Reverent Times

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long;
And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm;
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.

-Shakespeare
From Hamlet, Act I Scene I

The Power of a Great Idea

Let's face it. Any of us lucky enough to sit in front of a computer all day long has perchance happened upon an internet game site (or two) we have employed to pass the time, procrastinate, stimulate our deteriorating minds, ease our overworked minds or maybe distract us from the reality of our jobs. Tetris, Chess, Mahjong, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac Man, Spades, Poker, Wheel of Fortune... you name it, they're out there and they're free. Well, now there is a game available where you can expand your vocabulary AND help to end world hunger. No longer do you need to feel guilty about playing games at work. FreeRice.com is a vocabulary game in which 20 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program for each word you define correctly. It's as simple as that. The money the site receives from advertising is used to purchase the rice. Since October of 2007 (only 2 months ago!), over 9.4 billion grains of rice have been donated. So, click the banner below to play! You can even set your computer (under Options) to remember your vocabulary level and donation total. There are 50 levels of words; for each word you get correct, you get a harder word. Here's to words and rice!

Ian Gordon Daigle

On the heels of my last post, I have the privilege of announcing the birth of Ian Gordon Daigle, born today, December 4, 2007, at 1:33 pm (EST). He weighed in at 7 lbs. 7.4 oz. and is 20 inches long. He is doing well, as is Mom and Dad, and will be joining his big sister, Charlotte, at home very soon... just in time for Christmas.

There are no more words necessary, other than what better way to remember the grace and hope of Advent than by welcoming a beloved child into the family.

(Photo courtesy of Sarah Daigle)

Anticipation

This past Sunday marked the first Sunday in Advent. Every year, I look forward to the Christmas season, and every year, come January, I wonder where it went. That seemingly unending march toward Christmas ended long ago, only to be replaced by comments such as: “I can’t believe it’s December already!” and “I only have 2 weeks to do all my shopping?!” and “Where did this year go? Nevermind this month!” Indeed, time has been racing by while I've been making futile attempts at recreating that “Christmas feeling” I remember so well as a child. And I've realized that over the past several years, I've started to enjoy the anticipation of Advent more than the season itself. The anticipation harbors more hope, more promise: this year will be different, I’m sure of it. But every year I seem to be disappointed. Santa and gifts don’t do it anymore, and even the lights and music can become routine. I've outgrown the Christmas of my past. It’s time to recreate what Advent means to me, time to discover in what way I can most appreciate and reflect the spirit of Christmas. I don’t know what this will look like. New traditions? A new attitude? A new intentionality? Whatever it is, I must stop looking to the ghosts of my Christmas past to satisfy that desire to really experience the Advent season. After all, Advent itself implies a hope, a look to the future. And Advent deserves a renewed vigilance on my part, for at what other time can we sing,

Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.

-Charles Wesley