So tonight we get this from The Liberal Progressive:Â George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld both skipping Ford ceremonies!!!!

As I commented on the post over there. That’s not quite true. The President and Mrs. Bush are scheduled to attend Tuesday’s service at The National Cathedral. If any of us were really paying attention that’s exactly how things happened for the Funeral of President Reagan.

It’s difficult to Google up the protocol for State Funerals, at least to get all the details. And I can’t at the moment put my hand on my old copy of The White House protocol (no, didn’t work there, but did events in DC so I had a copy).Â

But essentially it works this way. The President’s body is taken to DC. The route varies with the President. This is the plan for President Ford:

STAGE TWO - Washington Portion of the State Funeral

1. President Ford’s remains will arrive with ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Saturday, Dec. 30, at approximately 5:20 p.m. EDT/EST.

2. En route to the U.S. Capitol, the motorcade will travel through Alexandria, Va., in remembrance of President Ford’s long residence in that city as a Congressman and as Vice President of the United States.

3. The motorcade will pause at the World War II Memorial located on the National Mall at 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues at approximately 5:35 p.m. EDT/EST, Saturday, Dec. 30. World War II and other veterans, as well as the public, are invited to attend this tribute.

4. The motorcade will then proceed to the U.S. Capitol and be received with ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. EDT/EST, at the East Steps to the U.S. House of Representatives. President Ford’s casket will proceed up the East House Steps on the East Capitol Plaza in honor of his 24 years as a U.S. Congressman. His remains will be met by a group of his former House colleagues. His casket will lie in repose at the open House doors honoring his time in Congress. The casket will then be carried through Statuary Hall. His remains will then move to the Rotunda for the Lying in State portion of the state funeral. President Ford’s remains will lie in state with a Guard of Honor until 9:15 a.m. EDT/EST, Tuesday, Jan. 2. Public viewing will be allowed during this time.

What happened tonight, was not the President’s funeral. It was the beginning of the official state funeral that continues through Tuesday. Vice President Cheney, as well as others, delivered remarks at the Capitol. Just as he did for President Reagan. And no, President and Mrs. Bush did not attend that ceremony, but they did later pay their respects to President Reagan at the Capitol. As they will for President Ford.

President and Mrs. Bush will be at the actual funeral service on Tuesday where the President will deliver remarks. We can presume that the remaining former President’s will be in attendance as well. Let’s hope the Clinton’s can stay awake this time.

As for Secretary Rumsfeld, yes he was scheduled to be there this evening but was unable to return to DC because of snow in New Mexico. TLP snarks about there only being snow in Northern New Mexico. Really?

Storm expected to dump 7 inches
The Albuquerque Tribune
Expect Albuquerque to be covered in up to 7 inches of snow when today’s storm moves out of the area on Saturday night, officials from the National Weather Service say.

Duke City snowfall sets record
The Albuquerque Tribune
A moisture-packed, slow-moving winter storm dumped record snowfall and brought Albuquerque and much of the state to a standstill today.

Countless airline flights had to be canceled and thousands of motorists were stranded by snows ranging from a few inches to more than 3 feet.

So, it’s easy to snark about people you don’t like.

But it’s much more effective when you get your facts straight.

UPDATE:

Vice President’s Remarks at the State Funeral of Former President Gerald R. Ford
The United States Capitol Rotunda

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Mrs. Ford, Susan, Mike, Jack, and Steve; distinguished guests; colleagues and friends; and fellow citizens:

Nothing was left unsaid, and at the end of his days, Gerald Ford knew how much he meant to us and to his country. He was given length of years, and many times in his company we paid our tributes and said our thanks. We were proud to call him our leader, grateful to know him as a man. We told him these things, and there is comfort in knowing that. Still, it is an ending. And what is left now is to say goodbye.

He first stood under this dome at the age of 17, on a high school tour in the Hoover years. In his congressional career, he passed through this Rotunda so many times — never once imagining all the honors that life would bring. He was an unassuming man, our 38th President, and few have ever risen so high with so little guile or calculation. Even in the three decades since he left this city, he was not the sort to ponder his legacy, to brood over his place in history. And so in these days of remembrance, as Gerald R. Ford, goes to his rest, it is for us to take the measure of the man.

