ADVENT ALPHABET Continued

 G =    GUITAR

Perhaps it was listening to my sister's 45's of the "Carpenters;"  it could have been the Coca-Cola commercial wanting to teach the world to sing, or maybe I watched the Sound of Music and Julie Andrews melodizing the Von Trappp children.....whatever it was I wanted a guitar for Christmas. 

NOTE: Not I, nor any member of my family, is exactly blessed with the gift of song, the talent of music. Case in point, one Advent season the choir director/student pastor decided to have the congregation sing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's MESSIAH. The selling point to get persons to participate was, "Listen, Sally is in it and she can't sing at all......."  Thank you.

I was drawn to the community experience of song and sing-along.....yeah, yeah....having some sort of musical acumen might be wise.....yet, the cool factor of a guitar......that sealed it.

I did receive the guitar. 

 I practiced.  Like a trumpet player, I blew.  Music career ended before it had a chance to strum that first chord... and the world exhaled a sigh of great relief.

H =    HOPE

The word gets a lot of usage, perhaps now more than ever.  Like the other big "wow word," love, this one gets used in all kind of ways both minuscule and mighty.  Have conversation with some folks asking them:

1. What do you hope for yourself?
2. What do you hope for your community?
3. What do you hope for your nation?
4. What do you hope for the world?
5. What do you hope for those whom are your enemies?

Let me know if any answers wow you....

I =    INNKEEPER

In the Christmas narrative the innkeeper gets a bum rap. He is most always portrayed as being crotchety and surly and snarling.  If he is ever part of a nativity play the direction would be to cross your arms and keep them that way, curl your lip and grumble.  

I think it's time to take another look at the innkeeper.  

There would've been a lot of travelers in little Bethlehem, each coming to be counted and none to happy about it.  They want a place to rest and water their animals and a bed in which to sleep before returning home.  The innkeeper has to feel a bit overwhelmed with the rush of persons; it's first arrive, first rented.  His wife has to be harried and hurried bolting from room to room.  Just when they get a moment's peace, a young couple, the woman very pregnant, both exhausted, both scared, arrive asking for a room.  

The need is evident; so too are the booked rooms. 

He could've simply said no, they are filled up and leave it. Yet, I envision the innkeeper as a man of empathy and compassion. He ponders the situation and offers them the stable out back. "It's got cover, feel free to use the straw to sleep upon, and there should be some blankets you can use for warmth."

He extends hospitality. He does a positive something to find a solution that benefits someone on the margins, a stranger.  

We can learn a lot from the innkeeper.