I woke up early this morning with these ideas running in my head. I put them in poetry form and now I have scrapped what I was going to preach and this will be my "short" meditation.

Christmas 2011
By larry r Linville

What if Jesus was born today
Right in our town
Not far away
Not in a barn but on a back street
Where someone nearby would send a tweet
A cell phone picture would be in place
On a Face Book page with great haste
From there to You Tube it would go
Where the hits would rapidly grow
The networks would cover the story
But they would leave out all the glory
Some people would think it was cute
To others a story of ill repute
Some would hate it because they were poor
But compassion in others would soar
Who would be the shepherds today
What would their Face Book messages say
How would angelic messages be
What would we hear
What would we see
Jesus IS born for us today
When we read the Word and pause to pray
Our life will have a super lift
When we receive God’s greatest gift
Jesus is the best gift we can share
When we let people know we care
How can this birth change your life
In this world so full of strife
How can it change the words you use
Words of peace
Or words that confuse
Will it change actions so uncouth
As it leads you to find real truth
Will this humble birth live in you
And still be there when this year’s through
Since Jesus WAS born again today
Right where you are
Not far away
I urge you to be a living tweet
Spreading God’s love on your own street

Remembering the Past
By larry r Linville

I watched my son direct a band
and thought how far he had come.
When he entered fifth grade band
he just wanted to play a drum.

When he was to choose an instrument
I watched his eyes open wide.
As he blew in a trombone mouthpiece
and so gently he moved the slide.

During the concert my mind looked back
at the progress with each passing grade
and all the hours of practice
and the planning he has made.

I see all he has accomplished,
much more than I’d guessed he would
even though I never doubted
I always knew that he could.

As he was directing tonight
my mind remembered the past
and I thought of his successes
which I knew would always last.

Why is it we remember the past
with joy at what we see?
I guess it’s because we can’t
remember what is yet to be.

This poem completes the Advent poems I prepared for the congregation. I would have had more but my life was rudely interrupted by a case of shingles.

DAY # 20 CLOSING PRAYER

Bless, O God, the poems we’ve read
and the prayers we have shared.
Thank you for the inspirations
which have helped as we prepared.

Enrich us in our devotions
and draw us closer to you
so the power of this Christmas
comes joyfully breaking through.

Help us be like the shepherds
who were first to share the story
and help us live our lives each day
praising you for your glory.

#19 – My March to the Manger.

I celebrated Jesus’ birth
as long as I can recall.
The scenery of the holy birth
was mingled with toys at the mall.

I preached many Christmas sermons
and I think I preached them well
But although my life was blessed
each year
there was only a partial swell.

At a new church where I was sent
a miracle came to me
They had a March to the Manger
which seemed very strange to me.

They insisted that we do it
so I was forced to go along.
It touched my life in a special way
like I had entered in a song.

The babe in a crude manger
placed at the front of the church
set a beautiful paradigm
and completed my life-long search.

It was like I accompanied
those who visited on that night
and my heart and spirit were touched
and everything felt just right.

This year when you make your list
of those to whom you will give
include the most important one
who died so you might live.

Bow down at a lowly manger
at your church or in your heart
and give your greatest gift to him
so with joy you will depart.

#18 – Who Came to the Manger?”

Who else came to the manger
on that great historic night?
Whose lives were touched with majesty
at such a heavenly sight?

It seems the only royalty there
was the baby in the manger.
To the wealthy and the powerful
he was a clear and present danger.

Besides the lowly animals
that would be nice for us to see
all the folks who gathered there
were common folks like you and me.

God didn’t choose the powerful
to experience this great gift
but to the down-and-outers
whose lives needed a big lift.

#17 – A SHEPHERD’S WIFE

Nights at our home are quiet.
You seldom hear the slightest peep.
Children are tucked in their beds
And my husband is with the sheep.

The loudest noise woke me up
and I heard my husband yell
about some exciting news
he said he just had to tell.

“A new baby born in a manger
is the savior for which we wait.
The angels told us and we went
to see his mother and her mate.”

I gathered things around me
and cooked food for them to eat
and hurried to that manger
and saw the baby so sweet.

My life felt so deeply fulfilled
as my actions were so swift.
My joy was beyond measure
to bring him such a special gift.

Christmas would have been lacking
had I not given to that boy
because that generosity
resulted in the greatest joy.

# 16 – A SHEPHERD SPEAKS

It started out like a normal night.
We and the sheep were all at rest.
Nothing much happens in our lives
but on this night we were blessed.

Suddenly the skies lit up bright
and angels appeared with a song
they chose us of all society
we knew they must be all wrong.

Why didn’t they go to the temple
and present these special words
rather than to poor shepherds
and the animals and the birds?

With joy we went to check the news
to see if it could be true
and there we saw the parents
and a baby which was brand new.

He was born into poverty
and poor shepherds were first to see
so we talked about sharing the news
and we were eager to agree.

DAY 15 - ADVENT PRAYER # 3


We continue our trip to Christmas
with our questions of these folks
and we’ve asked serious questions
instead of telling crazy jokes.

Thank you, God, for inspiration
from the scriptures we have read.
And help us hear these messages
from what these people said.

Give us time to pause in our life
to examine where we are going
so our hearts will be at one with you
and our spirits will be growing.

DAY 14 – Mr. Innkeeper


I’ll bet it really broke your heart
when you had no room in your inn.
They were such a pleasant couple
did you feel your head in a spin?

