using movement, song, and rhythm, told the journey of
things I want to ask her (4.3)
What was it like? Years
of faithfulness in the little things,
of temple walks, of washing
feet, of hunger, of fear,
joy, laughter, trust
and then—
Whereby the Sunrise Shall Visit Us (4.1)
My favorite thing to do as the sun just began to rise upon our little home in the icy wintertime was peer out the window each morning to see if it snowed in the night.
My eyes would open, groggy from sleep, and I would lie in bed, listening to the gentle creakings of the house waking up. Tea kettle slowly bubbling, cereal bowls like drums for spoons. And it all seemed to have a certain
hope in mystery (3.6)
This week’s song is inspired by my friend’s painting (below) that reminds me that God speaks in unexpected places, especially when we don’t expect to hear, or we’ve forgotten to listen. The text is drawn from both
Week 3: Songs of Hope (3.1)
Today, my hope feels lost. Today, I really want an angel to sit down next to me and tell me everything is going to be okay. There is so much tumult, heaviness and grief in the world; it seems like so much, too much. I don’t feel like I have the courage to keep
still waters (2.6)
This song, based off a variety of texts and stories I love, including Psalm 23, feels like that. I wanted to write something to soothe my soul, deeply lonely, lying awake and afraid in the middle of
psalm 77 (2.4)
Today, we are going to do something a bit different, as we did with the carol last week. If you feel comfortable, I want you to
Week Two: Stories of Doubt (2.1)
One of the things I find profound about the Bible is that it includes what I like to call, “stories of doubt.” These are the stories in which the characters don’t act like the perfect saints picture books and preachers paint them out to be. Stories where, in my opinion, the characters seem to have life breathed
praying for rain (1.6)
I wrote this song in the midst of the devastating fires ravaging the West as I drove home from the gym under the thick blanket of grey smoke. As it’s ruminated, it feels
Week One: The Waiting (1.1)
One of the best moments in the world, one feeling that I am deeply missing and I am sure I will continue to miss, is the moment when you have prepared a lovely gathering- we will make it a Christmas party, as this is advent. Snow is
before we begin
Friends! Advent begins this Sunday, November 29th! I am so excited. Logistically speaking, here are a few reminders you need
introduction
I’m writing this sitting in a courtyard in front of a bakery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the sunshine, surrounded by golden leaves fluttering to the ground all around me. It’s the tail end of October, and the best
