I have not posted over the past month because I have been so busy LIVING my life rather than writing about it. I had a phenomenal Christmas season, and have savored this December through and through. For me, that is nothing short of amazing.
Traditionally I have gone into a funk in December. Some years it has been a "partly cloudy" sort of angst. Other years it has been dancing with the devil of pretty significant depression. Suffice it to say that December has been my most bleak month of the year for the past 20 years or so. Part of that has been because I have long associated the Christmas season with death and funerals. Part of has been missing my kids who live half a country away, which somehow has felt more poignant during the holidays. Part has to do with other things...
But NONE of it got me down this year.
I can honestly say that 2011 has been a pretty spectacular year for me, a season in my life when I've felt more contentment and bliss than ever before. Then, as icing on the cake, December has been my best month of this very good year.
Here are a few of the highlights:
I started a new job in October. The first several weeks were filled with the expected anxiety of learning curve. But by December I began to find my stride and found I REALLY like my new position. I have been astonished at what a good fit it is for me. FINALLY I have a job that seems just the right amount of responsibility and challenge that keeps me on my toes without overwhelming me. I get to work with some very cool people and I while I still have a long way to go to achieve mastery in my new role, I am genuinely enjoying the process.
My beloved turned 66 on Dec 1. We celebrated on Sanibel Island in Florida. We had an amazing time connecting with each other in a beautiful place. Being married for 30 years to this guy has been quite a privilege. The week of our anniversary and his birthday was a romantic whirlwind that left me giddy.
My spirituality has been in a very sweet space for the past while. I've long had a strong faith system and have been active in the practices of my church. Still, sometimes I have felt less closeness with my creator. Over the past year as I've dug deeper into gratitude and truly savored my blessings (which have been many) I've been able to notice tender mercies all around me on a more steady basis.
Throughout the month of December we did a variety of festive things...Dec 9 - Live Nativity with my brother and sister-in-law, Dec 10 - A Christmas Carol at Nampa Civic Music Theatre with some dear friends, Dec 18 - Boise LDS Institute choir Christmas program - BEAUTIFUL! There was a church breakfast we took neighbors to and a work party that was more fun than I had expected. We went caroling with a group from our congregation, mailed out (and received) lots of cards and made Christmas cookies for neighbors and friends.
But best of all, we went to Arizona for Christmas. We had the most amazing time there, I am still grinning so much my face hurts. We had wonderful visits with family. There were several very special things we got to do. It was just the right mix of quiet down time and revelry. It really was a magical way to close out the year.
Tomorrow night we will go to some friends to ring in 2012. We'll nosh on some yummies, play some games, and enjoy being silly with people we like.
When 2010 ended I was more than ready to kick the year to the curb. It had done me few favors. But I'll be a bit sad to see this one go. Indeed 2011 has been a delightful year for me. I hope I will always savor the memory of it. I've had multiple peak periods of bliss. I've had so much to be grateful for.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Persistance Pays Off
I'm feeling pretty good about a recent accomplishment. I set a goal and stuck with it even when it got frustrating to the point of tears. I decided I wanted to make something fun for my family for Christmas presents. I had a cool pattern for making Polar Fleece Socks. There was just one problem with that. I don't sew. Not that I don't usually sew or I don't care to sew. I mean I don't sew at ALL, like I never really learned. I don't even thread needles.
But I do own a sewing machine that I bought about 35 years ago. I've hauled that darn thing all over the country with me every time we moved. A few different times in the past 20 years I had actually tried to make various items. Most of the results of those early efforts were somewhere between disappointment and disaster. So I gave up. I just never got rid of the machine.
I knew from experience from all my failed attempts in the past that just going at it alone was not likely to turn out much different, no matter how enthusiastic my intentions might be. So this time I found someone who has MUCH successful experience sewing to help me get started. We made the first pair of socks together at her house to show me the ropes. Then,she gave my old machine a thorough review and oiling, pronouncing it a dandy despite it's age and years of neglect. So, armed with renewed confidence and determination I set off for home to continue the project solo.
Enter ominous music from movie Jaws at this point.
Suffice it to say that initially all did not go well. At one point I was terribly frustrated, convinced I was incapable. One pair of socks had it's stitching done wrong and ripped out three different times. (I know, I'm a dork. How hard could this be??)
But this time I DID NOT QUIT.
I kept at it. My first pair on my own didn't look all that great. The seams on the ribbing cuffs did not match up quite right with the seam on the sock. The pattern of the fleece on one foot did not match the pattern position on the other foot. They were maybe just a tad lopsided. But you know what? They were still cozy and warm. So rather than tear them out again or give up, I kept going.
EVENTUALLY I had produced five pairs of polar fleece socks with contrasting soles and ribbing cuffs that were down right acceptable. They were NOT perfect by any means. But I still gave them to my family as gifts and they loved them. See!
There were several key lessons learned by this process...
1) When learning a new skill it really helps to have a guide who knows what they are doing.
2) Perfection is not the goal. It's ok to have high standards, but if I am not willing to tolerate some mistakes along the way I'll never learn anything new.
3) It really did get easier by the 5th pair. If I just keep at it long enough, it gets better.
I don't know if I am ever going to be a skilled seamstress. But I'm pretty darned proud of those socks. And I aim to keep trying and keep learning. Sewing can be a cool thing. Besides, I've carried around that silly machine for a long time. It's long overdue to be put to good use!
It's about time I learned that I can make something besides just Macaroni angels!
But I do own a sewing machine that I bought about 35 years ago. I've hauled that darn thing all over the country with me every time we moved. A few different times in the past 20 years I had actually tried to make various items. Most of the results of those early efforts were somewhere between disappointment and disaster. So I gave up. I just never got rid of the machine.
I knew from experience from all my failed attempts in the past that just going at it alone was not likely to turn out much different, no matter how enthusiastic my intentions might be. So this time I found someone who has MUCH successful experience sewing to help me get started. We made the first pair of socks together at her house to show me the ropes. Then,she gave my old machine a thorough review and oiling, pronouncing it a dandy despite it's age and years of neglect. So, armed with renewed confidence and determination I set off for home to continue the project solo.
Enter ominous music from movie Jaws at this point.
Suffice it to say that initially all did not go well. At one point I was terribly frustrated, convinced I was incapable. One pair of socks had it's stitching done wrong and ripped out three different times. (I know, I'm a dork. How hard could this be??)
But this time I DID NOT QUIT.
I kept at it. My first pair on my own didn't look all that great. The seams on the ribbing cuffs did not match up quite right with the seam on the sock. The pattern of the fleece on one foot did not match the pattern position on the other foot. They were maybe just a tad lopsided. But you know what? They were still cozy and warm. So rather than tear them out again or give up, I kept going.