Did you ask your wife for some advice
and did you both rack your brain
to try to find a solution?
Did it cause you hearts much pain?

Was it you or your wife’s idea
to let them stay in the stable?
Did you feel bad to suggest it
as you sat at the kitchen table?

You could have been hard hearted
and everyone would understand.
So what pushed you for a solution
that was the best you had planned?

How gracious they must have been
that you went the second mile.
I’ll bet they left your office and
and gave you a big warm smile.

Could you give advice to us
when we don’t have room for God today?
Our hearts get crowded this time of year
and we hardly take time to pray.

Tell us all the blessing you had
because you found room for God
so our Christmas preparations
won’t be just a big façade.

DAY 13 – BEING TURNED AWAY.

How did you deal with rejection
when the Innkeeper turned you away?
You had to be fully exhausted
and now you had no place to stay.

Did you think you would have to panic
or that Joseph would work it out?
Perhaps you had a temptation
to stand in the street and shout.

I’ll bet you just remembered
God’s promise nine month ago
that a son would be born in this town
and you that knew it would be so.

DAY 12 – RIDING THE DONKEY

Was that trip very uncomfortable
on that donkey in your condition?
Were you unhappy with Caesar
who demanded this census mission?

Did you feel sick on the journey
being tossed on that donkey’s back?
Did you have to stop very often
when the sharp pains would attack?

We seldom face all the suffering
that you faced as you traveled each day.
When we suffer help us look to you
to show us a much better way.

Was it tougher for you at nighttime
or was it much worse in the day?
Perhaps you got through the long nights
because you had more time to pray.

DAY 11 – The Donkey’s Owner

Joseph and Mary didn’t have much.
His business wasn’t doing well.
He wanted to buy a donkey
But I decided I wouldn’t sell.

They had to go to Bethlehem
to answer Caesar’s census call
but Mary was so great with child
and she shouldn’t walk at all.

So I gave them a little donkey
and said they could bring it back
My wife knew they would be hungry
so she put much food in a sack.

I could never do enough for God
for all of God’s goodness to me.
They safely arrived in Bethlehem
And later to Egypt they’d flee.

A few years later they came home
and the donkey returned safe and sound.
When Jesus started his ministry
that donkey was hanging around.

He asked if he could borrow it
for a Jerusalem trip one day.
I gave it to him because he asked
what more was there I could say.

He rode that donkey to begin life
and he rode it in his last week.
I’ve wondered what that donkey
would say
if he just had a chance to speak.

The Voice In Your Head
By larry r linville

They say we have a voice in our head
to tell us what’s right and wrong.
I’m not sure there’s only one voice
and I think several sing their song.

There’s a voice that sings, “Me, me me..”
and that voice can cause much pain
but it can be balanced with “others…”
and it brings to us all much gain.

A voice sings “nobody will know..”
but somebody always will
and that voice brings many poor actions
which serves up a bitter pill.

It’s not enough to just hear a voice
but we have to cultivate
the voice that comes from our deepest prayer
and gives reason to celebrate.

Scripture study sorts out the voices
until we hear the right one
and when we have accomplished this
our main task has been done.

DAY 10 – A Girl Mary Grew Up With.

We were so young when she shared her news
of the special way God would use her.
We were amazed because she was strong
and cruel people might abuse her.

We both laughed in our belief
and celebrated with such joy
that a little girl from the country
would give birth to God’s little boy.

She was worried and so was I
if she could perform such a task.
But God must have had an answer
to a question she just couldn’t ask.

She was such a terrific mother
who surrounded her son with love
while she found that her great support
came directly from God above.

DAY 9 – Joseph’s Boyhood Friend.

I knew Joseph all my life
such a committed a friend was he.
He told me Mary would have God’s son
and he was proud as he could be.

I’d never seen him this proud before.
He had a smile from ear to ear.
He seemed to brag in a loud voice
so everyone around could hear.

He taught that boy when he was young
and nurtured his carpentry skill
but he still had time in all of this
to teach him to search for God’s will.

Carpenters seemed to be such rough men
but he showed a more gentle way
so that boy could do the work well
while knowing what kind words to say.

DAY 8 – Advent Prayer # 2

The schedule’s getting hectic, Lord.
Shoppers push and shove in the store.
They spend money on cheap trinkets
while looking for something worth more.

We need your help to keep centered
on the message of this season.
Help our hearts to be drawn to you
and enable our minds to reason.

May a simple carol touch our soul
and a Christmas card share your love
while we give to a special person
a gift they’ll feel comes from above.

Help us bring peace in a war-filled world
where so many hate their brother
as we show a brilliant example
how to give love to another.

DAY 7 – Elizabeth’s Visitor

Elizabeth, it must have been a surprise
when Mary appeared before your eyes.
Did you know before she came
that both of you were in a new game?

You must have felt John jump inside
as God’s Spirit came to reside.
You must have thought it very odd
to be able to host the Mother of God.

I wonder if they communicated
since both babies were related
and even though they were both
in a womb
they lived for a while in the same room.

When they were both little boys
did they have time to share their joys
or were they much like families today
who seem to live so far away.

DAY 6 – Elizabeth’s Husband

As a priest, dear Zechariah
You used your voice most every day
But when you questioned God’s message
there were no words that you could say.

The angel said to shut your month
But he said it with nicer words
So until your son John was born
You were as silent as the birds.

Were you embarrassed you could not speak
when the other priests spoke to you?
Did you try to keep a distance
until you silent sentence was through?