Advent Snowglobes (Day 5)

Mom gave this cheerful snow angel to me in 1999, when Christy and I lived in England. He sort of reminds me of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with wings. But the truth is: I don't feel cheerful today. More tragic shootings yesterday, more bombings overseas, violence creates more violence. We want to be tough and strong, but the truth is we are weak- and the strength we need does not come from us. We have become too accepting of death as an unfortunate way of life. More war, more guns, more hateful speech gets us nowhere. In the Bible, angels, which may or may not look like this one, are heralds/messengers. Heralding the coming of Christ, the first words they speak to terrified shepherds and a teenaged girl are, "Do not be afraid." Inscribed on the bottom of the globe, this angel says, "Follow your star." Maybe that's where his smile comes from- knowing the Star leads us, as it did the Wise Men, to the very Source of comfort and joy we seek.