It’s hard to imagine that this most loyal of men began life as an abandoned child, facing the world alone with his mother. He was devoted to her always, and also to the fine man who came into their lives and gave the little boy a name he would carry into history. Gerald and Dorothy Ford expected good things of their son. As it turned out, there would be great things, too — in a journey of 93 years that would fill them with loving pride.

Jerry Ford was always a striver — never working an angle, just working. He was a believer in the saying that in life you make your own luck. That’s how the Boy Scout became an Eagle Scout; and the football center, a college all-star; and the sailor in war, a lieutenant commander. That’s how the student who waited tables and washed dishes earned a law degree, and how the young lawyer became a member of the United States Congress, class of 1948. The achievements added up all his life, yet he was known to boast only about one. I heard it once or twice myself — he said he was never luckier than when he stepped out of Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids with a beautiful girl named Betty as his bride.

Fifty-eight years ago, almost to the day, the new member from Michigan’s fifth district moved into his office in the Cannon Building, and said his first hello to the congressman next door, John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. They belonged to a generation that came early to great duties, and took up responsibilities readily, and shared a confidence in their country and its purposes in the world.

In that 81st Congress were four future Presidents, and others who wished for that destiny. For his part, Mr. Ford of Michigan aspired only to be Speaker of the House, and by general agreement he would have made a fine one. Good judgment, fair dealing, and the manners of a gentleman go a long way around here, and these were the mark of Jerry Ford for a quarter century in the House. It was a Democrat, the late Martha Griffiths, who said, “I never knew him to make a dishonest statement nor a statement part-true and part-false, and I never heard him utter an unkind word.”

Sometimes in our political affairs, kindness and candor are only more prized for their scarcity. And sometimes even the most careful designs of men cannot improve upon history’s accident. This was the case in the 62nd year of Gerald Ford’s life, a bitter season in the life of our country.

It was a time of false words and ill will. There was great malice, and great hurt, and a taste for more. And it all began to pass away on a Friday in August, when Gerald Ford laid his hand on the Bible and swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. He said, “You have not elected me as your President by your ballot, and so I ask you to confirm me as your President with your prayers.”

What followed was a presidency lasting 895 days, and filled with testing and trial enough for a much longer stay. Even then, amid troubles not of his own making, President Ford proved as worthy of that office as any who had ever come before. He was modest and manful; there was confidence and courage in his bearing. In judgment, he was sober and serious, unafraid of decisions, calm and steady by nature, always the still point in the turning wheel. He assumed power without assuming airs; he knew how to treat people. He answered courtesy with courtesy; he answered discourtesy with courtesy.

This President’s hardest decision was also among his first. And in September of 1974, Gerald Ford was almost alone in understanding that there can be no healing without pardon. The consensus holds that this decision cost him an election. That is very likely so. The criticism was fierce. But President Ford had larger concerns at heart. And it is far from the worst fate that a man should be remembered for his capacity to forgive.

In politics it can take a generation or more for a matter to settle, for tempers to cool. The distance of time has clarified many things about President Gerald Ford. And now death has done its part to reveal this man and the President for what he was.

He was not just a cheerful and pleasant man — although these virtues are rare enough at the commanding heights. He was not just a nice guy, the next-door neighbor whose luck landed him in the White House. It was this man, Gerald R. Ford, who led our republic safely through a crisis that could have turned to catastrophe. We will never know what further unravelings, what greater malevolence might have come in that time of furies turned loose and hearts turned cold. But we do know this: America was spared the worst. And this was the doing of an American President. For all the grief that never came, for all the wounds that were never inflicted, the people of the United States will forever stand in debt to the good man and faithful servant we mourn tonight.

Thinking on all this, we are only more acutely aware of a time in our lives and of its end. And we can be certain that Gerald Ford would now ask only that we remember his wife. Betty, the President was not a hard man to read, and to his friends nothing was more obvious than the source of his great happiness. It was you. And all the good that you shared, Betty, all the good that you did together, has not gone away. All of that is forever.

There is a time to every purpose under Heaven. In the years of Gerald Rudolph Ford, it was a time to heal. There is also, in life, a time to part, when those who are dear to us must go their way. And so for now, Mr. President — farewell. We will always be thankful for your good life. In Almighty God, we place our confidence. And to Him we confirm you, with our love and with our prayers.
Â

Way back before I found WordPress and before I even knew what a blog aggregator was, I started writing on the Internet. Whether or not I’m actually any good at it, I’ve always fashioned myself as a writer. Some thirty years ago, my high school creative writing teacher said “you have a beautiful gift, never stop writing.”