EVENTUALLY I had produced five pairs of polar fleece socks with contrasting soles and ribbing cuffs that were down right acceptable. They were NOT perfect by any means. But I still gave them to my family as gifts and they loved them. See!
There were several key lessons learned by this process...
1) When learning a new skill it really helps to have a guide who knows what they are doing.
2) Perfection is not the goal. It's ok to have high standards, but if I am not willing to tolerate some mistakes along the way I'll never learn anything new.
3) It really did get easier by the 5th pair. If I just keep at it long enough, it gets better.
I don't know if I am ever going to be a skilled seamstress. But I'm pretty darned proud of those socks. And I aim to keep trying and keep learning. Sewing can be a cool thing. Besides, I've carried around that silly machine for a long time. It's long overdue to be put to good use!
It's about time I learned that I can make something besides just Macaroni angels!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Warm wishes to my visitors of 2010
As I am basking in the sparkle of this lovely Christmas Eve, I want to wish many blessings to my friends - both those I know in the real word and those who I know only in the vitural sense...
So I started looking back through my 2010 posts.
These are the folks who have dropped by:
Jen from Lords of the Manor
Natalie from What's Cool in Alaska
Deb H from Cold Feet Quilter
Mimi from Bigger Than a BreadBox
Rozel whose personal blog has disappeared! but still has posts up at Page Nibblers
Kersten at Altered Gypsy
Elizabeth from Posts from Portland
Tristi from Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
Pat from Pat's Place (the blog that never really materialize but was a fun start!)
JJ at The Disconnected Writer
Cheri Crane from Cran-ium
Kelly aka Jaquandor at Byzantium's Shores
Katherine Darrow from Kat Tracks
Marley Delarose from Love Knows No Boundaries and Blame it on the Muse
Dan from Dan Harrington
Thanks to all of you who took the time to look at what I had to say and leave a comment.
I've had lots of stops and starts with this blog this year - a move, a change in jobs, and much transition of mind and heart.
Having dear friends, both those I hug in the real world and those I hug only with my words are what made the year shine.
Merry Christmas everyone!
So I started looking back through my 2010 posts.
These are the folks who have dropped by:
Jen from Lords of the Manor
Natalie from What's Cool in Alaska
Deb H from Cold Feet Quilter
Mimi from Bigger Than a BreadBox
Rozel whose personal blog has disappeared! but still has posts up at Page Nibblers
Kersten at Altered Gypsy
Elizabeth from Posts from Portland
Tristi from Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
Pat from Pat's Place (the blog that never really materialize but was a fun start!)
JJ at The Disconnected Writer
Cheri Crane from Cran-ium
Kelly aka Jaquandor at Byzantium's Shores
Katherine Darrow from Kat Tracks
Marley Delarose from Love Knows No Boundaries and Blame it on the Muse
Dan from Dan Harrington
Thanks to all of you who took the time to look at what I had to say and leave a comment.
I've had lots of stops and starts with this blog this year - a move, a change in jobs, and much transition of mind and heart.
Having dear friends, both those I hug in the real world and those I hug only with my words are what made the year shine.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Differences in Traditions
My same pal, Tristi, that I mentioned in my previous post is also a contributing writer to Families.Com - a commercial blog about marriage and family issues. I've been mining through back posts there to see if there might be any good info I can glean for the sociology class in Marriage & the Family I will be teaching for CWI this Spring Term.
After several years of teaching primarily online classes I am excited about the chance to get back into the classroom. I've arranged my schedule at my full time job to allow me release time to do this traditional face to face class one day a week. That will give me a very full plate to fit it all in. But with some strategic time management I'm pretty sure I'll be ok.
So as I read through some of the posts Tristi has written I was very impressed by the timely piece she did on "Differences in Traditions"
Whether it be in how couples handle the holidays, general philosophies about money management in a marriage, views on child rearing or relationships with in-laws, one of the challenges of any marriage is bringing together people with different life experiences and different ways of doing things. For those who have the added challenge of being from completely different cultures, or even as in my case having a wide age gap between partners that can create generational perspective differences, it can require some interesting negotiating.
I think one of the most significant things Tristi pointed out in her blog post on this topic is that the modern day tradition we act out may be a RESPONSE to earlier experience rather that a continuation of things handed down from the past. She talks about the importance to her of giving her kids special gifts for Christmas because she grew up without much in the way of material sparkle. In a way, providing an abundant Christmas for her family now is reaching back to the kid she used to be and making up for what she missed out on. Her husband grew up with over-the-top Christmas celebrations throughout his life. For him, the glitz and glamour is far less important.
These words hit home to me with a vengeance. I can see how in several cases, not just at Christmas, I have done things for my kids that were more about responding to my own sense of what I had missed out on growing up than they were about meeting a present need they had.
What sort of tradition differences do you have in your family? How do you negotiate which style of Christmas (or other things) will win out at your house these days? I'd be really interested to hear.
After several years of teaching primarily online classes I am excited about the chance to get back into the classroom. I've arranged my schedule at my full time job to allow me release time to do this traditional face to face class one day a week. That will give me a very full plate to fit it all in. But with some strategic time management I'm pretty sure I'll be ok.
So as I read through some of the posts Tristi has written I was very impressed by the timely piece she did on "Differences in Traditions"
Whether it be in how couples handle the holidays, general philosophies about money management in a marriage, views on child rearing or relationships with in-laws, one of the challenges of any marriage is bringing together people with different life experiences and different ways of doing things. For those who have the added challenge of being from completely different cultures, or even as in my case having a wide age gap between partners that can create generational perspective differences, it can require some interesting negotiating.
I think one of the most significant things Tristi pointed out in her blog post on this topic is that the modern day tradition we act out may be a RESPONSE to earlier experience rather that a continuation of things handed down from the past. She talks about the importance to her of giving her kids special gifts for Christmas because she grew up without much in the way of material sparkle. In a way, providing an abundant Christmas for her family now is reaching back to the kid she used to be and making up for what she missed out on. Her husband grew up with over-the-top Christmas celebrations throughout his life. For him, the glitz and glamour is far less important.
These words hit home to me with a vengeance. I can see how in several cases, not just at Christmas, I have done things for my kids that were more about responding to my own sense of what I had missed out on growing up than they were about meeting a present need they had.
What sort of tradition differences do you have in your family? How do you negotiate which style of Christmas (or other things) will win out at your house these days? I'd be really interested to hear.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Santa and Me
My beloved was asked to play Santa at the ward party last night. He had fun with it.
I have mixed feelings about the whole Santa tradition. As it says on Wikipedia: "There has long been opposition to teaching children to believe in Santa Claus. Some Christians say the Santa tradition detracts from the religious origins and purpose of Christmas. Other critics feel that Santa Claus is an elaborate lie, and that it is unethical for parents to teach their children to believe in his existence. Still others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization of the Christmas holiday, or as an intrusion upon their own national traditions."
