1

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever:

2

Wrapped in the cloak of justice from God, bear on your head the mitre that displays the glory of the eternal name.

3

For God will show all the earth your splendor:

4

you will be named by God forever the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

5

Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children Gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God.

6

Led away on foot by their enemies they left you: but God will bring them back to you borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.

7

For God has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, And that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground, that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.

8

The forests and every fragrant kind of tree have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;

9

For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company.

Both my daughter and son are sick right now…coughing and blowing…we even forgot one of the marching band events on Saturday!  My Grampa would have said, "You knotheads!"  He just came to mind and it makes me smile.

The tree was put up and decorated and it was quite a time getting into the right mindset.  We couldn’t find our Rita Macneil CD and we know full-well, it is essential to the proper atmosphere!  At some point, my daughter stuck the film, Love Actually, into the dvd player and we seemed to stymie the sense that things just weren’t ‘normal’.  I always miss my oldest daughter at this time.  It is a hard thing to feel her so far away.