Prayer for Advent

Where the sun awakens the day
Where the road winds on its way
Where the fields are sweet with hay
    I have seen the Lord.

From "Through the Year with St. Columba"

Advent Musings

From another essay in the "Watch for the Light" book, comes a dead-on essay by Phillip Britts entitled "Yielding to God."

"True expectancy, the waiting that is genuine and from the heart, is brought about by the coming of the Holy Spirit, by God coming to us, and not by our own devices.  Spiritual depth, if it is true, is the working of God coming down and penetrating to the depths of our hearts, and not of our own soul's climbing.  No ladder of mysticism can ever meet or find or possess God.  Faith is a power given to us.  It is never simply our ability or strength of will to believe.  The spiritual experience that is truly genuine is given to us by God in the coming of his Spirit, and only as we surrender our whole lives to an active expression of his will."

Phillip Britts, British horiculturist and poet, died at the age of 37.  It struck me how deep his understanding of God was at such a young age.

Amen

Exquisite Cold

Ken and I walked this morning when the temperatures were in the teens.  Looking like grown-up versions of Charlie Brown, we outfitted ourselves with two layers of pants, gloves, scarves and hats.  And good cheer.

The air around us echoed only quietness.  The ground crunched slightly as we walked across it.  Stars shone brightly and we were fine and fit.  We walked and talked and prayed.  And the world slept around us.

I love to walk in the crisp coldness of winter.  I look for lights on houses and revel in the quiet.  I feel very alive walking in the cold. 

Given to me years ago by a Johnson City, NY friend, a favorite book of mine, "Not Faster Than A Walk" tells in short, daily essays, the adventures of a small town librarian who made it a practice to walk, regardless of the weather.  Each entry captures a time and a place and a feeling.  The book is now out of print but worth tracking down.  Wonderful little woodcut prints grace the pages and although it is a slim volume, I read it time and time again.  And I'm enriched by her love of nature and her connectedness to it.

Yes, baby, it's cold.  But get outside with a loved one and embrace it.  Your cheeks and your heart will be warmed by the experience.

Thought For The Day

From an essay entitled "To Be Virgin" by Loretta Ross-Gotta (American Presbyterian author, dramatist and chaplain):

"What if, instead of doing something, we were to be something special?  Be a womb.  Be a dwelling for God.  Be surprised."

Amen

Advent Readings

Years ago, a parishoner gave Ken and me this book for Advent.  I can't recommend it highly enough.  The essays are long and short, always insightful and full of truth, written by authors known and unknown.  They are not always easy to read, but I always, always feel enriched after reading an essay.  It has become an Advent discipline for me. 

Find it and be challenged.  Read it and be grateful.

Peace and joy to all this blessed Advent.

Advent Prayer

I've needed this prayer lately:

God be in my head
And in my understanding
God be in mine eyes
And in my looking
God be in my mouth
And in my speaking
God be in my heart
And in my thinking
God be at my end
And at my departing.
       -- Anonymous

Thanksgiving

People eat at Thanksgiving.

And give thanks.

We did that too.  But we also made head-dresses, drew on our chalkboard placemats and looked at Matt's artwork.  We had fun.  And gave thanks.  And rejoiced in the blessing of being together.

So What Else Have I Been Doing?

Oh, the usual stuff. 

• being with the ones I love
• church
• knitting
• painting
• work
• and not necessarily in that order

I'm trying something new with my paintings.  I've taken small, 3" by 3" quilting squares, that many year ago my Grandmother Gordon gave to my Mom.  I've gessoed them and I'm using them as small canvases.  It's an experiment that I'm hoping will turn into refrigerator magnets or brooches that I can sell at a local gallery.

Color and Light

I love color.  I love light.  I love colored glass that catches and reflects the light. 

To that end, I recently re-arranged the hand-blown glass globes in our kitchen, placing them near the light over the kitchen sink and organized them according to the color spectrum.  You'll have to just come see it for yourself.

The "Big" Party

On June's birthday, we had a small, family celebration and waited awhile to have the "big" party until Matt's work schedule cleared and viruses were overcome.

