Greetings in the name of the Lord! This Christmas I have had the privilege to work with choreographer Allie Beard on a beautiful Christmas dance at our church: 'All is Well'. The Christmas message of incarnate Jesus coming to us as a babe in a manger is as real and needed today as it was thousands of years ago. I live in San Bernardino and the massacre that occurred only a few weeks ago had the killers living in my hometown of Redlands. Actually, they lived on my street. As I look around me and see the fear of a broken world invade so many homes, I can read the words of this hymn and rejoice in the gift we are all given at Christmas: All is well all is well Angels and men rejoice For tonight darkness fell Into the dawn of love's light Sing A-le Sing Alleluia All is well all is well Let there be peace on earth Christ is come go and tell That He is in the manger Sing A-le Sing Alleluia All is well all is well Lift up your voice and sing Born is now Emmanuel Born is our Lord and Savior Sing A-le Sing Alleluia He’s the Savior of the world Born is now Emmanuel Born is our Lord and Savior Sing A-le Sing Alleluia All is well Into the darkness of the violence and chaos that our culture continues to experience is the God of Peace. The gospel rings true into our hearts and sings a message that only Jesus can give! He invites all the world into a dance that allows unconditional hope, love and joy to be seen through His actions and the actions of all who die to self and follow him. Can you forgive those who have wounded you with emotional bullets and to those who have displayed actions that have crushed your heart? The gospel is counter-intuitive. There is no protection in unconditional love. At its deepest point, we find a Savior who beckons us to go beyond the boundaries of a self-absorbed, me-based nature. That's what makes it a privilege to share embodied faith through movement that creates a visual picture of the message that we all need to see. It is true that all is well. Merry Christmas! For you:"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." John 1:14

Christmas Archives - Soul to Sole Choreography

A Christmas Card in Listening
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A Christmas Card in Listening

Christmas, General/Personal, YPAD

A Christmas Card in Listening

A Christmas Card in Listening incarnates hope into my soul. Last Christmas I wrote about noise pollution. It’s a year later and now I’m pondering the opposite of noise. Quiet. I often listen in silence so I can hear my heart. And God’s voice: ” 'Faith comes from hearing(listening), and hearing through the word of Christ' (Romans 10:17)." I’ve also learned that "listening" faith grows my ability to hear other people: “to look not only to my own interests, but also the interests of others” (Phil 2:4). In DA:NCE (dance awareness: no child exploited), personal hearing has gone beyond myself into advocating for the best interests of children. Initially, a Christmas card in listening started an organic journey of my own [...]

By Mary Bawden|2018-12-18T10:45:24-08:00December 7th, 2018|

Listening for Christmas Songs or Noise Pollution?
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Listening for Christmas Songs or Noise Pollution?

Christmas, General/Personal

Listening for Christmas Songs or Noise Pollution?

“Joy to the world The Lord has come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and heaven and nature sing……” This Christmas season I am sitting at the computer enjoying quiet music from my Pandora program on Tivo. Traditional Christmas Carols resonate as pianist Jim Brickman plays the notes that instill peace, hope and joy. I know the words to the songs even though I don’t sing them. I love Christmas and I especially love Christmas carols that share the story of Jesus and the miracle of the incarnation. As the music seeps into my heart, suddenly loud noises break into the songs I [...]

By Mary Bawden|2018-10-16T19:39:53-07:00December 16th, 2017|

Immanuel, God with me: A Christmas & New Year’s Reflection

Matt 1:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us." I am thankful that God has been with me this past year. He’s there, with his finger on my heart. Working on the Christmas dance at our church has renewed my hope as I look to Jesus in all kinds of circumstances. Sitting before the fireplace one evening in December, I had a moment of reflection. Immanuel came that first Christmas but most people did not see him. They were busy with dance ministry, business challenges, family dynamics, and the ever-changing political landscape. I can relate. I excel at missing the point of Christmas. But [...]

By Mary Bawden|2018-02-07T10:35:46-08:00December 28th, 2016|

All is Well

Greetings in the name of the Lord! This Christmas I have had the privilege to work with choreographer Allie Beard on a beautiful Christmas dance at our church: 'All is Well'. The Christmas message of incarnate Jesus coming to us as a babe in a manger is as real and needed today as it was thousands of years ago. I live in San Bernardino and the massacre that occurred only a few weeks ago had the killers living in my hometown of Redlands. Actually, they lived on my street. As I look around me and see the fear of a broken world invade so many homes, I can read the words of this hymn and rejoice in the gift we [...]

By Mary Bawden|2018-02-08T14:12:10-08:00December 22nd, 2015|

Year Round Choreography for Joy

Joy to the world the Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven and heaven And nature sing.................................................joy unspeakable joy! I love to put on Christmas carols during the holiday season. They are filled with the gospel and the good news that Christ brings. I find myself peaceful as I spend hours listening to them while I do various tasks from cooking to praying. My heart drinks in ‘good news’ and I am filled with joy as my mind is renewed with hope. Soon the Christmas season will be over but JOY doesn’t have to end. The joy that Christ brings is [...]

By Mary Bawden|2018-02-08T14:19:40-08:00December 29th, 2014|

Still Prone to Wander

The still, quiet voice said ‘remember me’. And my mind pushed it away. This Christmas I was blessed to supervise a wonderful choreographer. One night we met with a church team to work on the details of the services for Christmas eve. We shared ideas, feelings, and technical questions about plans for the service. And our thoughts went from little to big as all kinds of ideas filled the evening. As the discussion moved forward and choices made, the Lord Jesus prompted my heart with a message: remember me. Oh come on. This is church and we’re planning a celebration for Christmas. We’re all Christians. And me? I’ve been a Christian for over 45 years. Lord, do you really think [...]

By Mary Bawden|2018-02-09T14:31:00-08:00January 8th, 2014|