29December2006

December 29, 2006

Posted by nate under: Uncategorized.

We’re in the middle of an amazing bout of company and it’s amazing!  Two nights ago our friends Matt and Sarah stopped over for the night on their way to Rochester.  Matt is a killer steel player and one of the reasons I bought a lap steel.  He’s also a brilliant theologian and professor.  It was great to catch up (till about 3:30 am) and talk about lap steel tunings, music we’ve been digging, concerts, this sunday’s gospel lesson, the merits of bourbon, and how the lake inspires cigar smoking.  It was absolutely wonderful.  And the next morning when they took off Lydia and I cleaned the house up and got ready for the next round of company.  Our friends Kjel and Amy came up from Amy’s folks in Lake City and Matt and Julie and daughter Tovah came up from St. Paul.  It was another great night of conversation and all the catching up that was to be done.  But then we woke to snow!  I have a real love hate thing with snow and this morning I loved it.  Matt and I went for a run in the snow which is my favorite time to run – everything’s quite you make the first tracks, you can see where the bunnies have been.  It’s like the lands elegant embrace of life in the coldest seasons.  We came back and Julie made incredible scones, I believe we went through 4 pots of coffee, and then Matt and I took the girls out (3 & 2) and made snowmen on the lake and pulled them around in the sled.  But wait there’s more.

From the back of our house to the lake is probably about 40 feet.  The last ten are a steep rocky embankement, the rest is a very gradual slope.  Matt and I got out the snow shovels and starting covering the rocks with snow.  After about 45 minutes of shoveling and moving large chunks of ice we made a little sledding chute for the girls to go down – the girls who were incredibly worn out at this point I might add.  So they sled a bit, they get tired and go inside and then Matt and I carry on.  By lunch we had, with the help of part of our dock, made it so that you could start on the deck and go flying across the yard, down the embankment and past the snowman on the lake.  It was great, even if everyone made fun of us for pouring and entire morning into making a sledding hill for the Dads. 

Tomorrow the next round of company comes, including our God child Norah.  She’s about 4 months old now but I plan on grilling her on the creed and the 10 commandments all the same.  It’s my job as her sponsor, and I take it seriously.

Be well into the new year,

nate

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22December2006

December 22, 2006

Posted by nate under: song.

Today’s the first day Jodi and I have both been home all day in about 2 months.  Whenever one of us has had a day off the other has been traveling and when we’ve both had a day off we both have been traveling – usually together.  It’s so wonderful sometimes to be at home with no agenda.  At least till about 3 o’clock when we all start going stir crazy.  But for now it’s quite beautiful. 

It’s overcast with just a smidge of fresh snow – the fish houses on the lake are little blurs in the distance.  Our friend and retired pastor Art came over who, like most pastors, is a wonderful storyteller, and given his personality he has a lot of wonderful stories to tell.  It’s been a beautifully quiet morning.

I picked up a few books at the Library yesterday one is a collection of reflections on winter by Martin Marty (the other Martin Marty) paired with his son Micah’s photography.  The other Micah.  One of his thoughts is to address winter’s redemption not in spring, but rather in itself. 

So today’s fifth and final advent song is a quiet piece, reflecting on the most shocking of God’s work, coming to us as newborn.  Peace be with you.

 Prince of Peace

Peace came to the earth / In the arms of a teenage mother / In the time of kings a leader is born / Who is called, prince of peace

Peace to you my friend / In the arms of welcoming strangers / In the time of fear please be my strength / Lead us on prince of peace

Peace to you in Christ / In the arms that love our enemies / In the time of war let us live our faith / Teach me how prince of peace

Peace on Christmas Morn / In the arms of a newborn babe / In the time of trial not held by the cross / Oh live on, prince of peace

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21December2006

December 21, 2006

Posted by nate under: song.

Here’s today’s song befit for Christmas Eve – Shepherds, Kings, the whole shabang.  It’s upbeat and joyful and makes up for yesterday’s melancholy ruminations.

Forevermore

One night, one night, stars shining bright, shepherds and kings at your door / And oh what a sight, that glorious night / Earth is changed forevermore

Oh glory oh glory, that first Christmas story, part innocent and part wild / And into that story, the king of glory, / Entering earth as a child

Come here, come near, no longer need we fear, welcome all people gather round / Listen now and hear, God€™s promise has come near / Raise now to God our joyful sound

Tonight, tonight, stars shining bright, oh lead us all to your door / And Christ be our light, on this Holy night / Shine in our lives forevermore
 

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