Monday, December 1, 2025
           (click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Luster and glory
We didn’t get out of the house again today, until late in the afternoon to get some milk and eggs. And a few cookies. Margaret visited with her friend from Bloomington on Facetime, and we settled in. One more day before the week begins with a bang, eight meetings on my calendar beginning at 7 and ending at 7.
Somewhere along the way a batch of freezing rain made it impossible to blow the snow out of our driveway and off the car, so I did some shoveling for awhile in the morning. The wind blew and my fingers froze. I came in twice to warm up and made enough progress for us to get the car out in the afternoon.
On that day will be luster and glory,
And the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
For the survivors of Israel.
I watched a neighbor shoveling his driveway across the street. I had a better shovel, but he was younger. A city snowplow came barreling by, but for once the yellow monster didn’t deposit street snow into our driveway. I think most of that happened overnight, because the streets were clear, well-plowed, well-salted. At Menards I bought 40 lbs of purple ice melt, which I found difficult to lift into the car. My shoveling neighbor would have had no trouble.
The LORD will create
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
a smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.
And over all, the LORD’s glory
will be shelter and protection:
Dr. Deem said my exercise will serve as a barometer. Day to day I can notice how stressed my body feels doing the same thing I did the day before. Ah, if only I had done some exercise the day before! I struggle with judging myself, forgetting I’ve been told that is God’s job, and I would like to stop that fruitless work and move on with the arms and legs and lungs and muscles  I’ve been given, using them well, not ignoring them most of the time.
Come and save us, LORD our God;
Let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
I’m tempted toward negative judgment of others too, as I wonder about the folks I see around me, like my morning neighbor. Wondering is not the same as judgment, but it can change in a whiplash, and staying watchful matters.
To come to that inner place of not judging in the face of the enormous variety of human experience and expressions is a long road of faith. To overcome that constant need to determine my comparative place, and to be simply who I am, can make me whole. To finally let go of that burden is one of the greatest joys and freedoms in life. – Henri Nouwen
My friend Don rises early and reads Advent devotions with his cup of coffee. I admire how he settles into rhythms and keeps them going. During Advent, as well as Lent, this appeals to me more than ever. How about you?
How about I’ll pray for you and you pray for me?
(Isaiah 4, Psalm 122, Psalm 80, Matthew 8)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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