illuminates
the night

and
shepherds

tremble

before
angelic choirs

remains
oblivious

and an
awestruck father

take in the
miracle

and the
mystery

continues
unaware

unaware

that
everything

just changed

lies
sleeping in the straw

takes baby
small breaths

in the hay

peacefully
sleeps

to us

and almost
no-one

notices

it’s hard to
know

what to
believe

there’s a
story flying round the town

that the
Messiah’s been born

here in
Bethlehem

right here

in this very
town they say

of angels

and dazzling
stars

and choirs
in the sky

here

in Bethlehem

the town’s
bursting at the seams

with this
stupid census

and no-one
else

not one
single person

seems to
have heard or seen

this
‘heavenly announcement’

maybe the
wine’s been flowing

a little too
freely

at all those
family reunions

it’s certainly
got folks talking

they say it
started

with a group
of shepherds

spreading
the news

what a group
of misfits and rogues they are

it has to be
a hoax

born in
Bethlehem?

and a bunch
of ragamuffin shepherds

the first to
hear the news?

it seemed

as if the heavy
weight of her weariness

melted into
the straw

as her
exhausted body

surrendered
itself

to the
makeshift bed

that Joseph
had fashioned

was here

of unimaginable

relief and
joy

washed over
her and through her

like an
all-consuming tidal wave

what the
future held

she knew she
could trust

her Adonai

to his
purposes

and he

had
delivered on his promise

and a
million unanswerable questions

through the
discomfort

and after
pains

of
childbirth

in the total
unknowing

of what came
next

the whole
weight of her tired body

settled into
the straw

and utter
joy

flooded her
senses

she thought

according to
your Word

.

it came

out of nowhere

a great thunderclap of sound

and a rushing roaring wind

powering through the room

like the stormiest gale on a wave-whipped sea

swirling

deafening

threatening

pure unadulterated power

ripping through the space

saturating the senses

blowing apart all concepts of God

tongues of flame

raining down on us

vibrant infusions

of red, orange, gold

heavenly spotlights

homing in

on their targets

dispersed itself

and we were left with

flickering dancing candle flames

resting

on each one of us

with the gentle hypnotic beauty

of fire that danced and blazed

yet did not burn

flames that covered

but didn’t consume

of shock-filled fear

a sense of quiet wonder

rippled through the room

Matthew I think it was

began to smile

a warm

relaxed

bringing a sparkle to the eyes kind of smile

as the huge relief

of recognition

came upon him

he whispered

it’s the fire

of God

the burning bush that does not burn

he’s kept

his promise

with fire

with the Holy Spirit

and with fire

dancing

embracing each other

not understanding

but knowing

knowing this was him

this was the gift he’d promised

and we were touching the flickering fires

daring to hold

their flame dancing beauty

entranced

in wonder-filled moments

of joy

and recognition

and indescribable

holiness

and humility

was with us

rippled through us

with all the grace and wonder

and profound simplicity

that we had to come to expect

of the Master

changed

.

vulnerable
risk-taking
God,
re-enter our
hearts
as we ponder
your coming amongst us.

radiant God,
shine in our
dark
as we think
of your birth in the stable.

all-loving
God,
pour your
compassion out through us.

live like
you ,
bear your
Good News to our world.

live on
through us.

vulnerable
risk-taking
God,

as we ponder
your coming amongst us.

.

of
possibility

dancing
flame
seed

within
the womb

promise
nurturer
midwife
of
change

and
wounded temple
of
my being

within

dismantle

my
resistance
to
your flow,
break
through
with
power and wisdom,
and
shine
gloriously
shine

be
fully enfleshed
in
this place
this
time
 
in
me
.

out
of nowhere,

like
a whisper in the night,

delivered
the message,

the
truly astounding message,

and
then

like
a half forgotten dream in the morning

he
was gone

as
if he’d never been,

leaving
me wondering

pondering

wrestling
with questions unanswerable,

knowing
that everything

every
single thing

had
just

changed.

and
now

there
was no turning back.

on
my belly

and
pondered

the
mystery of it all.

         The
Woman with Bleeding  –  Mark 5.21-34

inside this blood-stained
loneliness

of ‘unclean: don’t touch’

by the constant issue of
blood
hard edges of rejection
chiselling away
at my self-respect

ruthless
unforgiving 

don’t touch
she is unclean

with the pain
between my loins
tired of being ostracized
weary
of the fruitless search for
help
my spirit hemorrhaging                                                   
with the blood

has begun

it can only
get worse

as we race

headlong

towards

what passes

for the
celebrations of your birth

give us

islands of
stillness

in the
frenzy of preparation

of peace

amid the
tensions

of others’
expectations

of the
shopping mall

remind us

of the
simple poverty

of the
stable

as we rush
towards Christmas

give us your
stillness

your peace

your
simplicity

the gift of
yourself

an angel

interrupts

an ordinary day

the Holy Spirit

comes upon a simple girl

a pregnancy begins

everything changes

of a city that had no room

a birthing struggle

ends

a Saviour

lies in the straw

a new world order

dawns

almost unnoticed

everything changes

is placed in the hands

of those

whom society rejects

the first shall be last

and the last

shall be first

the Living Word, Prince of Peace

Promised Saviour, Mighty God

slips into the world

with flesh and blood skin on

everything

changes