Poem for Wednesday and Global Creches

Let Us Be That Stable
By Patrick Murfin

Today, let us be that stable
          Let us be the place
          that welcomes at last
          the weary and rejected,
          the pilgrim stranger,
          the coming life.

Let not the frigid winds that pierce
          our inadequate walls,
          or our mildewed hay,
          or the fetid leavings of our cattle
          shame us from our beckoning.

Let our outstretched arms
          be a manger
          so that the infant hope,
          swaddled in love,
          may have a place to lie.

Let a cold beacon
          shine down upon us
          from a solstice sky
          to guide to us
          the seekers who will come.

Let the lowly Shepherd
          and all who abide
          in the fields of their labors
          lay down their crooks
          and come to us.

Let the seers, sages, and potentates
          of every land
          traverse the shifting dunes
          the rushing rivers,
          and the stony crags
          to seek our rude frame.

Let herdsmen and high lords
          kneel together
          under our thatched roof
          to lay their gifts
          before Wonder.

Today, let us be that stable.

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Our basement is now empty of everything except garbage, which includes the carpet, more than a dozen bookcases, an old television, and several tables. Right Restoration came and loaded up two pods in our parking spot with everything else that had been down there, including numerous boxes of books, the couch (note: get couches with high legs), and a lot of toys that still need to be sorted and given away. While they moved the boxes, I loaded up another binder of CDs (movie soundtracks and holiday music) and realized we are going to need a LOT more binders. 

We had unseasonably warm weather, so we went for a walk at Cabin John Park after Right Restoration left, where there were few people and lots of squirrels. After dinner and awesome political news, we watched the first episode of the new season of Fantasy Island, not my favorite ("get over high school and don't be a crazy cat lady" -- gosh thanks) and the last of the High School Musical movies, which was less condescending about high school. Before it's too long past Christmas, here are some of the crèches from around the world on display at the LDS Temple's holiday open house: