Quote from Forum Archives on December 27, 2008, 2:53 pm

Posted by: virginiaknowles <virginiaknowles@...>

Dear Hope Chest friends,

I sent out my newest Advent poem to my personal family and friends list several days ago, but just realized I hadn't sent it to this e-magazine list yet!  I'm sorry about that, though as you will learn in the poem, the story still speaks, even if it's a bit late for Christmas!

I will send out our family letter soon, but if you just can't wait to see our newest family photo before then, you can find it on my blog here: Knowles Family Photo.

I will also tell you now that we are in a flurry to see Julia off to southern Bolivia on January 16.  She will be in and around Entre Rios for almost three months doing children's ministry in the mountain villages with Angela Rapoza, a  sweet single lady missionary who stayed with us for a week in September.  (You can read more at A is for Angela and Julia's 2007 Mission:X to Bolivia.)  I am also getting ready for the spring semester of our Providence home school co-op, as well as for presenting a seminar called "The Real 3R's of Literature: Read, Reflect, Respond" at the Books & Beyond seminar on January 24 here in the Orlando area.  So there may or may not be a January Hope Chest issue, and if there is, it will be quite late in the month. 

OK, so here's my newest Advent poem, "The Story Did Not Start with a Stable and a Star":

The Story Did Not Start with a Stable and a Star
by Virginia Knowles

The story did not start with a stable and a star
But in the beginning, before billygoats on boulders or bluebirds in birch trees

The Trinity, the Three-In-One: Father, Spirit, Son
Viewed a vast void with a venturesome vision
And lo, this Lavish LORD said, "Let there be…"
And there was Light and Life and Love
Tigers and tiger lilies and tiger sharks

Amoebas and ants, aardvarks and apple trees,
Honeysuckle and honeybees and heavenly hallelujahs
For it was good: this grand garden, green and growing, glorious and glowing
With two to tend Eden: Adam and Eve
Masterpieces made to multiply more masterpieces in the image of their Maker

Working and walking with Him, worshiping Him for the wonder of His wisdom
But then came a choice and a cheater and a chilling challenge
They rebelled and rejected and ruined their Royal Relationship
In punishment, pushed out from Paradise into pain and peril, perishing

Generation after generation
Mankind multiplied moral messes
The Spirit sometimes seized sinners into the Sovereign Sacred Story
Prodding prophets, priests, and preachers to proclaim:
"Repent! Return! Revere! Renew!"

And so the Father sent his Son
And seers sought this Savior from afar
But the story did not stop with a stable and a star

The little Lord Jesus, who lay there so lowly, lived his life
This Great God-With-Us grew in grace

He, the Holy One, who helped and healed
Preached and prayed and praised His Father
This Lord of Love looked high and low to liberate the lost
This consecrated Christ carried His cross
He was crucified in His courage by our cowardice

Thus our Prophet-Priest paid the penalty price for our Paradise
His ransom rescues rebels from ruin
Freeing those who by faith will fully follow
Generation after generation
Multiplying more miracles among mortals

For the Spirit of the Sovereign Sacred Story
Still seizes sinners and sanctifies saints
And our Royal Redeemer shall return:
Holy is He! Hark the heavenly hallelujahs!
For it is good and God is glorious!
Earth shall end and eternity shall start

And the story of the Savior shall always speak to the heart.

~*~*~

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…" Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it… He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-5, 10-14

 

~*~*~

 

I actually wrote another Advent poem (of sorts) in October.  You can find it on my blog here: Advent Poem #5: Candlewick

Here is where we get interactive.  First, read the poem.  Next, think of someone who has been a light to those around them in a humble, serving way.  Then hit the comment button at the bottom of the blog post and tell us about them and what they have done, so we can all be inspired!

   

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com and www.VirginiaKnowles.com

 

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