Hear the voice of once calling out: Prepare, prepare!
Turn from your ways and repent. I say: be aware!
Make straight the roads and the mountains make low,
Ready the way, believe in your heart, and know:
I baptize you with water to make the body clean
Follow me and I will show you just what I mean.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire
His birth was proclaimed by an angel choir.
Good as I may be,
Compared to Him I am unworthy.
He has come to set the prisoners free,
He came to save the likes of you and me
He has come to seek and save the lost
And He came to pay the highest cost.
He has come to make the blind see and the lame walk,
He came to call sinners and make the mute talk.
I stand before you today to testify to the Holy One,
I stand before you to proclaim the love of God’s only son.
Awake sleeper and rise from your bed
For the King with no place to lay his head.
Fix your eyes to heaven, set your heart on higher things
Be washed in the river of life and experience what it brings.
There is new life in Him; the old is gone away.
He is life, His word is truth, His light will show the way
I am the voice in the wilderness calling out.
Your waiting will soon be rewarded, have no doubt.
I am the one sent ahead to tend the fields
That when he comes, he may have bountiful yields.
Prepare your hearts and homes to receive
The one who was, and is, and ever will be.
He, of whom the angels sing and shepherds find
He, to whom wise-men bow down and with whom sinners dined.
I am the voice to quicken your hearts and point to the light,
I am the voice of hope and joy against the darkness of the night.

Tonight I wait with joyful expectation
And join my voice with all creation
Now is the time to prepare and be bold
That we may not be left out in the cold
Prepare our hearts and minds for your coming soon
In our hearts let us make you room
A child was born on a cold dark winter night
To take us out of our darkness and into the light
A little baby so helpless and small
Would one day be the savior of us all
I wait with hope and joy so pure
And pray that this glow would have some allure
I wait for the star that guides me to your birth
And I pray you look with favor on this earth
We have turned from you; your truth, life and ways
We have let sin and death into our days
Help us do what is right and just
Give us the strength to do what we must
By the prayers of your people Lord
Come to our aid and let your mercy be out poured
Give us your great love for our fellow man
Let love take over our streets and land
Grant us peace of heart and mind
And that the good we seek, we may find
Fill us up as we empty ourselves for the King
And with the Heavenly Host now let us acclaim
The one was and is and will forever reign

Christ is our cornerstone love is the foundation
The cross; the bridge between the people of every nation
When we work together, when we love each other
One big family with one father and mother
Compassion will seal and wounds begin to heal
In safety and peace we have nothing to fear
We are building your kingdom here
With mercy for all; a place of refreshment and rest
Here in the kingdom we welcome the guest
We'll bring just a little bit of heaven down to Earth
And try to help everyone see the greatness of their worth
In the building of your kingdom all will have a place
In the building of your kingdom we shall see your face
In the building of your kingdom all will be made new
Singing, dancing, and great jubilation for we will be with you
You love us and you call us each by name
You hold us in your hand the Lord the One Who Reigns
We are building your kingdom change us from within
We are building your kingdom may the whole world join in

-- nothing could prepare me,
        and nothing can compare.

This is my side of
the bed. I have
lain here my whole
life. I daren’t
cross the threshold
to the other
side, which remains

spotless, impressionless,
free of wrinkles
and other signs
of life.

I lie like the lifeguard
tells you to lie in
the waterslide:

feet crossed at the ankles,
arms across
the chest.

I lie in perfect
coffin etiquette,
shaping myself within
intangible confines,
cozy and secure.

I have lain here my whole life,
and in my dreams
you are next to me—

I have prepared this space
for you
my whole
life

and I am waiting
patiently
for a sign
of
life.

I am waiting
for the sheets
to wrinkle,
and a mass
to take shape,
and the mattress
to indent,
and the pillow
to sigh—

I am waiting
for cold feet
to shock mine,

I am waiting
for strong legs
to ensconce mine,

I am waiting
for a torso
to touch mine,

I am waiting
for an arm
beneath my neck,
a hand on my
cheek,

I am waiting for warm breath
on my face,
and the silhouette of a face
to taunt me in
the shadows—

I am patiently waiting
for the day
I cross
the threshold

into occupied
space.

Love one another clothed now in Christ
Morning draws near to cast out the night
Things done in secret no longer can hide
Thorns in his brow and spear in his side
Love beyond measure, peace like a flood
Washed white as snow by his precious blood

Love your neighbor as yourself showing kindness to all
Work together in unity lest we may fall
Wrap yourself with truth and justice put on peace and grace
With wisdom and understanding we might know and see his face
The Word is our sword and faith is our shield
On our knees we steel ourselves on the holy battlefield

Clothed now in Christ we look to the sky
And together, with one voice, we cry
Lord, banish the darkness and show us the way
The sun is rising bringing forth a new day
The war is over Jesus has won
But here once again the battle’s just begun

I must write!*
The transient words pass by my consciousness
like the piercing lights that take dull eyes aback
and linger for a few brief moments in the peripherals--
before disappearing back
into the heavens.

Curse these confounded ink-stained fingers;
your scribblings barely get the thoughts out in time,
and you do so with mortal wounds
of aches and cramps,
and god-forbid,
your pen runs out of ink!*

So you keep your tools sharp
and your stone tablets at hand,
for when transcendent light strikes again:

You will be not be caught off-guard
by serendipity.