Winn Collier's Blog, page 46

Surprise Yourself

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.  

{Neil Gaiman}





image: michael costa

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

For all the long waiting we must do before we get there, it's a good thing Christmastide stretches twelve days. This way, we can ease back into life, after we've taken moments for gratitude and moments for quiet and a few moments for going stir crazy.



Gratitude. Christmas morning, Miska gave me a pair of fuzzy Keen slippers that say "Winn" if ever a pair of slippers have. She also gave me a calendar, with photographs I've taken and words I've loved or will come to love. And she gave me a book with fabulous pictures of treehouses from around the world. If a guy's got fuzzy slippers and good words and a treehouse to wander off into and (best of all) the kind of wife who knows him well enough to give him such things ... what more?



Quiet. Our house has been quiet the past few days. We still have two boys, so there's noise - but not the kind of noise that sits heavy, noise from the pace of things. I don't know that I've used this time as well as I'd hoped. I've only started (and barely) one novel, but then quiet space is the sort of thing you simply have to take as it comes. Otherwise, you've entirely missed the point. Miska did buy a bottle of Carolans Irish Cream - and that's a fine companion on a quiet evening. A quiet evening with the woman you love and Carolans and fuzzy slippers.



Stir-crazy. I did mention the two young boys, didn't I? Yet another reason for the Carolans.



In this stretch of Christmastide, I wish you gratitude and quiet -- and even a little stir-crazy (or some brand of crazy) to keep you honest.

On the Second Day of Christmas...

The boys like pallets on the floor
during the holidays

Seth and our dog Daisy went running with me this morning. Seth wanted to bring along his pack of Mentos that arrived in his Christmas stocking. He thought he might need a snack. Seth wore his Clemson jersey, and we hit the pavement. We walked as much as we ran, which is alright with me - you can talk more with a slow pace. When we reached the spot where, when I'm running alone, I begin to pray for my sons, I told him. And I told him what I pray for each of them. We walked that road that has become hallowed ground. I love that boy.



When we returned, it was Wyatt-time. Wyatt had his big Christmas gift, a Lego Kingdoms set, scattered across his floor. I built a castle tower while he constructed a tower and a wall and another tower and sundry other expression of medieval architecture. Wyatt paused his rapid focus only for the several occasions when he felt the urge to comment on how painfully slow my single tower was coming. Wyatt's decided he's into rap, God help us; and so for Christmas I searched around for a rapper with appropriate lyrics. We listened to rapper Lecrae and stacked Legos, a strange combo that somehow works. Those moments are prayers, and those spaces are absolutely hallowed ground. I love that boy.



Tonight, I pulled the boys close and told them a story of Prince Calyn who was courageous and strong and true but who, if he would only have listened to Merlin, would have been wiser. But Calyn's young, and goofing up is the way we actually learn wisdom -- there's plenty of time, plenty of time. Seth laid next to me, nodding off. After The End, Wyatt said, "That story's alright, but you know..." He makes a tough crowd, but I'll keep trying. If I want to tell good stories for anyone, it's these two. Those moments are prayers, and those spaces hallowed ground. I love those boys, I do.

4th Friday of Advent

Celebration / elaine davis






Seductive Lights / dave smith






Skyline Lights / lindsey mart

4th Thursday of Advent

Winter Moon / jason boyett



Saved You a Spot / jeromie rand



Evening Lights / rick stilwell

4th Wednesday of Advent

My apologies for forgetting to include three yesterday, our addition for this final week of advent. Here we are, three to ponder:




Stern (Star) / shannon hayes



Watching for Light / suzanne aultman





Making Light / cathy monetti

4th Tuesday of Advent

Voices of Ascension / matt beams





Hope Springs Up / crista norfrey

Gift {4th Monday of Advent}

Last night at All Souls, our community surprised us with a poem they had written, expressing what All Souls means for them and has become for them. They had our leaders come to the front, as people stood one at a time reading line by line. It's a powerful gift to stand there and receive words of deep life. It was a beautiful thing. We live within a beautiful community.




On this journey of life 

Between suffering and glory 

Between salvation and resurrection 

Between ruin and redemption 

Our souls need a resting place 




A gathering space to witness the mystery of transformation 

A place to be enveloped by the warm care of community when we are wearied by winter 

So take off your shoes, for you are standing on sacred ground 

God has built us a house of healing from the holy rubble of our lives

It is here that we will be encouraged and refreshed 

It is here that our doubt and despair can be destroyed by love and desire 




So come, we are eagerly awaiting your arrival 

The welcome mat has been rolled out 

And the door lies open for travellers worn from the road 

In the name of Jesus, we say
"Welcome Home" 




It is spacious here 

There is enough room at the table for you 

Love is freely offered in the breaking of bread and passing of the cup 




If you hunger 

Come sup with us 

And you will feast on hope, freedom and authenticity 




If you thirst 

Have a drink with us 

And be warmed, awakened and inspired 




Come 

We will help you hear the voice of Jesus 

Come 

Bloom into the real you

Come 

And find hospitality, restoration and shalom 

Come 

And take the peace of Christ 

For you do not have to walk alone 




Come 

Be known 

Be understood 

Be listened to 

Be artful 

Be open 

Be free 

Be beautiful 

Be warmed and filled 

And take off your shoes 




But, most of all 

Be at home 

For this place has been set aside for us 

The fire has been prepared 

And it is burning with great anticipation 

Eagerly awaiting the arrival 

Of 

Your Soul 

Of 

All Souls


___

Here are two pictures from yesterday's #adventpicaday. Let's do three this final week. That will be the photographer's gift to the rest of us.





Untitled / labtrout





Untitled / marvelissa





Flickering to Life / worth wheeler

4th Sunday of Advent

Arches / dave smith





Climbing in Light / austin grigg

3rd Saturday of Advent

Bare But Very Much Alive / kt_writes





Broken / jason boyett