I don't mind the idea of Santa in the cartoon myth sort of way - having a character that represents jolliness and the magic of Christmas. But I've always questioned the wisdom of telling kids he is REAL. Last night as the Primary children came onto "Santa's" lap one by one it was very evident that many of the younger ones totally believed he was the real thing. One little girl looked up at him in all seriousness and said to him: "I have to ask you a question. Am I on the good list or the bad list?" I felt so sad for her to have such uncertainty and doubt about the miraculous little person she was.
Some say that believing in Santa is part of the magic of childhood. I dunno. It doesn't really make sense to me.
I do not recall ever believing in Santa as a kid and therefore there was never a moment of disillusion for me when I realized I had been lied to for years. But for some kids this is a big deal. How about you? Did you (or do you) believe in Santa? What do you tell children now?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Christmas Quiz
I enjoyed reading Jaquandor's responses to the Christmas Quiz so I figured I'd post my own answers to the questions:
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Some of both. I am not a great gift wrapper. My sister-in-law, Toni, always makes the most gorgeous packages. It's almost a shame to open them. Fancy home made bows and all. My wrapping makes the presents look like Charley Brown did it. Oh well. I mean well.
2. Real tree or artificial?
Fake with the lights already wired on. For me real trees are like Cats. I can admire them at OTHER people's houses, but I just don't want to deal with the mess and nuisance.
3. When do you put up the tree?
Shortly after Thanksgiving. Often Thanksgiving weekend. I take it down EARLY, so this is the only way to get any time to appreciate it.
4. When do you take the tree down?
I've been known to have it all packed up and put away by 4:00 PM on Christmas day which makes my husband scowl. So I try to hold off till the 26th. But left up to me, I'd dismantle the thing on Christmas eve. When I'm done, I'm DONE.
5. Do you like eggnog?
Yep - but no rum.
6. Favorite gifts received as a child?
One year our family got a ping pong table. That was fun.
7. Hardest person to buy for?
My husband. He is impossible. If he wants something he goes out and buys it. So there never seems to be anything that he is particularly hoping for or would like. Also his birthday is Dec 1 so I've used up all my creative juices getting THAT figured out so by the time Christmas rolls around I'm fresh out of ideas.
We've tried several methods:
(1) Just tell me what you want
(DUD - no excitement or surprise that way, sort of misses the whole point)
(2) I do my very best on my own and HOPE he will like it.
DOUBLE dud. We're out the money for presents neither of us like and then stuck with stuff we don't want but feel hesitant to get rid of because it was a present that was SUPPOSED to please. Like the smoker I got him two years ago. It's out in the shed somewhere but has never even been out of the box.
(3) Forget it! We have too much stuff already - let's just agree NOT to get each other presents.
Another dud. Christmas is not only about the presents, but some token is a part of the magic and it just feels lame if we do nothing.
Then we finally hit on a solutions to the whole Christmas present dilemma a few years ago. We set a dollar limit and I go out and buy a present FROM him TO me. I wrap it up and put it under the tree. He goes out and buys a present FROM me TO him and does the same. Then, on Christmas morning we both get EXACTLY what we wanted (since we picked them ourselves!) AND we also get a SURPRISE of unwrapping presents. My surprise is to see what I got him and his surprise is to see what he got me.
Hey, it works .
8. Easiest person to buy for?
I agonize over every gift, even ones I'm picking for myself.
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
I have about 25 of them. I've collected them for years. Some of them have been gifts. Some I bought myself. I have some real favorites - like this Orthodox Icon of the Nativity that I picked up on e-bay earlier this year:
I TOTALLY COVET Kelly's nativity ornaments. I'll have to repent.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I mail about 50-70 or so every year. Unfortunately four of the ones I mailed this year have already come back as unable to foreword. Sigh.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A pair of pants when I was 9 or so. I felt gypped, like my parents were copping out by getting me clothes that I sort of thought they should have provided for me anyway so they wouldn't have to get me a real present. Besides, they were ugly pants.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
When I was younger I really liked How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Frosty the Snowman with Burl Ives.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Haven't started yet. I'll let ya know. We don't buy a lot. Send checks to the kids/grandkids. Used to make ourselves crazy trying to find the perfect gifts, but as the kids have gotten older we've resorted to sending cash and letting them get what they want.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?Yep. Why not? I think regifting makes sense. But ONLY if what I am giving someone is something I think they would appreciate, not just that I want to get rid of it.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My mother used to make homemade pineapple sherbet. I know a main ingredient was buttermilk. If anyone has a recipe for this PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Also my grandmother always made 5 layer cookies. (graham crackers, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut and Eagle Brand). Totally decadent!
16. Lights on the tree?
When I was growing up we had those lights that look like candles that had some sort of liquid inside that bubbled from top to bottom. I always thought those were cool. But now we just have white lights on our pre lit tree and that's just fine by me.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
ANYTHING but Silent Night. I really don't like Silent Night at all and it plays over and over and over for WEEKS. It's not a bad song...it's just that every time I hear that song I get a mental image of my mother's face dead in her casket and that is not something I choose to dwell on.
My parents both died in December just a few days apart. It has been many years now, but because it was the Christmas season when I was in AZ for the funeral I STILL associate many of the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas with death.
I do, however, really like "What Child Is This?" and "Do You See What I See?"
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We almost always stay home by ourselves and I try to distract myself enough to keep my funk at bay. However, a really fun tradition that has developed over the last few years is that we drive to Boise around New Years to UNDECORATE my brother's tree. They have a big house so usually have a 20-25 foot tree with LOTS of ornaments. We go visit, eat good food, the guys play music together. We always have a blast together and I get to put all the ornaments away in their little nested boxes. That's really the best part of Christmas for me these days.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yeah, but why?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We used to put the angel that came from my husband's childhood but it sort of fell apart this year, (hey, he's 63 so the thing has been around a while!) so we are back to the plastic top piece - not a star really, I sort of think of it as a tree steeple.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
When the kids were home we used to open ONE on Christmas Eve and do the rest in the morning. Now days with just the two of us home there are only a couple under the tree so we do 'em whenever we get up on Christmas.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
My own weird moodiness that I have a difficult time shaking off.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Our tree has no particular theme - VERY eclectic. After all, how many people have a pink paper fish on their Christmas tree? We have a nice mix of home made and store bought, brand new and very old. There's a macaroni angel and something made out of glue and yarn from my oldest son when he was in elementary school. There are some made out of wheat, crochet, felt, you name it. I like the mix.
I do NOT accept blue as a Christmas color.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Green chili?
25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Sleep. Laughter. Peace. To feel more present to the precious connections in my life rather than being haunted by the loss. To finally get my home office organized.
