Author Archives: joyocala

Those of us who have lived in Florida for at least a year have been rudely acquainted with flying and crawling things we wish God had not created. Gnats, mosquitoes, roaches. They make themselves known via our necks, ankles, pretty … Continue reading →

What a glorious Christmas song:  “O Holy Night the stars are brightly shining!”  There we are on the darkened hillside with the shepherds.  Only the stars light up the clear night sky.  The music builds and our voices go higher to … Continue reading →

The time has come!   Merry Christmas everyone!   I’d like to share a poem with you this morning.  The author is unknown, but the message is beautiful. If You Look for Me at Christmas If you look for me at Christmas,you … Continue reading →

Memes, social media avatars, snail-mail cards, gift baskets, email greetings.  So many varied ways to send wishes for a happy holiday season.  Ponder if you will, how Jesus was celebrated.  His parents wrapped Him in warm swaddling layers and tucked Him into a … Continue reading →

We all know and love the Christmas story. I’ve heard it and celebrated it my whole life.It is the MOST AWESOME STORY EVER. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him … Continue reading →

The seasons of Advent and Christmas have always been special times in my life. From childhood, family traditions have been seeded in my heart and practices. Each year, as my children grew older, I could see that these traditions were … Continue reading →

The seasons of Advent and Christmas have always been special times in my life. From childhood, family traditions have been seeded in my heart and practices. Each year, as my children grew older, I could see that these traditions were … Continue reading →

So here comes one you don’t expect from me, a rendition of a Basque Christmas carol by the rock singer Sting. The text is the story of the annunciation. The Angel Gabriel comes to tell Mary that she will be … Continue reading →

This past Sunday I featured an arrangement of a traditional Lent hymn during the 8:15 special music spot. You might be thinking “Are there not enough Advent hymns?  We are preparing for the arrival of Jesus and you’re already using music … Continue reading →

I think we’re done with it – for this year. I’ve never been good at it, don’t particularly enjoy it, but I’m getting better. A part of me thinks “why bother?” It seems such a waste of paper that just … Continue reading →