June started her evening by having a "primping party" with Matt and Clare's friend, Sarah.  She had her nails done, and a little bit of makeup applied.  She came to her party in a beautiful dress and a very grownup mood (we later discovered that her subdued demeanor was tempered by a 100.4 fever).  At first, we thought she was being demur and reflective.  Poor dear.

But she had a great time....and looked great too.  (Zoom in on those fingernails.  They are light blue with white dots). 

We played pin the facial features on the pumpkin, decorated small pumpkins and treat bags, and found treat surprises hidden in the house. 

By the time the camera battery died, June blew out the candles on her pink cupcakes (cupcakes by Poppy), opened her gifts, and was ready to go home. 

Putting on Pawshie's and Gigi's Ring

Her friends Caleb and Cameron were real gentlemen and we all had a good time together.  June is now a big four year old girl, ready for her fifth birthday and her cake order is already in...a yellow cake with rainbows.

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

What's next?  A boat ride perhaps.  Or a camel ride?

Trains have long fascinated June and Christa.  A few weekends ago, I had to drop off a painting at the Ralph Foster Museum outside of Branson for their White River Painting Exhibit.  We decided to make a day of it--playing on the grounds of the College of the Ozarks,

having lunch and riding the Branson Scenic Railway. 

Our ride was a surprise and they enjoyed it...for the first 15 minutes.

So, we got creative.  And played games.  And walked the hallways.  And sometimes looked out the window. 

We made funny faces.

And enjoyed being together as a family.



Who Knew Leaf-Raking Could Be So Much Fun

Back to Business

Halloween Day and for the first few days of November, I visited the great state of Florida for a conference.

Conference ... terrific
Beach ... absolutely wonderful

I've never met anyone who doesn't love the beach and the soul-restoration work that it performs. 

What do you think?

Halloween Angels

We Had So Much Fun!

The Sunday before Halloween, our church held a "Trunk Or Treat" event, hosted by the Youth Group and Sunday School classes. 

Guess who had the most fun?

Just For Fun

From one of CareerBuilder's latest surveys here’s a list of the most unusual excuses employees gave their employers for missing work:

• Employee’s 12-year-old daughter stole his car and he had no other way to work. Employee didn’t want to report it to the police.
• Employee said bats got in her hair.
• Employee said a refrigerator fell on him.
• Employee was in line at a coffee shop when a truck carrying flour backed up and dumped the flour into her convertible.
• Employee said a deer bit him during hunting season.
• Employee ate too much at a party.
• Employee fell out of bed and broke his nose.
• Employee got a cold from a puppy.
• Employee’s child stuck a mint up his nose and had to go to the ER to remove it.
• Employee hurt his back chasing a beaver.
• Employee got his toe caught in a vent cover.
• Employee had a headache after going to too many garage sales.
• Employee’s brother-in-law was kidnapped by a drug cartel while in Mexico.
• Employee drank anti-freeze by mistake and had to go to the hospital.
• Employee was at a bowling alley and a bucket filled with water crashed through the ceiling and hit her on the head.

Fantasy

Last night, I indulged in flights of fantasy....while I cut multiple strips of edging for two paintings.  These paintings are headed for two different shows but both paintings need to be out of the house this weekend. 

So, I waited until practically the last moment to:

• measure and cut the frames
• attach them to the painting
• stain the edging

I'm still learning the best way to put the frames together.  Stain first, then cut.  Cut first, then stain?

How about making them look more professional....by measuring before cutting?  What a novel idea!  What about measuring before drilling pilot holes?  Brilliant!

But I digress. 

I cut the strips of edging with a hacksaw, all eight cuts. 

Meanwhile, I dreamt of this.

And this.  :-)



My Beloved

He's camera shy :-)

Getting Ready for the Fourth Birthday Party

We're going to pin eyes, mouth and a nose on the pumpkin, ala "Pin the Tail on the Donkey."

Ascension

Christa is not the climber in the family.  She waits and checks a situation out before plunging in.  But sometimes, she grows bolder.

As she did upon the fence at the Murphy Orchard this weekend.