So there's my take on Christmas. How about you?
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Some of both. I am not a great gift wrapper. My sister-in-law, Toni, always makes the most gorgeous packages. It's almost a shame to open them. Fancy home made bows and all. My wrapping makes the presents look like Charley Brown did it. Oh well. I mean well.
2. Real tree or artificial?
Fake with the lights already wired on. For me real trees are like Cats. I can admire them at OTHER people's houses, but I just don't want to deal with the mess and nuisance.
3. When do you put up the tree?
Shortly after Thanksgiving. Often Thanksgiving weekend. I take it down EARLY, so this is the only way to get any time to appreciate it.
4. When do you take the tree down?
I've been known to have it all packed up and put away by 4:00 PM on Christmas day which makes my husband scowl. So I try to hold off till the 26th. But left up to me, I'd dismantle the thing on Christmas eve. When I'm done, I'm DONE.
5. Do you like eggnog?
Yep - but no rum.
6. Favorite gifts received as a child?
One year our family got a ping pong table. That was fun.
7. Hardest person to buy for?
My husband. He is impossible. If he wants something he goes out and buys it. So there never seems to be anything that he is particularly hoping for or would like. Also his birthday is Dec 1 so I've used up all my creative juices getting THAT figured out so by the time Christmas rolls around I'm fresh out of ideas.
We've tried several methods:
(1) Just tell me what you want
(DUD - no excitement or surprise that way, sort of misses the whole point)
(2) I do my very best on my own and HOPE he will like it.
DOUBLE dud. We're out the money for presents neither of us like and then stuck with stuff we don't want but feel hesitant to get rid of because it was a present that was SUPPOSED to please. Like the smoker I got him two years ago. It's out in the shed somewhere but has never even been out of the box.
(3) Forget it! We have too much stuff already - let's just agree NOT to get each other presents.
Another dud. Christmas is not only about the presents, but some token is a part of the magic and it just feels lame if we do nothing.
Then we finally hit on a solutions to the whole Christmas present dilemma a few years ago. We set a dollar limit and I go out and buy a present FROM him TO me. I wrap it up and put it under the tree. He goes out and buys a present FROM me TO him and does the same. Then, on Christmas morning we both get EXACTLY what we wanted (since we picked them ourselves!) AND we also get a SURPRISE of unwrapping presents. My surprise is to see what I got him and his surprise is to see what he got me.
Hey, it works .
8. Easiest person to buy for?
I agonize over every gift, even ones I'm picking for myself.
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
I have about 25 of them. I've collected them for years. Some of them have been gifts. Some I bought myself. I have some real favorites - like this Orthodox Icon of the Nativity that I picked up on e-bay earlier this year:
I TOTALLY COVET Kelly's nativity ornaments. I'll have to repent.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I mail about 50-70 or so every year. Unfortunately four of the ones I mailed this year have already come back as unable to foreword. Sigh.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A pair of pants when I was 9 or so. I felt gypped, like my parents were copping out by getting me clothes that I sort of thought they should have provided for me anyway so they wouldn't have to get me a real present. Besides, they were ugly pants.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
When I was younger I really liked How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Frosty the Snowman with Burl Ives.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Haven't started yet. I'll let ya know. We don't buy a lot. Send checks to the kids/grandkids. Used to make ourselves crazy trying to find the perfect gifts, but as the kids have gotten older we've resorted to sending cash and letting them get what they want.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?Yep. Why not? I think regifting makes sense. But ONLY if what I am giving someone is something I think they would appreciate, not just that I want to get rid of it.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My mother used to make homemade pineapple sherbet. I know a main ingredient was buttermilk. If anyone has a recipe for this PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Also my grandmother always made 5 layer cookies. (graham crackers, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut and Eagle Brand). Totally decadent!
16. Lights on the tree?
When I was growing up we had those lights that look like candles that had some sort of liquid inside that bubbled from top to bottom. I always thought those were cool. But now we just have white lights on our pre lit tree and that's just fine by me.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
ANYTHING but Silent Night. I really don't like Silent Night at all and it plays over and over and over for WEEKS. It's not a bad song...it's just that every time I hear that song I get a mental image of my mother's face dead in her casket and that is not something I choose to dwell on.
My parents both died in December just a few days apart. It has been many years now, but because it was the Christmas season when I was in AZ for the funeral I STILL associate many of the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas with death.
I do, however, really like "What Child Is This?" and "Do You See What I See?"
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We almost always stay home by ourselves and I try to distract myself enough to keep my funk at bay. However, a really fun tradition that has developed over the last few years is that we drive to Boise around New Years to UNDECORATE my brother's tree. They have a big house so usually have a 20-25 foot tree with LOTS of ornaments. We go visit, eat good food, the guys play music together. We always have a blast together and I get to put all the ornaments away in their little nested boxes. That's really the best part of Christmas for me these days.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yeah, but why?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We used to put the angel that came from my husband's childhood but it sort of fell apart this year, (hey, he's 63 so the thing has been around a while!) so we are back to the plastic top piece - not a star really, I sort of think of it as a tree steeple.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
When the kids were home we used to open ONE on Christmas Eve and do the rest in the morning. Now days with just the two of us home there are only a couple under the tree so we do 'em whenever we get up on Christmas.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
My own weird moodiness that I have a difficult time shaking off.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Our tree has no particular theme - VERY eclectic. After all, how many people have a pink paper fish on their Christmas tree? We have a nice mix of home made and store bought, brand new and very old. There's a macaroni angel and something made out of glue and yarn from my oldest son when he was in elementary school. There are some made out of wheat, crochet, felt, you name it. I like the mix.
I do NOT accept blue as a Christmas color.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Green chili?
25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Sleep. Laughter. Peace. To feel more present to the precious connections in my life rather than being haunted by the loss. To finally get my home office organized.
So there's my take on Christmas. How about you?
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Feeling Festive
Between our many trips into Walla Walla over the past several days to haul the dozens of boxes from the major donation I've been working on, somehow I found time to dig out our Christmas stuff and get our place decorated.
In addition to putting up the tree, I put out several of the many manger scenes I have collected over the years and have got a few favorite house decorations that have become a tradition for us over the years.
However, this place is a lot smaller than our old house in Athena, so there simply is not room for a lot of the things I used to enjoy displaying for the holiday. No matter. I've learned to adapt and improvise.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Christmas Music
Merry Christmas, everybody.
And for your listening pleasure, a few tunes of the season. These songs are performed by the group Celtic Woman from a peformance at Helix Center in Dublin, Ireland. Depending on your computer/internet speed it may take some time to buffer, but for me it was well worth the wait.