Somehow I got sidetracked and never parlayed that into a career. Then along came the Internet and I had a forum. I did a lot of writing on the old Themestream site before they went belly up, and actually had a couple of articles picked up by World Net Daily. I wrote and published my own ebook based on my 8 years as an event planner in DC. Last year I managed to participate in and complete the Nanowrimo challenge, writing a 50,000 word novel in the month of November 2005. It’s still in serious need of editing, but I did it.

So, when a friend turned me on to WordPress which gave me the ability to post daily on my own domain, I jumped at the chance. Another friend introduced me to the Virginia Blognet News and the Virginia Political Blogs around July. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Allen/Webb campaign was both a fascinating and frightening experience.  I’ve known and supported George Allen for over 20 years. So, when I say I know that “macaca” was a made up story, a stupid story, I know what I’m talking about. Macaca has been debated ad nauseum, but the reality is that even the honest ones on the left know that George Allen is not a racist. It was a blunder and an opportunity for the left to win. They did. And for a good portion of that the Allen campaign helped them. Let’s face it, Jim Webb didn’t win. George Allen lost.

I would have handled macaca in an entirely different manner. I knew it was a stupid story. If I had been in charge (and why the heck am I not anyway?) I would have 1) issued an immediate apology to Siddarth, 2) noted that in a press release and 3) shut up and never talked about it again.

Instead we got about four different explanations from the campaign and for some reason that still baffles me, they sent the Senator on an apology tour.

The other thing I would have handled differently was the campaign Internet presence. Why in heaven’s name did we not have an official campaign blog before macaca? Jon Henke did an admirable job, along with the A-Team and even the B-Team. But it was too little, too late. Interestingly, I made similar suggestions to the Kilgore campaign. I even volunteered to lead part of that effort.

Instead though, what we got from Kilgore was Hitler. What we got from the Allen campaign was that Webb hates women and writes about pedophilia.

In my attempt to be a good partisan and a loyal campaign follower, I ran with those. With gusto. But I let my closest friends with the campaign know I felt pretty smarmy in doing so.

In retrospect, I think we ran with that stuff late in the game because that was all we had. And that’s a matter of poor opposition research.  Senator Allen’s post campaign remarks were correct. If we had stayed on the issues, he would have won reelection.

But that’s history. It’s painful history but I still pray that we learn from it.

Unfortunately with this latest Goode/Grievous/Waldo brouhaha, I’m convinced that most of my friends on the right haven’t learned quite enough just yet.

I’m not going to review the whole chronology of what transpired. Waldo gives a pretty good rundown of what started things with: Should I shut down the aggregator.

Waldo says:

Last night I removed a blog for the first time. This site, run by an anonymous blogger, sought to support Rep. Virgil Goode in his attack on Rep. Ellison. To do so, the blogger posted an extremely graphic photo of an American beheaded by his terrorist captors in Iraq. I worked hard to avoid seeing these images at the time of the beheadings, because I found the act so disgusting that I simply did not want to witness them. (Many will recall the anger displayed by many conservatives that these images were even available to Americans, saying that “the terrorists have already won if we see them,” that the press was un-American for displaying them, etc.) I found it upsetting and angering to see that image appear smack-dab in the middle of the aggregator. Terrorists circulated the photo of this man for political gain; now this blogger had done the same. It wasn’t clear to me what I should do, but when the deluge of complaints began I knew that there was only one response: remove the site.

A few days later Waldo announces: The aggregator is dead. Long live the aggregator.

Virginia Political Blogs is no more. In its place is a new website, Waldo’s Virginia Political Blogroll. It’s simply an expanded version of the blogroll on the sidebar of this blog (at right), which lists 170 political blogs around Virginia. I explain on my blogroll site that it’s my blogroll and, as such, nobody is about to tell me what I can and can’t link to.

The “offending” blogger was of course, General Grievous Dog. GCD has been dedicated to posting photoshopped images. Some funny. Some not so funny. But, it was, and still is, pretty creative work.

Over the course of the last two weeks I was spending most of my blogging time with my advent posts and working on a couple of other blogs that I run. So I didn’t actively follow the controversy over the letter.

Around the same time, I was invited to join the ranks of the Old Dominion Blog Alliance. I was honored by that invitation and accepted gladly.

