Christmas 2013

Dan Fogelberg's most famous Christmas song is Auld Lang Syne, of course.  "Saw an old lover in the grocery store...la da da da Christmas Eve..."  But he breathes new life into this 19th Century Christmas hymn and it has become one of my all time favorites.  You can find it on his "The First Christmas Morning" CD--highly recommended--as a collection of beautifully written or resurrected pieces that point to Christ, the whole reason for Christmas.  Enjoy! 

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

In the bleak mid-winter, the frosty wind did moan

The earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone

Snow had fallen softly, snow on snow on snow

In the bleak mid-winter, oh so long ago

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him nor the earth sustain

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign

In the bleak mid-winter a stable place sufficed

For the Lord almighty, Jesus Christ

Oh what can I give Him, woeful as I am

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb

If I were a wiseman, oh I would do my part

Yet, what can I give Him - I will give my heart

Oh what can I give Him - I will give my heart

Words: Christina Rossetti, 1872. Music: Gustav Holst, 1906.

Christmas Message 2012

This scripture says it all...so my words will be few:  "Fear not!" the angel of the Lord said unto the shepards.  So easy in concept...yet at times so difficult in action when following the path God has chosen in faithful obedience.  Love casts out all fear...if we love enough, if we allow God's love to be enough, the fear will abate.  The fruits will be recognized as joy and peace.  Merry Christmas my friends! 

 ~~~This painting is in a private collection in Maine.

Christmas Message 2011

The Wisemen heard the Good News and wanted to worship the New King. They asked, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2)

They searched, and found their King…but it was not what they expected, to say the least. The star led them to a house where they discovered the Boy Child and his mother Mary. No royal robes, no golden crown, no throne, no palace. Did they turn around, assuming they were mistaken? Did they look at the night sky, seeking another star?

Nope. They bowed down and worshiped. And opened their treasures. And offered their gifts. (Matthew 2:11) To the little Child who was their King.

Have you ever encountered such a scene…where things did not turn out the way you planned…they way you hoped…the way they were supposed to? Feelings of discouragement, despair, anger and frustration seem warranted. But God’s ways are not our ways. He asks us to look at the Wisemen, and worship anyways. To open the treasures anyways. To offer our gifts anyways.

What does that look like in real life? Look for glimpses of God’s hand in your circumstances…and worship His presence in your life. Keep a close eye out for nuggets of clarity and truth, treasures in the sea of confusion and chaos. And offer ourselves as instruments of His Peace in times of uncertainty and unrest.

And remember…Wise Men Still Seek Him.
Christmas blessing to you and yours.

Christmas Eve

Can a snowfall be cozy? Sure, if it's Christmas Eve in New England! The flakes come twinkling down all fluffy and frozen. After hauling in the fragrant evergreen, and shaking the snow off our feet, we'll sit down to some steamy hot cocoa. That's about as cozy as it gets! When I was very little, my Dad and I would hike into the woods and select a nice fir tree that we thought would please Mom and look the best in our living room decorated with antique bulbs, homemade clay snowmen and plenty of tinsel. I recalled those moments as I painted this winter scene. Cozy, isn't it?
~~~This painting is in a private collection in Maine.