Oh Holy Night
Carol of the Bells
Christmas Pipes
Little Drummer Boy
In the Bleak Midwinter/The First Noel
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
And for your listening pleasure, a few tunes of the season. These songs are performed by the group Celtic Woman from a peformance at Helix Center in Dublin, Ireland. Depending on your computer/internet speed it may take some time to buffer, but for me it was well worth the wait.
Oh Holy Night
Carol of the Bells
Christmas Pipes
Little Drummer Boy
In the Bleak Midwinter/The First Noel
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Christmas Meme / Christmas Funk
This will NOT be the meme I had intended.
My blogger pal Jaquandor is always good for a meme. He put up a fun Christmas meme on his blog and I thought I'd post my own version here. After all, he says he tags EVERYBODY and that includes me, right?
I made several attempts at putting in my answers. However, each time I tried, it would just complicate my already swirling funk.
First question: Favorite traditional Christmas song:Sure, I could just name off a few songs. I DO like some of 'em. "Do You See What I See" comes to mind. But the very thought of Christmas music also brings me precariously close to the mental / emotional turmoil I've been avoiding.
Dec 16 was the anniversary of my father's death. In a few days (Dec 21) will be the anniversary of my mother's. They both died suddenly and unexpectedly (him of heart failure while asleep in bed, her during a heart bypass surgery that was supposed to be serious but routine) in 1983. Granted, that was a long time ago. But as anyone who has lost people close to them knows, the years can telescope on you in a heartbeat, bringing distant losses rushing back to feel like present wounds.
My parents had divorced when I was about 13, lived in different towns, both had remarried and hadn't spoken to each other for several years. But they dropped dead with no warning in the very same week when I was just 26. Their deaths collided with the Christmas season, wrapping all the emotions of grief and loss around every tinsel, every cookie, every tune.
Mostly I've dealt with the bereavement as much as can be expected. Face it, true grief is not like a cold that you can get over. It's more like an amputation - something that changes you forever. You accommodate it and learn to move forward in the new reality, but it never goes back to how it used to be. So, in that sense, I have come to terms with it. But every Christmas season there are so many reminders of the wound...the sights, the sounds, the smells all haunt me. Every fa la la la la brings up images of my mother's dead face in her casket. Every freaking time I hear a Salvation Army bell ringer I get mini-flashes of my father - pictures in my brain I DO NOT WANT.
This is all the more crazy making because I did NOT have good relations with my parents. So much anger and guilt, hurt feelings and trapped love were tangled up with shame and longing in those relationships. Somehow I used to believe that EVENTUALLY we'd resolve some of the ugliness and learn to be more honest and supportive of one another, the way I believed families were SUPPOSED to be. Truth is, had they lived to be the age of Methuselah I doubt we ever could have repaired the breach. Our family was so fractured by so many things...all the kings horses and all the kings men could never have put those relationships together again. But as long as they were alive I still had the hope that someday MAYBE it could be made right. Now it never can.
So all I am left with is something like the smell of a campfire that has been doused with water...burned out, muddy mess...cold, offering no solace.
Christmas can be a tough time for me. I have my good days where I get pretty close to being able to feel the joy of the season. And I have my bad days where it is all one excruciating nightmare. Paying focused attention to the specific triggers of Christmas just doesn't seem in my best interest right now. So I think I'll pass.
Over on Waters of Mormon, one of the other blogs I contribute to, Starfoxy came up with this to say about the Christmas season:
"In the past I've taken cues from my parents and bemoaned the commercialization of Christmas. I've lamented how quickly the birth of Christ is forgotten among the gifts and festivities.
These days, however, I'm seriously considering cutting my losses and completely separating my recognition of Christ's birth from the midwinter celebrations.
December is an intense month. There are various holidays, traditions, and parties to attend to. For the students there are midterms, or final exams. For the employed there are year end reports, filings, and meetings. There are preparations for next year to take into account. The weather frequently turns difficult. Most people travel to spend time with family. At the end of the month many find themselves physically and emotionally exhausted. And amongst all of that we're supposed to find time for meaningful reflection on Christ's birth, life and resurrection. I can't muster up and surprise that it all too frequently just doesn't happen.
So why not just buckle down and make it happen? Why not make time for that meaningful reflection. Why can't I ditch the parties? Why shouldn't I spend hours training my kids to understand that Santa and rudolf weren't at the stable? Why can't I just push, shove, pull, wrangle, wrestle and cajole my family into feeling the peace, joy and comfort of contemplating the Condescension of God?
Here's my reasoning- Santa, Rudolf, Christmas Trees, gifts, and parties are going hold my kid's attention no matter what I do. They're going to hear it at school, from their friends, in the stores, and on TV. People will demand my attention work and service whether they should or not. I will feel stress, and fatigue. My children will probably be like me- itching to open presents so bad that they can barely sit still long enough to listen to the first half of Luke 2. Why even try to pair the love of Christ with the clamor of modern day Christmases and hope that I can shout louder than everyone else?
Instead I plan for Christmas becomes a time for parties, togetherness, gifts, service, and sharing. And then on the 12th day of Christmas, January 6th, or the day of Epiphany I will, quietly, peacefully and deliberately celebrate the birth and childhood of Christ. After the decorations are put away, the presents have lost some of their sparkle, and just before things get back to normal I will put aside time to teach my children about the miracle of Christ's birth."
As I responded to her there, I have misgivings about capitulating to the mayhem.
The only thing that I can hang on to that is GOOD about Christmas is my focus on the Savior. That part still sustains me. It's all the rest of it that I want to hide my head in the sand and run away from.
My blogger pal Jaquandor is always good for a meme. He put up a fun Christmas meme on his blog and I thought I'd post my own version here. After all, he says he tags EVERYBODY and that includes me, right?
I made several attempts at putting in my answers. However, each time I tried, it would just complicate my already swirling funk.
First question: Favorite traditional Christmas song:Sure, I could just name off a few songs. I DO like some of 'em. "Do You See What I See" comes to mind. But the very thought of Christmas music also brings me precariously close to the mental / emotional turmoil I've been avoiding.
Dec 16 was the anniversary of my father's death. In a few days (Dec 21) will be the anniversary of my mother's. They both died suddenly and unexpectedly (him of heart failure while asleep in bed, her during a heart bypass surgery that was supposed to be serious but routine) in 1983. Granted, that was a long time ago. But as anyone who has lost people close to them knows, the years can telescope on you in a heartbeat, bringing distant losses rushing back to feel like present wounds.
My parents had divorced when I was about 13, lived in different towns, both had remarried and hadn't spoken to each other for several years. But they dropped dead with no warning in the very same week when I was just 26. Their deaths collided with the Christmas season, wrapping all the emotions of grief and loss around every tinsel, every cookie, every tune.
