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By ProudDog on Monday, December 08, 2008 :: 142 Views :: 1 Comments

I love parades

What famous parades can you think of? Here are a few off the top of my . . . blog thoughts:

  • The Rose Bowl Parade
  • The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
  • Any St. Patrick’s Day Parade
  • Any United States Independence Day Parade
  • The Bud Billiken Parade (What? Never heard of that one? It is named for the pseudonymous writer of a column devoted to youth in the Chicago Defender Newspaper in the 1920’s and 30’s. He became a symbol of pride, happiness and hope for African American people. This Chicago parade has been held – and continues to grow, since 1929)

What are parades about?  Are they marches of celebration and holiday festivities? Yes! Are they commemorations of important events?  Yes! Are they processions to honor the memory of important people and important event? Yes! Are they journeys from sadness to joy?  They certainly can be!

This week’s Bible reading from Psalm 126 is either a song sung as the people of Israel returned from Exile or a song sung (maybe even during a parade) to commemorate and celebrate that return.  It’s filled with jubilation, remembrance of deliverance from hardship and unhindered shouts of joy.

I don’t want to think anymore about what other kinds of meaning might be in this Psalm. I think I just want to breathe in deep and smile.

Would you like to smile today, too?

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Comments
By drjay1941 @ Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:03 AM
Don't just think about joyous parades though; remember with the psalmist that not all are and that often it is in the midst of tears that joy breaks in--as the hope is expressed in the psalm. Memory can make the present situation more difficult by contrast, but the trust of the psalm's plea is that God's power can burst open the joyous newness despite the present darkness.
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ProudDogProudDog (Kirk Moore) is the pastor at Union Congregational Church, UCC, in Somonauk, Ill. Kirk also enjoys leading sing-alongs for people of all ages, writing random thoughts in his blog and spending time as a speaker and ministry trainer. Kirk, wife Cassie and their three children live in Warrenville, Ill.

bmrathbun (Barbara Mason Rathbun) is an ordained UCC minister, currently serving as interim minister at First Congregational UCC in Hendersonville, N.C. She has taught biblical studies at the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind. She enjoys music, reading, quiltmaking, travel, and cooking. She, her husband John and their cat live in Mills River, N.C.