The Plumbline

As we have walked along our journey in the discovery of how some of our Christmas traditions came to be, we have discovered a few things about the songs we sing this holiday time. One such song caught my attention this morning, not really understanding the significance of it until I read when it was penned. The song? "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Henry W. Longfellow and John B. Calkin. To most of us, this song is a little light and pretty, but it was the entirety of the song that I had not heard until I did my deeper dive into the lyrics. You see, most of the time, the song is sung without two very important stanzas! The song was written right in the heart of the American Civil War. Having traveled to some of the states engaged in this great battle, the history of the War was brought alive as I toured great battlegrounds, explored historical homes and plantations, and just listened to the storytellers as they recounted the history of this period. The song w...

As Jewish tradition would have it, the Christ child is taken to the synagogue on the eighth day after his birth for the ceremony of the "Brit Milah" - the Covenant of Circumcision. Today, it referred to as a "bris" (covenant).  It is a memorial of the first covenant given to Abraham so many years ago (Genesis 17:10-14).  Although modern day culture views this "rite" as for the purposes of physical hygiene, the real meaning of the "rite" of circumcision was as a symbol of the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people.  Circumcision is performed on the eighty day of the child's life, during the daylight hours.  The Jewish day begins at sunset, so in counting the eight days, it is important to keep that in mind.  As part of the mysteries of how God came to explain certain practices happening at certain periods of time in a person's life were not fully recognized for their benefits when they were given.  If you look closely at this ...

Shepherds and sheep have long been a part of the Christmas story.  Our nativity scenes include at least one of each and our cards, songs, and stories of Christmas reflect the importance of the angels heralding the birth of the Savior out in the fields that night so long ago.  I am always encouraged to read through scripture and notice how many times God incorporate the stories of "ordinary" people, not just the rich, famous, or powerful.  Yes, we have stories of great kings and conquering armies.  We have stories of some pretty nasty ones, as well.  The stories which seem to have some of the richest meaning are those which are recorded about the "common guys and gals", though.  Think about the story of Sarah and Abraham - a struggling couple, just hoping one day to be blessed with a child, then somehow realizing they are past their "prime" and it may never happen for them.  The story of Naomi and Ruth come to mind, picturing a devoted daughter-in-law ...