A baby came, and we were gob-smacked

This came from Barbara Crafton and I really love it:

A CHRISTMAS POEM BY THOM SHUMAN

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:6-7

you could have
come
as warrior, ready
to take us on
one at a time
or en masse . . .

you could have
come
a whirlwind
swirling, twirling,
twisting around us,
flinging us up into
the air . . .

you could have
come
with a bag of
chocolates
in one hand
and
a time-out chair
in the other;

you came
a tiny
vulnerable
baby
lungs screaming for
life,
fingers grasping for
something to hold onto,
your whole being
completely depending on
us (!) to
feed you
change you
clothe you
protect you
love you

and we were
gob-smacked.

Maria y Jesus, art by Flor Larios

Bishop Barbara Harris: We gladly stand in gratitude

The Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris yesterday celebrated the 20th anniversary of her ordination as a bishop, the first woman to be so ordained a bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion. Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate with her at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston, and they were asked to stand if they felt their lives were different because of Bishop Harris. Everyone stood.

And if Lori and I had been there, we would have gladly stood.

We came into the Episcopal Church because of Barbara Harris, though it was years before we met her and got to tell her our story. In 1989, as Lori and I were planning to get married, we talked about finding a church to be our faith home. I had grown up in the Episcopal Church, and Lori in the Catholic Church. I felt disillusioned by the Episcopal Church as a young adult because it seemed so rigid and out-of-touch, and Lori felt much the same way about the church of her youth. 

One day, we picked up the newspaper and saw a photo and story about Bishop Harris' ordination as a bishop. It hit us both that we should give the Episcopal Church a chance, and it was Barbara Harris who brought us back.

We've met and spoken to her a few times since, and it was our honor and privilege to receive Communion from Bishop Harris at the Washington National Cathedral two years ago at the installation of Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop. And Bishop Katharine was there yesterday in Boston. "Your grace and wit and humor have buoyed up this church," Katharine told her.

You can read the full story about yesterday's celebration in the Boston Herald HERE.

Blessings to you, Barbara, with gratitude from the bottom of our hearts.

Jim & Lori

Photo by The Boston Herald