I AM A STRANGER HERE MYSELF.

Not many of us can look into the face of ugly and see beauty.

As I set out for my early morning walk I put on this Hood and pulled it tight to hide my face. I had to laugh as I walked along and there coming towards me there were many hooded young people. I may have looked like them but I was not one of them.

I know that at times I think I am a little bit crazy and even at times feel I do not quite belong here. I like the assurance that there is a better place prepared for me. I love the story about a little girl who believes that for her heaven will be a giant tree house not a mansion. I like that.

So at times I feel a little strange, a little odd surrounded by baffling creatures who may look like me yet we live in different worlds. We are somehow a mixture of sinner and saint.

Philosophers have wondered through the ages how we fit into this world, somewhere between the apes and the angels. We have in our nature a mean and ugly side, sometimes that comes out in my dreams where I face the quiet murky waters that run deep within my soul. I am faced with fear and a captive to stress and worry. It is hard not to tell others what they should or should not do.

All I can do is try to figure out my path and try to make wise decisions.

People so earth bound seem to still be looking to the stars for answers. We are looking for answers to make our dreams come true and to bring us happiness and inner peace. We are longing for good news that gives us a reason to celebrate.

We are coming into the season of celebration. A time of giving and sharing and welcoming others into our homes. The lights on our street are going up one by one and I love all the Christmas decorations. BUT I am happy that dad has decided no huge Christmas tree this year because I find it too much work and mess. Let the young ones carry on with all the big trees and the big plans and the big presents.

At Christmas the STAR shown down on the earthy place of a lowly birth and all of heaven rejoiced with great joy. There will always be blind eyes that cannot see and deaf ears that shut out the truth but anyone who has the heart of a child that reaches for a promised gift can receive the gift of love so freely given to all. Yes, Jesus is a mystery of grace and paradox who reached out to those in need; a radical who did not hide in a hood or in a church but walked and taught freely out in the open. The birds would come freely as all of nature rejoiced.

I am excited for Christmas to come to see our family come from near and far and I will miss those who are not able to join us.

I never read over what I have written and probably I should because from the comments I wonder what did I say?