Somehow this question came up with giggles in our house as we were listening to Lorena McKennit's "A Winter Garden." Her rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" is accompanied by all sorts of middle eastern instruments, making one envision camels and snake charmers, rather than snow or Christmas trees. My daughter said, making a comical face, "Merry Christmas...."
"Well, this is the sort of music Jesus would have heard," I observed, while our ears were writhing and squirming to the alien sounds. (Yes, our ears. Do you like that image?)
So this evolved into, "What kind of Christmas music did Jesus listen to?"
As we were laughing, we asked the 12 year old, "Why didn't Jesus listen to Christmas music?"
He smiled uncertainly. "Because they didn't have sound back then?"
Dearest Alison,
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled onto your blog, having reached it through your Christmas message.
First, and less importantly, the way you speak of God and "his" gender and mental pictures of and language about him is exactly, exactly, exactly the same as the way I speak of and view and refer to him. What a joy to find it expressed so perfectly!
Second, I'm sorry but you're not completely done with and cut off from your church of origin, because I refuse to accept that I'm not part of my own church, and my love for you gives you a connection. I'm so sorry for the pain, disorientation, loss, abandonment, and grief that you've had to go through. I'm also sorry I haven't called you or written you to remind you of my affection and respect for you and my excitement about what you're doing. (I'm positively thrilled you get to do the sacred languages - of course!) Hang in there, and may you come to feel God's blessings more and more.
I love you!
Lisa (H. C.)