I immediately found myself at odds with some of my fellow alliance members. My statement to them was that, while I understood the sentiment behind Congressman Goode’s remarks, his words were, at best, poorly chosen. The reality is that Congressman-elect Ellison is perfectly within his rights to hold the Koran while he is taking his oath of office.

Heck folks, we all should have learned that in U.S. Government 101.

I may not like it. I may not approve of it. But if I am to understand and support the U.S. Constitution, I have to believe that is his right. It doesn’t matter if I think the followers of the Koran are horribly misguided.

Yes folks, I know that there is a huge contigency of Muslims around the world that want to see us wiped off the face of the earth. And yes, I know Ellison is a follower of Louis Farrakhan.

There’s still nothing in our law that prevents him from holding the Koran while he takes the Oath of Office.

And what was with linking Ellison to illegal immigration? I still don’t follow that connection.

Anyway, I never saw this as a winning issue for our side. So, in an email I cautioned that it was best to let it drop. I was not alone in that admonition. But I was apparently ignored. Fact is, if we had let it drop before Christmas, today everyone would be talking about President Ford’s funeral, Saddam Hussein’s final hours and college football.Â

I sent that out on December 23. The offending pictures were posted somewhere around the same time.

I was busy wrapping packages and preparing for 24 people to descend on the Smythe household on Christmas Day. I signed on long enough to publish my final advent posts. I followed some of the conversation but figured it would soon blow over.

Then I find out that Waldo had booted General Grievous Dog from Virginia Political Blogs. I followed up and saw the pictures.

I don’t blame Waldo for not wanting that on his site. He ran the site. He was/is our host. It’s his house.

Now, having said that, there’s no question that Waldo revealed his political bias by removing GCD.

But it’s his house.

Personally, even though I agreed that Congressman Goode’s remarks were inappropriate, I think there were a lot of other options for fighting on his behalf. We all know those images exist. Most of us have already seen them. I certainly wouldn’t want them on my site.

GCD is perfectly within his right to post them. But he also has to be willing to accept the consequences.

When I signed up for Waldo’s aggregator, I don’t remember any promises that it was a free for all. There’s a lot of stuff on there that offends me. But I choose to fight back in a different matter. I post, I mock, I counterattack. I love a good snark. Throughout the campaign I encouraged my fellow Republicans to post early and often. And I complained, and acknowledged that we were still being beaten the blogosphere.

What Republicans have to learn is how to be better at using the Internet. We ain’t there yet.

But back to Waldo. In one email someone said “Waldo has gone over the edge.” My response was that I think Waldo was pushed over the edge.

So, to quote Shaun: I disagree with the man’s politics, but I think Waldo is a fine individual who doesn’t deserve many of the personal insults he’s had to endure.

So here it goes:

Chad briefly came out of retirement to ask:Â Can we disagree without being disagreeable?

Jason followed up with I thought Waldo liked dogs?

Now to my reasoning for asking that I be removed from the ranks of the Old Dominion Blog Alliance.

Looking around a couple of days ago, I found that SWACgirl had posted a list of blogs that had come to the Dog’s defense. The Ward View was on the list.

I posted a comment and noted that I had not publicly commented over the matter either pro or con.Â

SWACgirl did remove my blog from the list and posted an explanation. But not before she said: In the words of President George W. Bush, “You’re either with us or against us.”

Really, she’s going to question my patriotism over a silly Internet squabble?

It gets better.

Somewhere along the line the Dog was outed by The Richmond Democrat.Â

Republican Blogger is a FraudÂ

…a member of the Old Dominion Blog Alliance–and for the past few days he has been passing himself off as a graduate of the George Mason University School of Law, issuing legal opinions, and making threats in Virginia’s blogosphere.

Trouble is that he’s really a 19-year-old in the valley. And, as of yesterday it appears that he is alledgedly the young man who “took a dive” at one of Mike Starks’s attempted assaults on Senator Allen.

Let me be clear. I post under a pen name. But I don’t lie about my credentials. Using my real name would be a conflict with my day job. It’s not that my employer doesn’t know where I stand, much to the contrary. But the appearance of my given name in multiple daily posts just wouldn’t be prudent. It wouldn’t take a great deal of investigative reporting to figure out who I am. I’d just hope you would do me the courtesy of not publishing it. Still, my world won’t end if you do.

That said, when the story broke about the Dog, the indignation rose again in the emails.Â

My question back was “well, is it true?”

