Dear Friends,
Grace and peace to you. I thank God for you daily, clergy and laity of Harbor! You are serving, gifting, loving and sharing in incredible ways! You are living as the body of Christ, partnering with one another, to show Christ to the world. You are beautiful people! Thank you for the wonderful, life-giving ways you serve. May this Christmas fill you with the peace of Christ.
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. . . “
We will soon share these words, a story of wonder, a story we know so well. We welcome the Christ child in not knowing quite what God is doing, if we are a shepherd or Mary. Yet they and we welcome him into the world and into our lives.
The third verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem says:
“How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given; so God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.”
God gives us “God with us” as a gift and a blessing. Christ enters quietly into our world and so imparts to us the blessings of his heaven. In my thinking, Christ continues to enter in quietly, daily, among us. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us when we also are quiet enough to hear or our own spirits are still enough to receive the message, to know such a blessing in our day. My hope is that soon, very soon, you will have a quiet day to simply receive this wondrous gift.
Blessings on you and your families this Christmas.
Peace, 
Tara
If you would like to view past editions of Time with Tara, follow this link:
https://harbordistrictnc.org/category/from-the-ds/