Mostly I've dealt with the bereavement as much as can be expected. Face it, true grief is not like a cold that you can get over. It's more like an amputation - something that changes you forever. You accommodate it and learn to move forward in the new reality, but it never goes back to how it used to be. So, in that sense, I have come to terms with it. But every Christmas season there are so many reminders of the wound...the sights, the sounds, the smells all haunt me. Every fa la la la la brings up images of my mother's dead face in her casket. Every freaking time I hear a Salvation Army bell ringer I get mini-flashes of my father - pictures in my brain I DO NOT WANT.
This is all the more crazy making because I did NOT have good relations with my parents. So much anger and guilt, hurt feelings and trapped love were tangled up with shame and longing in those relationships. Somehow I used to believe that EVENTUALLY we'd resolve some of the ugliness and learn to be more honest and supportive of one another, the way I believed families were SUPPOSED to be. Truth is, had they lived to be the age of Methuselah I doubt we ever could have repaired the breach. Our family was so fractured by so many things...all the kings horses and all the kings men could never have put those relationships together again. But as long as they were alive I still had the hope that someday MAYBE it could be made right. Now it never can.
So all I am left with is something like the smell of a campfire that has been doused with water...burned out, muddy mess...cold, offering no solace.
Christmas can be a tough time for me. I have my good days where I get pretty close to being able to feel the joy of the season. And I have my bad days where it is all one excruciating nightmare. Paying focused attention to the specific triggers of Christmas just doesn't seem in my best interest right now. So I think I'll pass.
Over on Waters of Mormon, one of the other blogs I contribute to, Starfoxy came up with this to say about the Christmas season:
"In the past I've taken cues from my parents and bemoaned the commercialization of Christmas. I've lamented how quickly the birth of Christ is forgotten among the gifts and festivities.
These days, however, I'm seriously considering cutting my losses and completely separating my recognition of Christ's birth from the midwinter celebrations.
December is an intense month. There are various holidays, traditions, and parties to attend to. For the students there are midterms, or final exams. For the employed there are year end reports, filings, and meetings. There are preparations for next year to take into account. The weather frequently turns difficult. Most people travel to spend time with family. At the end of the month many find themselves physically and emotionally exhausted. And amongst all of that we're supposed to find time for meaningful reflection on Christ's birth, life and resurrection. I can't muster up and surprise that it all too frequently just doesn't happen.
So why not just buckle down and make it happen? Why not make time for that meaningful reflection. Why can't I ditch the parties? Why shouldn't I spend hours training my kids to understand that Santa and rudolf weren't at the stable? Why can't I just push, shove, pull, wrangle, wrestle and cajole my family into feeling the peace, joy and comfort of contemplating the Condescension of God?
Here's my reasoning- Santa, Rudolf, Christmas Trees, gifts, and parties are going hold my kid's attention no matter what I do. They're going to hear it at school, from their friends, in the stores, and on TV. People will demand my attention work and service whether they should or not. I will feel stress, and fatigue. My children will probably be like me- itching to open presents so bad that they can barely sit still long enough to listen to the first half of Luke 2. Why even try to pair the love of Christ with the clamor of modern day Christmases and hope that I can shout louder than everyone else?
Instead I plan for Christmas becomes a time for parties, togetherness, gifts, service, and sharing. And then on the 12th day of Christmas, January 6th, or the day of Epiphany I will, quietly, peacefully and deliberately celebrate the birth and childhood of Christ. After the decorations are put away, the presents have lost some of their sparkle, and just before things get back to normal I will put aside time to teach my children about the miracle of Christ's birth."
As I responded to her there, I have misgivings about capitulating to the mayhem.
The only thing that I can hang on to that is GOOD about Christmas is my focus on the Savior. That part still sustains me. It's all the rest of it that I want to hide my head in the sand and run away from.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Balancing Sacred Nativity with Ho Ho Christmas
I am trying to keep the true meaning of the Christmas season in my heart and mind this year, reflecting on the birth of Christ and what His Atonement means to me. But I couldn't help but smile when I saw this picture from Japan of Santa Clause dolphins. Whatever the upcoming festivities may mean to you - have a happy, safe Christmas season!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Blessed Nativity
Today we got rid of all the pumpkins that had been carefully arranged on our front porch and began stringing Christmas lights. We put up the long, sweeping garland and dug out bows and wreaths. Best of all, I unpacked my collection of nativity sets and put eight or nine of them on tables and shelves around the house. I have a lot. Every year our church has a nativity display - over 400 nativity sets of every type imaginable: wood, metal, ceramic, crystal, paper mache, fabric, from the fancy to the home-made, big ones, little ones, old ones new ones. So over the years I have gotten several sets to share for that event. Then of course I've had lots of them given to me as Christmas gifts by friends and family who know I collect them. So I have several big plastic tubs in the basement where I keep them carefully packed away all year just waiting for the Christmas season. Having my house filled with these lovely reminders of the sacred birth of the Savior goes a long way to helping me remember what Christmas is truly supposed to be about. Granted, Christ was not born on December 25. Scheduling the celebration then was just the Roman's way of incorporating Christian beliefs into pagan practice. But I don't care if the date has more to do with winter solstice or Saturnalia. The meaning I hold in my heart remains. Other people may decorate with snowmen or Santa clause or reindeer or glittery gifts. For me, it will be images of the Nativity.
There are a multitude of traditions about sacred births. Some say those other stories are proof that the idea of a virgin birth is a bunch of hooey that is made up by people. Others say they are evidence that something spectacular did happen, even though the telling of it got warped and twisted down through generations.
I don't need a rational explanation. I accept the Jesus Christ is real. I accept that he was born to Mary, the biological as well as spiritual son of God the Father. HOW that happened is not important to me. But it happened. And because of that event, my life, and the whole world, will forever be changed.
So I begin celebrating the days leading up to the sacred Nativity. Hopefully this year I will be able to keep things in perspective, show more love, feel less stress, and care about the things that really matter. That goals is what looking at all these nativity scenes helps me to remember.
There are a multitude of traditions about sacred births. Some say those other stories are proof that the idea of a virgin birth is a bunch of hooey that is made up by people. Others say they are evidence that something spectacular did happen, even though the telling of it got warped and twisted down through generations.
I don't need a rational explanation. I accept the Jesus Christ is real. I accept that he was born to Mary, the biological as well as spiritual son of God the Father. HOW that happened is not important to me. But it happened. And because of that event, my life, and the whole world, will forever be changed.
So I begin celebrating the days leading up to the sacred Nativity. Hopefully this year I will be able to keep things in perspective, show more love, feel less stress, and care about the things that really matter. That goals is what looking at all these nativity scenes helps me to remember.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Light Pollution
Ok - I do realize it's nearly the end of March and most of us are celebrating the arrival of Spring rather than thinking about Christmas. But since Stacy just posted a photo of a bunch of chained up snowmen on her blog, I can't resist sharing this picture I took in Boise over the holidays. I'm all for being festive along with the next guy...but this blatant over-consumption of electricity was beyond belief. (Home owned by CEO of Idaho Power). If I had a wide angle lens you would have seen the OTHER side that had even MORE light..