Apparently it is and apparently I struck a nerve. My integrity was called into question because I use a pen name (please find where I’ve ever pretended to be an attorney). Someone even said “for all we know, you might be Waldo.”

Well, thanks. I just ain’t that cute.

Combine that with the Dog’s call that we need to have a “serious discussion” about whether or not anyone who remains on Waldo’s blogroll being allowed to remain in the ODBA.

Pardon me Pup, but you’ve already lost your credibility to call for a serious discussion. Do you not see the irony of calling for censorship because you’re offended that Waldo has engaged in censorship?

Spank that Donkey says Conservatives should stick together.

Well, I agree, but this just isn’t the hill I’m willing to die on.

STD says: The Blogs, SWAC Girl, Elle, the Journal of the Common Man, and GGD have something in common….. They are all related to grass roots volunteer work on Republican Campaigns going back to 1990’s.

Well kudos to you for your grassroots efforts, but that doesn’t mean you always get it right. And as for going back to the 1990’s, well I got my start in grassroots politics campaigning for Barry Goldwater. I was six years old. And my parents voted for Johnson.

STD continues:Â One day you might need us peasants who fight for principles, and not titles and such, we fight to survive.

For what it’s worth, I have no Republican titles, official or otherwise. Shoot, I sent my special membership card and secret decoder ring back to the RNC so many times I got booted from The White House Christmas card list.

But let me be clear, I have bled for Republican candidates in Virginia for decades.

So, I contacted the organizer of the ODBA and asked that I be removed from the list. I certainly didn’t want to. And my doing so is certainly not an indictment of the entire list. But there’s enough of that type of thing going on to make it unpleasant.

I’d still like to be a part of a group like the ODBA. I’m not sure I’d be welcomed back though.

I am fascinated by those rushing to the defense of the Dog’s role playing.Â

Just a few weeks ago we on the right were taking Jim Webb to task for his boorish behavior at a White House reception.Â

How can we condemn Webb’s rudeness and ignorance of protocol and at the same time condone the Dog’s playing dress up?

Sorry folks. I just can’t do it. I won’t do it.

If we’re to be the party of integrity, then we actually have to have some.

The Richmond Democrat is right when he says: This incident is further proof of the truth of that assertion. As things now stand, the ODBA’s credibility lies in shreds. It remains to be seen what they can do to restore their reputation.

So, I’m staying. But I’m staying under my rules. If that means Waldo wants to boot me from his list, so be it. If that means I’ll never again be a member of the ODBA, so be it.

I’ll no longer be a blogger who just regurgitates campaign press releases. I’ll take the information presented, and then tell you what I think.  Sometimes I’ll follow the party line. Sometimes I won’t.

But I’ll be able to sleep at night.Â

UPDATE: H/T to Kat at Cathouse Chat for An Unpleasant Duty and to I’m Not Emeril for My Last Word on Both Matters.

Their posts address the situation and the resolution. I have been welcomed back to the ODBA and have reinstated the list on my sidebar. It’s been an unpleasant few days, but I believe in the end we emerge stronger.

I was already taking a break for the holidays. But with the general silliness that’s been bouncing around the Virginia blogosphere over the past week I’m extending that leave.

I’m distressed by comments and behavior on both sides of the Goode/Waldo/Grievous debate.

But in the past few hours, I’ve had some of my “friends” on the right question my patriotism because I’m not boycotting Waldo and question my integrity because I write under a pen name.Â

For what it’s worth, I’ve been writing on the Internet as “Ward Smythe” for over five years now. My reasons are my own. But it’s just a pen name. Anything you see here is mine.

But, I’ve already said more than I intended to say.

At this point, I’m not sure when, or if, I’ll be back.

President Gerald R. Ford

July 14, 1913 - December 26, 2006

The 38th President, 1974 - 1977

_____________________

I have had a lot of adversaries in my political life, but no enemies that I can remember.
Gerald R. Ford

_________________

Former President Ford Dead at 93
SFGate.com
Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon’s scandal-shattered White House as the 38th and only unelected president in America’s history, has died, his wife, Betty, said Tuesday. He was 93.

Gerald Ford dies at 93
Former president took over during depths of Watergate scandal
MSNBC

WARD NOTE: I posted earlier that I was taking a break until just after the New Year. However, as many of you are, I’m just receiving the news about former President Gerald R. Ford.

Regardless of your politics, you have to admit that Gerald Ford was an honorable man. He lead our country through some very difficult times.

