(Due to time constraints our thought for today is a repeat from this day last year....back to normal tomorrow!)

‘What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb. If I were a wise man I would do my part. Yet what can I give him – give him my heart.’ ~from In the Bleak Mid Winter'

What is your favourite Christmas carol? In a poll carried out recently by the BBC some of the world’s leading choir masters and choral experts chose ‘In the Bleak Mid Winter’. It came well ahead of well known carols such as ‘Silent Night’ and ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’. It was written by Christiana Rosetti in 1872. As a Christmas carol it is rich in depth and meaning. The simple beauty of its content is also challenging. From the depth of winter, cold and darkness the invitation is to move into warmth and welcome. The carol takes us into the heart of the crib but also to the heart of whatever is going on in our lives. There God is to be found. At the heart of the bleak mid winter there is great hope.