I suspect this could have been viewed from deep space. It totally obliterated the stars. Good thing there weren't any wise men trying to navigate or they would have been in deep trouble.
This was to Christmas lights what Tammy Faye Bakker is to eyeshadow.
Some people just don't know when to say when.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Destruction Elf
I've been talking to a few different people about when they plan to take down their Christmas decorations. Some put so much effort into putting up lights they choose to leave them up all year rather than re-do it. Is that being efficient or tacky?
We didn't do house/yard lights this year. For that matter, I didn't decorate the outside at all, although I have in years past. This year my take-down process has been fairly simple and all in the coziness of being inside.
As a general rule, I almost always take down all our Christmas decorations - whether simple or elaborate, right after Christmas is done. Like the very next day. On a couple years I started packing it away by 10 PM on Dec 25! This is so much a part of my usual tradition that when it was all still up on Dec 26 my husband was astonished, and said to me: "who are you and what have you done with my wife?"
This year my plan was to leave it up till Jan 7, the Orthodox celebration of Nativity. But I just couldn't do it. The tree came down on the 27th and today I will put away all the nativity sets (I have A LOT - and put out 15 of them this year) along with angels, holly, wreaths and other decorations.
Although I do look forward to this sacred season, and for the most part enjoy it, for a variety of reasons I'm always eager to put Christmas behind me.
Ya know how some people make big bucks decorating places for Christmas? I could be the destruction elf. I love taking it all down. I'd be happy to undecorate OTHER people's trees as well as my own, and after having moved 28 times I'm a very skilled packer. HMMM... Maybe a new sideline?
We didn't do house/yard lights this year. For that matter, I didn't decorate the outside at all, although I have in years past. This year my take-down process has been fairly simple and all in the coziness of being inside.
As a general rule, I almost always take down all our Christmas decorations - whether simple or elaborate, right after Christmas is done. Like the very next day. On a couple years I started packing it away by 10 PM on Dec 25! This is so much a part of my usual tradition that when it was all still up on Dec 26 my husband was astonished, and said to me: "who are you and what have you done with my wife?"
This year my plan was to leave it up till Jan 7, the Orthodox celebration of Nativity. But I just couldn't do it. The tree came down on the 27th and today I will put away all the nativity sets (I have A LOT - and put out 15 of them this year) along with angels, holly, wreaths and other decorations.
Although I do look forward to this sacred season, and for the most part enjoy it, for a variety of reasons I'm always eager to put Christmas behind me.
Ya know how some people make big bucks decorating places for Christmas? I could be the destruction elf. I love taking it all down. I'd be happy to undecorate OTHER people's trees as well as my own, and after having moved 28 times I'm a very skilled packer. HMMM... Maybe a new sideline?
Monday, December 25, 2006
Our Christmas Tradition
So what was the most fun gift you gave this year? (Whether or not the gift itself was fun is not important here, but what was fun for you to give to someone else?)
I honestly don’t remember many of the presents I have received over the years, but I can remember a few I have given. I vividly recall the year I was fourteen when I had my first “real job” working in a restaurant . For Christmas that year I had earned enough money to get my whole family more upscale gifts than my former babysitting wages had allowed, so I was ever so excited about that. I got my mother a blender, one brother a lava lamp and another a black light. (I know there were other presents that have slipped my mind, but those three things really stand out.) I was so proud to give those gifts!
These days, however, trying to find just the right present for my beloved can be one ornerous chore. In the first place, he has so much stuff already, that it’s just about impossible to find something that he will truly appreciate. In the second place, his birthday is in December so by the time I have THAT figured out, Christmas shopping for him is just more than I can face. Furthermore, because our tastes and interests are very, VERY different, he has a tough time figuring out what to get me.
So we’ve worked out a deal that fits us perfectly.
We set a dollar amount limit – usually quite small. I then go out and buy a present to MYSELF that will be FROM him. I don’t tell him what it is. I wrap it up and put it under the tree about a week before Christmas (sometimes in very deceiving shaped box.) He goes out to buy a present to HIMSELF that will be FROM me and does the same thing. I get to spend that whole week being curious, pinching, shaking, wondering what thoughtful thing I got for my husband. He gets to be curious (although he is not a pincher/shaker) about what he got for me. On Christmas morning I get to unwrap the present HE will keep (the one he chose for himself under the guise of being FROM me) and He gets to open up the present I will keep which I picked for myself from HIM.
We both get EXACTLY what we want. We both get anticipation. We both get the fun of magic and surprise on Christmas morning. It’s so fun to say “Wow! Look what I got YOU!!!”
This is WAY better than all those years when we picked things out for each other, sincerely trying to find something good, but usually getting the wrong thing. Or the years when we just told each other what we wanted for Christmas and opened up presents we liked with no surprise at all. I also like this better than the years when we both insisted “Christmas is for kids – lets focus on all the little ones. We don’t need to get anything for us.”
This allows us to do something fun for the kid in each of us. It gives us something to look forward to and a surprise on Christmas morning. Still, we both can be assured the money isn’t wasted, because we each get EXACTLY what we want.
My present this year? A bird feeder with deluxe seed. Isn’t he THOUGHTFUL??? You bet!
His gift: An underwater housing for a digital camera. (for a type of camera we don’t currently own, I might add….but what the heck, he was excited to find a great deal on this housing since there is not one available for the camera we do have. For our next tropical trip he wants to take just ONE camera that he will use on both land and underwater, rather than packing all the underwater stuff AND taking our digital. So one of our kids will probably inherit the digital we have now and somebody else will get the film camera he now uses underwater. We’ll keep the goodies passing around to someone who appreciates ‘em!. Some time in the next year he’ll buy the Olympus C-500 to fit his new underwater casing and still have a pretty good deal! When we get it, maybe we’ll take pictures of lovely birdies eating at my new birdfeeder.
So that’s what we do for presents at our house.
But of course, Christmas is about so much more than gathering loot, no matter what method of procurement is utilized.
So no matter what it is you believe about Christmas-- or Kwanzaa or Hanukah or Saturnalia, or to my atheist friends who are just looking for a good excuse for a feast with spiked eggnog….
Many blessing to you all. As for me, I’m just looking for one more piece of pie and then a long nap!
I honestly don’t remember many of the presents I have received over the years, but I can remember a few I have given. I vividly recall the year I was fourteen when I had my first “real job” working in a restaurant . For Christmas that year I had earned enough money to get my whole family more upscale gifts than my former babysitting wages had allowed, so I was ever so excited about that. I got my mother a blender, one brother a lava lamp and another a black light. (I know there were other presents that have slipped my mind, but those three things really stand out.) I was so proud to give those gifts!
