So we begin again. The first Sunday of Advent. We sang Advent songs in service this morning. Peaceful and a sense of place. Order in the midst of chaos. Christ is coming. He who captures human hearts with ideas of love instead of power. The sanctuary was lovely with Christmas decorations. The lighting of the first Advent candle inspired. Faith is an easy cloak to wear for your life. It is there in the good times and the not-so-good.

Jennifer took an iconic photo of MJ and me walking toward the Flood Wall in Paducah. It illustrates our love for each other for nearly 50 years. We are side by side for life.

Days of celebration are upon us. Days of grace and song. Lifting a glass of mead with friends. Laughing at the minor mistakes of the year and joy in the continued journey. The time for gift-giving is here. Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves, and Rudolph with his red nose. A time for bright thoughts as the days shorten. There are White Elephant Christmas gifts for fun and holiday revelry.

I watched the Holiday Train at the Kentucky Oaks Mall and the speed with which the driver took the hairpin corners. She was fearless. The kids and kids at heart laughed with delight. So it goes with our human family. The driver is lively and quick, and we hold on for dear life. He is on a mission from God. God does not fool around. Everyone must get on board for the train trip of hills and valleys and sharp curves. Sometimes we laugh, and other times we cry. We know our destination and trust the Engineer to get us there safely. Once in a while, he seems preoccupied. Is he watching the football game? Does he have money on the game? Then the truth comes into view. A Veil is ahead that we want to see behind. We want to know the Secret. What waits beyond the Veil? Will there still be Holiday Trains? Certainly, there will not be a Hive Mentality. Each of us is unique. We listen to our own drummer. Heaven, God, and Christ are a bit different in all our eyes. Are we as special as the one who created us? The patriarchs of the Bible thought for themselves. They were people of strong opinions and strong will. Their individual charisma drew people to the story of the Baby in the Manger. It was thinking outside the box of the religion of Jesus’ time. There was no one-size-fits-all.