Christmas racing towards us

After a late lazy family breakfast, we drove back home to Cardiff yesterday morning. The roads were remarkably clear, although the city centre was very busy with shoppers when we went out later in the afternoon. In the evening, I finished off my Sunday sermon, and watched the list three episodes of 'Witnesses - A Frozen Death' on BBC Four, one on iPlayer catch up, the other two live. To my mind, it was disappointing, and the ending fragmentary, incoherent, implausible and unresolved. I hope it doesn't mean that there'll be a Series Two set of episodes.. Oh dear! I just discovered from IMDB it was Series Two, with Series One having been aired on Channel Four. I missed that. Would it be any better, or worse? I wonder.

I celebrated and preached at St John's Canton this morning, then set about creating my annual digital Christmas card to email with our family newsletter. This will be emailed to old friends in Costa Rica, Italy, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and Tasmania as well as the UK. Our little sample of the global village. I found an icon of the Nativity to use that was traditional but which had splendidly vibrant colours, and added a lovely quote from St John Chrysostom to it.

He became flesh. He did not become God. He was God.  

Wherefore He became flesh, so that He Whom heaven did not contain, 

a manger would this day receive.  

He was placed in a manger, so that He, by whom all things are nourished, 

may receive an infant’s food from His Virgin Mother.

The Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, 

that the Magi may more easily see Him. 

Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; 

and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.

Later in the afternoon Clare and I went to St Catherine's for the Parish Carols by Candlelight Service and Nativity Play. It was very nicely done with dozens of kids taking part. This is only the third Sunday of Advent, and next Sunday is Christmas Eve. December is accelerating past me, and already I'm having to think about getting ready to fly to Switzerland four days after Christmas, for my next locum duty assignment there.