Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! May this Christmas be blessed and may you know God's peace in a new way in this coming year!

O Little Town of Bethlehem

The very first time I heard Sarah MacLachlan's version of O Little Town of Bethlehem tears sprang to my eyes. The sweet Christmas carol we sing this time of year is in stark contrast to the reality of Bethlehem today, which is a city behind a separation wall, referred to by many observers as an open air prison. MacLachlan's mournful version of this familiar song seemed to capture the emotion I feel every time I visit.

I pictured a video, not full of politics, but full of faces and the reality of life. Every year I would say how I wanted to make this video, and every year I lacked the resources necessary. This year, a young man and member of an Alliance Church in the US came to do some promotional videography for us. He had enough time to shoot some personal footage.

As we sat brainstorming one night, this song came on and I shared with Daniel my vision. He loved the idea and spent a morning in Bethlehem, capturing the footage you see in this video. I cried the first time I saw it. It expresses what I desired to communicate. It captures the faces of the people who have become precious to me. It tells the story of Bethlehem today...yet bringing our minds back to the Bethlehem of old. I hope your heart is touched as you watch. And may you be reminded of the One who came to set us all free. Blessings this Christmas season. And, thanks, Daniel, for catching my vision!

Filmed entirely in Bethlehem, West Bank.

O Little Town of Bethlehem [Today] from daniel riemenschneider on Vimeo.

Celebrating the Advent Season

I love Christmas! I love the sights and sounds of the season. I love Christmas carols and songs, buying and making presents for those I love. I love Christmas Eve candle-lighting services, and celebrating with our church family. I love twinkling lights, decorating the Christmas tree and TINSEL!

But what I treasure most is celebrating the Advent season. As a family we sit together with only the Christmas lights twinkling, and we read an Advent passage every night of the season. The children open our Nativity Advent calendar and we sing Christmas carols together.

The anticipation of the coming of Christ to the earth and rejoicing in his arrival fills my heart with joy. We look ahead with anticipation to the Easter season and the celebration of His death and ressurrection. And to His second coming. It's all wrapped up in the Christmas story.

My heart is filled with the wonder of the season. I love the childlike faith I see in the eyes of my children. What a precious time of year!