The Winter's have been thinking about how we celebrate Christmas whilst many around us seem to be celebrating Xmas. Whilst traveling around over the past couple of weeks, the children have been asking about the decorations which are up round the city. Questions like, “What have penguins, snowmen and polar bears got to do with Jesus?”. Leeds lights are called simply that, ‘Leeds Lights’ not Christmas lights, or anything to do with it. There is such an effort by commerce to distract us entirely from thinking about the incredible underserved gift to us all of a baby who was born to die, who demands a response to whom He is and what He said. He is counter culture, dangerous and subversive, but if we leave Him in the manger, totally harmless, soft and marshmallowy!
There is a real challenge to keep the main thing the main thing at this time of year. We have chosen to follow a King who is truly worth serving. I’ve uploaded an mp3 file to my website for you to listen to, some of you may have heard this before, but it is well worth listening again so that we can remind ourselves who this king is that we serve.
http://www.familywinter.co.uk/files/MyKing.mp3
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Advent Day 6
Encouraging our Kids to give
As a child my Mum always encouraged me to pray at night before I went to sleep. I did this silently in my head every night. If you were to ask me what I prayed about my answer would be, I don't really remember except, at Christmas time I would pray that children who had nothing at Christmas would receive presents. I can't recall whether, as a family, we actually did anything about making this a reality. However Suzie and I thought how lovely it would be for our kids to be able to give some of their many toys to other children who may need them more. So with that in mind I have found a link to some kids that would benefit from our kids stuff.
http://www.childrensheartunit.org/adult/depart_donate.html
May God bless you all
Love The Hamlins
As a child my Mum always encouraged me to pray at night before I went to sleep. I did this silently in my head every night. If you were to ask me what I prayed about my answer would be, I don't really remember except, at Christmas time I would pray that children who had nothing at Christmas would receive presents. I can't recall whether, as a family, we actually did anything about making this a reality. However Suzie and I thought how lovely it would be for our kids to be able to give some of their many toys to other children who may need them more. So with that in mind I have found a link to some kids that would benefit from our kids stuff.
http://www.childrensheartunit.org/adult/depart_donate.html
May God bless you all
Love The Hamlins
Day 5
ISAIAH 9 : The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor,Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
Thought : At christmas we remember that god gave us his son.
We exchange gifts at christmas which is a lot of fun, but how often do you end up trying to think of things to give people who have everything.
The adverts try and get us to buy all the latest products and many people feel the
pressure to spend more than they can afford.
A few things we have done occasionally to try and do christmas a bit differently.(Which I am sure
many of you have done too.)
Secret santa presents (less,but better quality presents to cut down on the toot)
Buy some chickens through oxfam present scheme.
Christmas hamper for those in need.
On the last point a friend of mine, Andrew lives in East Leeds. He asked for money (£15) so he can make up hampers for needy friends of his round where he lives. I think some are asylum seekers. If anyone is interested in contributing to this let me (rob) know.
Happy Christmas everyone.
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor,Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
Thought : At christmas we remember that god gave us his son.
We exchange gifts at christmas which is a lot of fun, but how often do you end up trying to think of things to give people who have everything.
The adverts try and get us to buy all the latest products and many people feel the
pressure to spend more than they can afford.
A few things we have done occasionally to try and do christmas a bit differently.(Which I am sure
many of you have done too.)
Secret santa presents (less,but better quality presents to cut down on the toot)
Buy some chickens through oxfam present scheme.
Christmas hamper for those in need.
On the last point a friend of mine, Andrew lives in East Leeds. He asked for money (£15) so he can make up hampers for needy friends of his round where he lives. I think some are asylum seekers. If anyone is interested in contributing to this let me (rob) know.
Happy Christmas everyone.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Advent Day 4
Hey y'all - Carol scores:
7(R), 10(H), 4(L), 4(D), 8 for a carol - 2 for something i want to listen to (J)
The Schorahs have been thinking about 'Shelter', both in terms of literal shelter in the freezing weather and the charity.
We have been looking at some Shelter videos about how easy it is to become homeless and what it's like to be on your own - not very nice!
Mary and Joseph were also nearly homeless in Bethlehem - if a dodgy looking couple came looking for shelter round here now would you let them in?
http://vimeo.com/1550099
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e57FQHdt-ws
7(R), 10(H), 4(L), 4(D), 8 for a carol - 2 for something i want to listen to (J)
The Schorahs have been thinking about 'Shelter', both in terms of literal shelter in the freezing weather and the charity.
We have been looking at some Shelter videos about how easy it is to become homeless and what it's like to be on your own - not very nice!
Mary and Joseph were also nearly homeless in Bethlehem - if a dodgy looking couple came looking for shelter round here now would you let them in?
Shelter 2008 Campaign Film from Silent Studios | Resonate on Vimeo.
http://vimeo.com/1550099
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e57FQHdt-ws
ADVENT: DAY 3
Firstly apologies to all and especially the Schorahs as we agreed to swap with them to do the 3rd instead of the 4th.
