December Reading List

100. Indelible Ink (hc), by Scott Larsen (ed)
101. Sepulchre (ua), by Kate Mosse
102. Heaven/Hell (ua), by Mur Lafferty
103. Babylon 5: Point of No Return (pb), by Jane Killick
104. Babylon 5: No Surrender, No Retreat (pb), by Jane Killick
105. Relentless (hc), by Robin Parrish
106. Brisingr (ua), by Christopher Paolini
107. Iron Man: Beneath the Armor (pb), by Andy Mangels
108. A Comedian's Guide to Theology (pb), by Thor Ramsey
109. The Holy Bible, various translations
110. Butler's Lives of the Saints

Dayspring from on High

As performed by Soul-Junk
From A Familyre Christmas, Vol. 1 (Sounds Familyre)

I see you now, dayspring from on high
I see you now, bright and morning star
Oh I see the son, son of righteousness
now rise with healing in his wings.

So rise, shine now for you light has come
Jehovah rises on you like the morning sun
So rise, shine now for you light has come
Jehovah rises on you like the morning sun

I see you now, dayspring from on high
I see you now, bright and morning star, O Jesus
Oh I see the son, son of righteousness
now rise with healing in his wings.

So rise, shine now for you light has come
Jehovah rises on you like the morning sun
So rise, shine now for you light has come
Jehovah rises on you like the morning sun

So lift up your head, lift up your eyes
For your redemption draws nigh
Oh lift up your eyes
See the dayspring from on high

I see you now, dayspring from on high
I see you now, bright and morning star
Oh I see the son, son of righteousness
now rise with healing in his wings.

My favorite Christmas song

Just the chorus:

Like a stone on a surface of a still river
Driving the ripples on forever
Redemption rips through the surface of time
In the cry of a tiny babe

-- Bruce Cockburn

utterly vulnerable, utterly powerful

From the introduction to Redeemed, by Heather King.

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It hurts to participate, to keep hearts open when we're in anguish, but ... this is the means of our salvation. This is Christ nailed, arms open, to the cross, simultaneously utterly vulnerable and utterly powerful: the most radical, subversive, never-endingly surprising Savior I can imagine. Turning, in his own agony, to the thief beside him to say, "This day you shall be with me in Paradise," he's the Great Physician, the Great Priest, the Great Friend.

When I picture Christ, though, he's not only, or even mostly, on the cross. He's coming down off the cross, walking among us. He's saying, I know it hurts unbelievably most of the time, but look, here's how to make it better. He's saying, Don't worry, you won't see how for a while, but it's all gonna come together in the end. He's saying, It's all right already, right here, right now. He's here to help, he's here to help.

Not a pious image, but a pulsing heart. A warm body. Blood.