Today's poem is Advent Calendar by Rowan Williams, which you can find here

The photo was an incredible sunrise, glimpsed only because, waiting to cross the road, I looked east and saw it. Christ comes a bit like that.

And a prayer...

God of sunrise and sunset

Who, in this darkest of seasons

Surprises us with jewel-coloured skies

Red and pinks, gold, orange, mauve and silver...

Fleeting reminders that always, always

You come like the dark...

And you are the light.

Amen

Today's gift is practical - a key-ring with a wooden fob.  It was packed undecorated, but I chose to decorate mine (though the silver ink doesn't show up very well!)

Christ as the 'Key of David' who unlocks the door/gate that leads us into hope.

As the well loved hymn expresses it...

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery

Perhaps the key-ring can be put to good use, and be a sign of hope in the everyday.