This sunny passage from Luke's gospel shows up in the Moravian Daily Texts as the entry to usher in December. At this time of year when daylight hours are precious because they're rare, as winter approaches and long spells of darkness descend, isn't it a welcomed twist to have our attention drawn to the sunrise?        Probably the last sunrise I paid close attention to was months ago. I would have been standing in a graveyard, celebrating the fact of Sonrise. i would have been looking eastward, and as the sky put on its magical watercolor act, changing kaleidiscopically from streaky pinks and purples to bolder blocks of orange and yellow, I would have paused in the reading of the Easter Liturgy to capture the moment when the white hot blazing ball popped above the horizon and re-minded the worshipping crowd that our Christ is far from ordinary.        Now is not the season to ponder the Resurrection, but the Incarnation of our Lord. Couldn't we, though, just as easily look at the sunrise and claim it as Christmas symbolism? Christ-mas is also about recognizing that our Christ is far from ordi-nary. Christmas is about God breaking into our lives to be with us just as surely as the sun breaks above the line each morning.        Call me crazy, but I'm thinking of starting a new trend this Christmas morning. As much as I love gazing at the stars and the Star on Christmas Eve, I'm thinking about gazing at the rising sun the next morning as well. It will be a sacred mo-ment. A reverend pause. It will be a simple rituall, but spe-cial, as I step onto the front porch, breathe in the crisp cold-ness, and watch the shadows scatter as the Light arrives.

With All Joy in Jesus,

Pastor Chris