These days, however, trying to find just the right present for my beloved can be one ornerous chore. In the first place, he has so much stuff already, that it’s just about impossible to find something that he will truly appreciate. In the second place, his birthday is in December so by the time I have THAT figured out, Christmas shopping for him is just more than I can face. Furthermore, because our tastes and interests are very, VERY different, he has a tough time figuring out what to get me.
So we’ve worked out a deal that fits us perfectly.
We set a dollar amount limit – usually quite small. I then go out and buy a present to MYSELF that will be FROM him. I don’t tell him what it is. I wrap it up and put it under the tree about a week before Christmas (sometimes in very deceiving shaped box.) He goes out to buy a present to HIMSELF that will be FROM me and does the same thing. I get to spend that whole week being curious, pinching, shaking, wondering what thoughtful thing I got for my husband. He gets to be curious (although he is not a pincher/shaker) about what he got for me. On Christmas morning I get to unwrap the present HE will keep (the one he chose for himself under the guise of being FROM me) and He gets to open up the present I will keep which I picked for myself from HIM.
We both get EXACTLY what we want. We both get anticipation. We both get the fun of magic and surprise on Christmas morning. It’s so fun to say “Wow! Look what I got YOU!!!”
This is WAY better than all those years when we picked things out for each other, sincerely trying to find something good, but usually getting the wrong thing. Or the years when we just told each other what we wanted for Christmas and opened up presents we liked with no surprise at all. I also like this better than the years when we both insisted “Christmas is for kids – lets focus on all the little ones. We don’t need to get anything for us.”
This allows us to do something fun for the kid in each of us. It gives us something to look forward to and a surprise on Christmas morning. Still, we both can be assured the money isn’t wasted, because we each get EXACTLY what we want.
My present this year? A bird feeder with deluxe seed. Isn’t he THOUGHTFUL??? You bet!
His gift: An underwater housing for a digital camera. (for a type of camera we don’t currently own, I might add….but what the heck, he was excited to find a great deal on this housing since there is not one available for the camera we do have. For our next tropical trip he wants to take just ONE camera that he will use on both land and underwater, rather than packing all the underwater stuff AND taking our digital. So one of our kids will probably inherit the digital we have now and somebody else will get the film camera he now uses underwater. We’ll keep the goodies passing around to someone who appreciates ‘em!. Some time in the next year he’ll buy the Olympus C-500 to fit his new underwater casing and still have a pretty good deal! When we get it, maybe we’ll take pictures of lovely birdies eating at my new birdfeeder.
So that’s what we do for presents at our house.
But of course, Christmas is about so much more than gathering loot, no matter what method of procurement is utilized.
So no matter what it is you believe about Christmas-- or Kwanzaa or Hanukah or Saturnalia, or to my atheist friends who are just looking for a good excuse for a feast with spiked eggnog….
Many blessing to you all. As for me, I’m just looking for one more piece of pie and then a long nap!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
A Christmas Letter
I've been exploring a few different blogs I hadn't seen before. Came across something I rather liked, so I figured I'd share it here. Seemed fitting for the day.
**********
Dear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of you’re predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival; although, I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own; I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER; Now, having said that let Me go on.
If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree; It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching that explains who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgot that one, look at John 15:1-8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.
Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile—it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.
Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them (and I suspect you don’t) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
P.S. Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short.
I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court.
And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I LOVE YOU.
**********
Dear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of you’re predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival; although, I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own; I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER; Now, having said that let Me go on.
If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree; It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching that explains who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgot that one, look at John 15:1-8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.
Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile—it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.
Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them (and I suspect you don’t) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
P.S. Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short.
I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court.
And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I LOVE YOU.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Best Buy Bans "Merry Christmas"
So what are you giving for Christmas? I know what I WON'T be giving or getting. There will be no gadgets or toys in my stocking from Best Buy this year and I won't be purchasing any presents from there.
As you may have heard, the elecronics store chain has banned the expression "Merry Christmas" in all of their stores. It's one thing to make a corporate decision to choose to use "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" in all advertising and signage. Its another thing to say you will fire any employee who is heard to wish someone a "Merry Christmas". In my mind that is NOT being sensitive to the fact that there are many people of many faiths who may not observe Christmas. Being that hard line against Christmas just smacks of bashing Christ.
So, no matter how good the deals are, we won't be doing business there this year. I'm off to Tri-Cities for the day, and ordinarily that might have included a wander through the store to see what goodies they had to offer. However, based on this, I'll be going elsewhere this year.
Based on this I am beginning to think I understand a bit better why someone would avoid going to a Dixie Chicks concert based soley on political statements the singers made or why they might avoid Michael Crichton novels due to disapproval of his retaliatory behavior. We vote every time we spend our dollars. Who we vote for really does matter. It's one thing to recognize we all have differences and tolerate disagreements. But supporting individuals or businesses who contradict my core values is something I just don't want to do. That's why in our retirement accounts I will not own any funds that carry shares of Phillip Morris (even though they have a higher rate of return) and back in the nasty days of Apartheid I did some careful research of our retirement accounts to be sure I wasn't funding that monstrostity in any way.
Yeah, I can do business with people who think, believe and live different from me. But there comes a point where it is important to me to stand up and be counted for what I know to be true.
So where is your line in the sand?
As you may have heard, the elecronics store chain has banned the expression "Merry Christmas" in all of their stores. It's one thing to make a corporate decision to choose to use "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" in all advertising and signage. Its another thing to say you will fire any employee who is heard to wish someone a "Merry Christmas". In my mind that is NOT being sensitive to the fact that there are many people of many faiths who may not observe Christmas. Being that hard line against Christmas just smacks of bashing Christ.
So, no matter how good the deals are, we won't be doing business there this year. I'm off to Tri-Cities for the day, and ordinarily that might have included a wander through the store to see what goodies they had to offer. However, based on this, I'll be going elsewhere this year.
Based on this I am beginning to think I understand a bit better why someone would avoid going to a Dixie Chicks concert based soley on political statements the singers made or why they might avoid Michael Crichton novels due to disapproval of his retaliatory behavior. We vote every time we spend our dollars. Who we vote for really does matter. It's one thing to recognize we all have differences and tolerate disagreements. But supporting individuals or businesses who contradict my core values is something I just don't want to do. That's why in our retirement accounts I will not own any funds that carry shares of Phillip Morris (even though they have a higher rate of return) and back in the nasty days of Apartheid I did some careful research of our retirement accounts to be sure I wasn't funding that monstrostity in any way.
Yeah, I can do business with people who think, believe and live different from me. But there comes a point where it is important to me to stand up and be counted for what I know to be true.
So where is your line in the sand?
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