Way back in 1976, I cast my first vote for Gerald Ford for President.

May God grant his family, and our nation, peace and strength through this time.

UPDATE:

President and Mrs. Bush Saddened by Passing of Former President Ford
The White House

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Laura and I are greatly saddened by the passing of former President Gerald R. Ford.

President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country. On August 9, 1974, after a long career in the House of Representatives and service as Vice President, he assumed the Presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division. With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the Presidency.

The American people will always admire Gerald Ford’s devotion to duty, his personal character, and the honorable conduct of his administration. We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th President will always have a special place in our Nation’s memory. On behalf of all Americans, Laura and I offer our deepest sympathies to Betty Ford and all of President Ford’s family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them in the hours and days ahead.

It’s been a busy fall. And for some reason I thought it wise to go directly from the campaign to committing to a daily Advent post.Â

So, since it’s Christmas Day, I’m taking the next few days off. I’ll probably be tinkering with the looks of the site and a few other things.

But I won’t be back “full time” until just after the first of the year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

We light the fourth candle.

Remember the Meaning of Advent

Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit”. In the Christian season of Advent we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:

• We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and
  to restore them.
• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.
• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.
• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.

By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves to get ready for the birth of Jesus. So far we have lit three candles. The first reminded us to wait for God our Shepherd. With the second we asked the Lord to come and forgive our sins. The third, pink, candle signified our joy as we wait.

Today we focus on the coming of the Son — the son of Mary, the Son of God!

Prayer for God’s Help

Dear God, thank you for this season of Advent that helps us to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts. Amen.

Scripture Reading

Isaiah 9:1-7

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Psalm 89:1-4

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Luke 1:26-28

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Prayer of Hope

Dear God, as we light this candle, we look ahead with hope to the birth of your Son — the Son of David, the son of Mary. May we be prepared to welcome him with open arms and open hearts. O come now, Son of David! Amen!

Adapted from: Advent and the Christian Year by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts

Joy to the World

Words by Isaac Watts, click title to hear midi

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

O little town of BethlehemÂ

Words by Phillips Brooks, Music by Louis H. Redner, click title to hear midiÂ

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy pray to the blessèd Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

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Matthew 2:5-6

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

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Amid creche debate, pope says birth of Jesus offers peace to world

Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Even if many people do not realize they are looking for the Savior, humanity yearns for the peace and renewal that will save each person and the whole world, Pope Benedict XVI said.

“Born in the poverty of the manger, Jesus comes to offer everyone that joy and that peace that alone can fill the yearning of the human soul,” he said Dec. 20 at his last general audience before Christmas.

No Room in the Inn

A. L. Skil­ton and R. Kelso Carter, click title for midiÂ

No beautiful chamber, no soft cradle bed,
No place but a manger, nowhere for His head;
No praises of gladness, no thought of their sin,
No glory but sadness, no room in the inn.

Refrain

No room, no room, for Jesus,
O give Him welcome free,
Lest you should hear at Heaven’s gate,
“There is no room for thee.”

No sweet consecration, no seeking His part,
No humiliation, no place in the heart;
No thought of the Savior, no sorrow for sin,
No prayer for His favor, no room in the inn.

Refrain

No one to receive Him, no welcome while here,
No balm to relieve Him, no staff but a spear;
No seeking His treasure, no weeping for sin,
No doing His pleasure, no room in the inn.

Refrain

Luke 2: 6-8Â

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

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Thou didst leave Thy throne

Words by Emily E. Elliott, click title for midiÂ

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.

Refrain

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.

Refrain

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.

Refrain

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word,
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

Refrain

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

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I swear I am not making this up, I once had a welfare client say to me “You know how women are when they’re going through the manifold.”

See for yourself.

The Journey of the Magi

Mathew 2:1-11

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

______________________________

We Three KingsÂ

Words and Music John H. Hopkins, Jr., click title for midi

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain

O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.

Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.

Refrain

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

Refrain

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.

Refrain

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“I have declined to answer personal questions about my son in a political context…”

James H. “Jim”

His son’s shoes are apparently a different matter.Â

63 months later…

The first steel columns were bolted into the foundation of the new Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site yesterday, including two that were signed by hundreds of people.

The New York Post

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

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Today I joined the ranks of the Old Dominion Blog Alliance.

Thanks for the invitation Alton. I hope I do it justice.