Mark 1:1-8
The Message
1 1-3 The good news of Jesus Christ-the Message!-begins here, following to the letter the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;
He’ll make the road smooth for you.
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
4-6 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.
7-8 As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism-a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit-will change you from the inside out.”
It was the first downdog of the class which tends to be the worst downdog of the class. As usual my arms ached, my back felt tight, my neck was making disgusting cracking noises and my head felt like it was filling with blood. A former teacher used to remind us that downdog is a rest posture and even though it didn’t feel like it at that moment, soon we would find it a relief. She was right, after a few minutes of planks and flows, the pose always felt drastically different. It was a respite where the body could relax while poised, ready to go for whatever the teacher called next.
As the class progressed, the cracking sounds in my joints decreased and while getting tired, my muscles, including my heart, my lungs and my stomach relaxed. Once the synovial gases had cleared from my joints and my muscles had warmed, my mind to begin the clearing out it needed. Once that happened, clear and healthy thoughts began entering my mind and peace settled in.
John the Baptist told everyone they needed to get things ready for the coming Christ. They needed to make roads smooth and straight so Jesus could travel unhindered. For some people this getting ready means prayer and reading scripture. For others it means actual stretching, moving, working through the cracking. It means making sure our bodies are cleared of the buildup in our minds that cause muscles to be tight, restricted, guarded but vulnerable. Its hard to find the time for this as we prepare for the holidays. Just a few seconds of breathing, stretching, finding our way into a downdog or two can help clear our minds, allowing a clear path for Christ to enter and offer us the peace we all desperately need.
~ Scenes from Last Week ~
Last Saturday a group of us went to see “The Star” which
is the nativity story from the perspectives of the animals.
~ Upcoming Events ~
Sunday, December 10
Team 2 Acolyting
Family Worship
10 am | Chapel
Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
We will have a run through in the sanctuary
as soon as church is dismissed.
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Sunday, December 18
Christmas Pageant
10 am | Sanctuary
All participants please arrive by 9 am
~
Sunday, December 24
Please note that we will not be having Sunday School
Family Service
4:30 pm | The Main Sanctuary
We will be welcoming a very special, very large, very dusty guest.
Christmas Eve Service
9 pm with special music beginning at 8:40 pm | The Main Sanctuary
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Sunday, December 31
Please note that we will not be having Sunday School
~
School Vacation Boredom Busters
Join us for something every day during Christmas Break
Tuesday, January 2
Discovery Cube
Including a possible trip to the Doc McStuffins Exhibit
$18 for Adults, $13 for kids
Wednesday, January 3
SKY ZONE
$11 for 30 minutes / $16 for 60 minutes / $21 for 90 minutes
Thursday, January 4
“Ferdinand” at the Santa Anita AMC
Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for kids
Friday, January 5
Pasadena Ice Skating Center
$11 entry, $4 skate rental
