Happy New Year! It promises to be a curious year as we sort through new lists of creative and sometimes weird secular observances both global and national.

Mary "kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." During the Octave of Christmas, the church has been contemplating the newborn Jesus, God's gift of self to us and all of creation.

In our traditional way of telling the story, we short-change the shepherds. The typical manger set reveals the imbalance: while Magi arrive at the Nativity bearing magnificent gifts in their arms, impoverished shepherds show up empty-handed. Well, almost.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.”

He was the toughest kid on the block. As 10-year-olds, we didn’t admit it, but we were afraid of him.

Like the shepherds who went in haste to see the child Jesus, we eagerly seek to receive God's forgiveness and blessings.

A child needs both to be hugged and unhugged. The hug lets her know she is valuable. The unhug lets her know that she is viable.