Advent Sharing

Above is the nativity that was always displayed at my Gowey grandparents' house during Christmastime. From a young age I remember admiring it in its corner cupboard spot, especially the lit star in the old paper creche. This will be the second Christmas without both my grandparents & my mother & her five siblings recently sorted out all of their holiday decorations to be distributed among our large family. Little did I know that this nativity set actually belonged to my mother & has now found its way to me. She received the creche & holy family from her grandparents (my great grandfather Clarence Lawton & great grandmother Harriet Eagle) when she was a little girl & each year would buy an additional figure until the set was complete. Below is a clearer photo of the nativity, now in my home. My mom told me that somewhere there is a photo of her, around 6 years old, playing by her grandparents' Christmas tree with the newly-gifted creche next to her.
Today is the third Sunday of Advent, the focus on Joy. I find joy in this family treasure handed down to me, in holding hands with my mother at church this morning & doing the advent reading together, in the lightest snowfall, in my husband making me breakfast, in my kitties curled up asleep, in so many things. We've been absent from this space for some time & have many things to share. In the coming weeks I hope to share some of my favorite photos since we took a hiatus from blogging in June, as well as some of the fun things we've been up to lately (both a 1920s & 1950s themed parties!). For now I want to share with you the words to a favorite hymn--we sang it in church a little while ago & the words have stayed with me, my hope for a joyful, peaceful world.

Abundant Life

We cannot own the sunlight sky,
The moon, the wildflowers growing,
For we are part of all that is
Within life's river flowing.
With open hands receive and share
The gifts of God's creation,
That all may have abundant life
In every earthly nation.

When bodies shiver in the night
And weary, wait for morning,
When children have no bread but tears,
And war horns sound their warning,
God calls humanity to wake,
To join in common labor,
That all may have abundant life
In oneness with their neighbor.

God calls humanity to join
As partners in creating
A future free from want or fear,
Life's goodness celebrating,
That new world beckons from afar,
Invites our shared endeavor,
That all may have abundant life
And peace endure forever.

What do you find joy in today?