Well here goes for my first ever blog entry anywhere, ever ....
-----------------------------------------------
Christmas to me means CAROLS played on BRASS instruments and it wouldn't be the same without it - all this modern alternative stuff just doesn’t cut the MUSTARD for me, not at Christmas anyway.
My favourite carol is the COVENTRY CAROL. Why? Because it’s a wonderful, sad tune with great harmonies:
By the way, can you tell me if you like it and I will compile a SURVEY:
10= this is the best thing I ever heard
1 = what a complete pile of tosh.
Also, if you can put your age next to your score and I will work out if there is a CORRELATION (steady..) between like and age.
I could have just put the link up and left it at that but I thought I should find out a little bit more about the Coventry Carol as I've never really understood the words:
Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay, thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
What on earth does this mean? Could it be NONSENSE?
Well, it turns out this the Coventry Carol is a mother’s lament for her DOOMED child. The mother is Mary and the child, or course, is Jesus.
Hang on a minute, isn’t this all a bit negative? After all, Jesus wasn’t doomed. Perhaps I shouldn’t be listening to this stuff.
A bit of further investigation (good old Wikipedia) and it became clear that this is about Mary and Jesus when Jesus was very young and when King Herod ordered all BOYS under the age of two should be KILLED. So perhaps Mary was right to be sad, fearful and to think that Jesus was doomed. Try to put yourself in her shoes.
So yes, it is good to be human, but it can also be risky and SCARY. Jesus shared in this not only as an adult, but also as a new born baby.
Well here goes for my first ever blog entry anywhere, ever ....
-----------------------------------------------
Christmas to me means CAROLS played on BRASS instruments and it wouldn't be the same without it - all this modern alternative stuff just doesn’t cut the MUSTARD for me, not at Christmas anyway.
My favourite carol is the COVENTRY CAROL. Why? Because it’s a wonderful, sad tune with great harmonies:
By the way, can you tell me if you like it and I will compile a SURVEY:
10= this is the best thing I ever heard
1 = what a complete pile of tosh.
Also, if you can put your age next to your score and I will work out if there is a CORRELATION (steady..) between like and age.
I could have just put the link up and left it at that but I thought I should find out a little bit more about the Coventry Carol as I've never really understood the words:
Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay, thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
What on earth does this mean? Could it be NONSENSE?
Well, it turns out this the Coventry Carol is a mother’s lament for her DOOMED child. The mother is Mary and the child, or course, is Jesus.
Hang on a minute, isn’t this all a bit negative? After all, Jesus wasn’t doomed. Perhaps I shouldn’t be listening to this stuff.
A bit of further investigation (good old Wikipedia) and it became clear that this is about Mary and Jesus when Jesus was very young and when King Herod ordered all BOYS under the age of two should be KILLED. So perhaps Mary was right to be sad, fearful and to think that Jesus was doomed. Try to put yourself in her shoes.
So yes, it is good to be human, but it can also be risky and SCARY. Jesus shared in this not only as an adult, but also as a new born baby.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Day 2 : ADVENT...
This Advent, I’d like to invite you beyond a merely sentimental understanding of Christmas as “waiting for the baby Jesus” to an adult and social appreciation of the message of the Incarnation of God in Christ. We Franciscans have always believed that the Incarnation was already the Redemption, because in Jesus’ birth God was already saying that it was good to be human, and God was on our side, and on the side of all creation.
The need on this earth for adult Christianity and the actual message of Jesus is so urgent that we cannot allow this great feast of Christmas, and its preparation in Advent, to be watered down in any way.
Adapted from Preparing for Christmas with Richard Rohr
*lynne*
The need on this earth for adult Christianity and the actual message of Jesus is so urgent that we cannot allow this great feast of Christmas, and its preparation in Advent, to be watered down in any way.
Adapted from Preparing for Christmas with Richard Rohr
*lynne*
a 'silent night' mixtape
i really like this freebie mp3 from 'FILE' magazine...
(from their website) "...To celebrate the festive season, this mixtape is “an alternative soundtrack for xmas”. Nine excellent interpretations of the famous carol Silent Night from the likes of fupper, klint, sparo, poplar, transistor 6, theboylucas, hint, my brother & caty b. styles rang from breakbeat to folk to electronica. Merry Xmas!
Franz Xavier Gruber was born in Hochberg, Austria 1787. He composed the Silent Night music in 1818 in Amsdorf..."
(from their website) "...To celebrate the festive season, this mixtape is “an alternative soundtrack for xmas”. Nine excellent interpretations of the famous carol Silent Night from the likes of fupper, klint, sparo, poplar, transistor 6, theboylucas, hint, my brother & caty b. styles rang from breakbeat to folk to electronica. Merry Xmas!
Franz Xavier Gruber was born in Hochberg, Austria 1787. He composed the Silent Night music in 1818 in Amsdorf..."
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