Shepherds, joy, and God showing up.

So begins the third week of Advent (at least Sunday marks the third Sunday of Advent, I think...I get a little foggy on the dating of church things sometimes.) The third week is the Shepherd week -- the candle representing the sharing of God's love with the world (insert unloveable/untouchable, etc.) and joy. This is a good one, I think. This time of year we do start thinking of others, whether it is shopping and gifting to loved ones, doing the soup kitchen or donation at local shelters, food baskets, Angel tree. We pray often for the folks who are living in the woods around the river by our home, or downtown in the hooches the city keeps trying to knock down. They may or may not want or appreciate our prayers (although I would bet many of the folks living there would be much more open to the being given the gift of prayer than I frequenlty am), but we offer them up anyway. They are not prayers of 'give them a new home' or 'get them a job', but rather, that God would keep them safe and warm and be providing what they need daily. I am so intrigued by the ministry that happens when, rather than trying to get them off the street and cleaned up, people take food and blankets around, help them by providing the things one needs to live and stay warm in the woods on a cold winter's night, and by expressing love through time, prayers, and food. It would interesting to know how many of our 'homeless' have been blessed by Christ and His church, have come to know Him better or at least grown more open to His saving love, through efforts like this. Agree or not, that is all well and good. We are called, however, to share the love of Jesus with the world around us and let God do the changing, in His time and His way. Stuff to consider, I suppose.