Opening prayer: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus and more like the true self you’ve created as I savor your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions by your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Look: Pinoy Belem with Red Horse, Wayne Forte- Source

Listen: Mary’s Lullaby (Black Haired Boy), The Porter’s Gate [feat. Liz Vice] - Spotify | YouTube | Lyrics & Score

Read: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Excerpts:

“Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice…

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.”
*
”Praise the Lord from the earth, … Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!!”
*
”Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful…”
*
”When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.”

— 1 Samuel 2:18-19, 26; Psalm 148:7a, 9-14; Colossians 3:14-15; Luke 2:43, 46-52 (NRSV)

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for First Sunday of Christmas

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Do: Keep caroling!

If there were ever a year to add more choruses and verses, wouldn't this be it? You're also welcome to watch our church's annual Lessons & Carols service online this morning at 10 am Eastern Time. You can stream live or watch it afterward from Church of the Apostles' Facebook page.

[from my original post 12 Ways To Savor the 12 Days of Christmas]

The Anglican worship service sings only Advent hymns during the month of December. We try to follow suit at home. Although -- I'm not gonna lie -- long about December 2 this year I caught Brian singing "Santa, Baby" in the kitchen one morning! The Sunday after Christmas our church worships with a 100+-year-old service called Nine Lessons and Carols, or in the words of our former beloved worship pastor, the last gasp of Christmas. With the frenetic pace of December, don't you love the idea of Christmas caroling at a nursing home or around an elderly friend's old upright piano during the last week of Christmas?

His mother treasured all these things in her heart: Christmas Daybook 2

tamara hill murphy

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