Perspective

Today, Jason and I ran to the top of my favorite stairs in Nashville in Percy Warner Park. 

Here's the view from the top: 

It's a beautiful view of this part of town and

 it provides a prospective you can't see from the road below. 

My prayer for you today is that you would have the gift of perspective this week and that God would awaken your heart to the gift of Christmas beyond the wrappings and glitter and festivities. 

Here's a poem I read the other morning that helps me think about making room for God's presence: 

Yet if his majesty our sovereign lord

Should of his own accord

Friendly himself invite,

And say "I'll be your guest to-morrow night."

How should we stir ourselves, call and command

All hands to work! "Let no man idle stand.

Set me fine Spanish tables in the hall,

See they be fitted all;

Let there be room to eat,

And order taken that there want no meat.

See every sconce and candlestick made bright,

That without tapers they may give a light.

Look to the presence: are the carpets spread,

The dazie o'er the head,

The cushions in the chairs,

And all the candles lighted on the stairs?

Perfume the chambers, and in any case

Let each man give attendance in his place."

Thus if the king were coming would we do,

And 'twere good reason too;

For 'tis a duteous thing

To show all honour to an earthly king,

And after all our travail and our cost,

So he be pleas'd, to think no labour lost.

But at the coming of the King of Heaven

All's set at six and seven:

We wallow in our sin,

Christ cannot find a chamber in the inn.

We entertain him always like a stranger,

And as at first still lodge him in the manger.
-Thomas Ford 

Oh- and one more-- because you know I love quotes! 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

-Christina Rossetti