This week's focus has been on hope and hopefulness.

Lights that shine in the darkness - whether candles or stars...

Rainbows of promise and chains of interconnectedness...

As week one of Advent draws to its close, hope is a precious gift to carry with us into the days ahead.

A calendar tab for 2021... a new year, with new possibilities.

All life is a gift, every day is precious but, if we are honest, in the humdrum everyday we often don't think about it.

I wonder what you are hoping for in 2021?  I wonder what gives you hope as you approach the gift of a new year?

Today's poem is Darkness by Alan Payne, which you can find here.

The photograph is on Kelvin Bridge, Glasgow, though, to be honest, there are many such lamps in the city, mostly (or only? I haven't checked) on bridges over the River Kelvin.  Most of my walks at the moment take place in darkness, and these lamps are always a welcome, friendly, landmark on my way.

The prayer...

God of night and day,

As this first week of Advent draws to its close

Help us to discover once more

That, though you are hidden from our sight,

You are present, even in the deepest, darkest night,

And so to find our rest in you.

Amen

Today's gift was a short length of rainbow ribbon.

The rainbow is possibly the best known - and most squabbled over - symbol of hope

Jews and Christians each claim it as theirs, and get hoity toity when LQBTQI+ groups adopt it as theirs.

This year, I have even seen a tiny amount of chagrin from small parts of all of these, as it has been used to express solidarity and appreciation for the NHS in this strange year.

The thing is, it doesn't belong to anyone, it is God's symbol and God's sign, a promise for all creation, not just all humans or some humans.

This Advent,  have two books on the go (as well as the Bag of Blessings, the daily Poem, Picture and Prayer, and a purely fun digital Advent Calendar) so my ribbon makes a useful book mark, and a daily reminder to 'keep hoping...'

Today's poem is The Coming by R S Thomas, which you can read here

The image was available royalty free online and captures something of the poem's imagery.

And a prayer...

God who holds all creation in your hand,

Gazing in tender love at the beauty and fragility of all you have made,

Thank you that, no matter how dark the night,

No matter how broken the world,

No matter how lonely or alone it may be,

Still your Son says, 'let me go there.'

Amen