Merry Christmas!

May you and your family enjoy a blessed and peaceful Christmas. Thank you for taking this journey with us. We hope you found a few treats along the way to enhance your Advent experience.

Praise God! A Savior is born to us this day!

One Day to GO!

We are only hours from the awaited time! Today let's contemplate those shepherds who played such an important part in the story that is about to unfold.

Think about a time when you struggled with a question or problem. After trying several complex solutions, you realize the answer is obvious. We often have a way of making easy things hard. Our minds send us in many directions when the answer is right before our eyes. Many of us share the tendency to "overthink".

Imagine if the shepherds in the Christmas story had done the same thing. An angel appeared and told them a Savior was born and waiting in a manager. What was their first reaction? They could have suspected the vision was a trick. They could have believed they had imagined the whole thing. They might have argued for hours over what really happened. They could even have quietly agreed to ignore the whole thing and save themselves the embarrassment of appearing foolish.

But they did none of these. The shepherds, despite their simple understanding of God, or perhaps because of it, willingly followed the words of an angel. They did not let doubt make things hard. The result was that they were the first humans to look upon the face of God.

What an amazing gift!

What are the simple truths God is blessing you with this Christmas? How might you let go of stubbornness, insecurity, fear, and doubt in order to see and receive them?

The hour is near. Open your heart and believe!

  

 

 

 

A Wintery Treat with 2 Left

With only two days till Christmas, enjoy a few scenes and words on winter.

In the depth of winter

I finally learned 

that there was in me

an invincible summer.

Albert Camus

 After all, the Earth must wait for spring.

No angel ever changed the pace of time.

Goodness is still tucked away below,

Empty as a field asleep in snow,

Like iron in the harshness of that clime

As God is born in frozen Bethlehem.

                                  © Nicholas Gordon

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields,
that it kisses them so gently?
And then it covers them up snug, you know,
with a white quilt;
and perhaps says,
"Go to sleep, darlings, till summer comes again."

Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

"I love to watch the fine mist of the night come on,
The windows and the stars illumined, one by one,
The rivers of dark smoke pour upward lazily,
And the moon rise and turn them silver. I shall see
The springs, the summers, and the autumns slowly pass;
And when old Winter puts his blank face to the glass,
I shall close all my shutters, pull the curtains tight,
And build me stately palaces by candlelight."

Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal

3!!!

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent. In this week's Gospel, we read an account of the birth of Jesus from Matthew. The interesting thing about this telling of the story is that it focuses on Joseph.

We've heard the Christmas story so many times we tend to gloss over the details, most assuredly the ones about the quiet, ordinary man who was just planning a simple married life. Then suddenly, out of nowhere comes life-altering, earth-shaking news. The woman he loves and trusts is pregnant and has quite the story to tell about it. Without the benefit of hindsight, you can imagine Joseph did not take the news with great joy and excitement.

Consider the implications from his side. Small town gossip is not a new thing. Accepting Mary would likely sentence him to a life-time of eye-rolling and jokes. Add to this the heartache he must have felt believing the person he loved had betrayed him. You can see why he might opt for a quiet escape. Lucky for us, the story doesn't end here.

Joseph experienced his own Annunciation. An angel appeared in a dream and filled him in on the divine plan. Once again we are awed by a miracle . . . . Joseph said yes, too!

As we head into this final week of Advent, here are a few lessons we can take away from Joseph's story.

1. Joseph was a model of trust. He was willing to change the entire course of his life based on the words of an angel. Now that's faith! Trust and faith are things we struggle with in our world today. There are certainly many examples to prove us right in our doubt. But trusting in God also means opening ourselves to one another. After all, it's hard to love someone you don't trust. 

Here are a few small ways to work on building trust and faith in your everyday life:
• ask God daily for an open heart
• open yourself and share your feelings with a family member or trusted friend
• be willing to delegate the holiday work. 

2. Joseph was a model of obedience and humility. He was willing to follow God even if it meant letting go of his own beliefs about what his life should be. 

Here are some ways to think about obedience and humility in your life:
• focus on being loving, not on being right
• allow yourself to accept help
• delegate and then let go
• ask someone how you can be of help to them and then follow through
• don't commit to more than you are capable of doing with a loving heart and a positive attitude. 

3. Joseph was a model of courage and perseverance. He took a risk and faced uncertain challenges willingly.  

Here are some ideas for living courageously and persisting:
• face a problem you've been avoiding
• apologize to someone you have hurt
• try again to connect with a family member or long lost friend
• talk with someone about your faith. 

4. Joseph was a model of compassion and care. He made his family the center of his life. 

Here are some thoughts on how you might be compassionate and caring:
• do something unexpected for a friend or family member
• smile at store clerks and thank them for their work
• turn off the car radio and talk to the people you are driving
• have breakfast with a family member
• ask someone how they are and really listen to their answer.

Think about Joseph as you go through your day. Consider what other lessons this quiet figure might be waiting to share with you.

Just 4 More . . .

Today is the first day of winter and officially the shortest day of the year. It seems appropriate on a day when the sun shows itself the least for us to meditate a bit more on light.

Enjoy an adaptation of Fr. Joachim's reflection taken from Let the Children Come Cycle A.

I have traveled many places in my life, and most of these trips were by airplane. When I have the opportunity to sit by the window, I am in awe of the sight of Earth below me. On one particular trip, I flew at night from Zambia, Africa to London, England. I did not expect to see much since we traveled mostly through darkness. But in mid-flight, the captain instructed passengers to look out the window.

I lifted the small shade and was greeted by the city of Cairo, Egypt. The view of three hundred square kilometers covered in lights was dazzling! I stared in awe at this beautiful sight. I had expected darkness, but was surprised by light.  

People have lived in this city for over 6,000 years. It has played an important role in the history of the world and the history of our religion. This was the place from which Moses led the Israelites out of slavery toward God's promised land.

God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and called the Israelites to decision and responsibility. They would no longer be slaves, but their journey would not be easy. In order to reach their promised land, they needed to get up and move! God required action. He also gave the people help and hope. He guided them through the desert and provided for their needs. It was his Light that brought this wandering nation out of slavery.  

We are not so different from these early Israelites. We are also wandering. We also have been called. Jesus is our Light, too. He calls us out of the slavery of sin and invites us to be part of a community of believers. Sometimes our journey is hard, but he never leaves us alone.

As we come near the end of this Advent season, let us remember the many images of light that have guided us and helped us celebrate Jesus' presence in our lives. We can call on these images when we feel the darkness surround us. Each day we reflect on his words, talk to him in prayer, and follow his example, his Light grows brighter. May we continue to find ways to make it shine for all to see. 

Only 5 Left!!

As we approach the last weekend before Christmas, what a better time to gather as a family for a great holiday movie. What movies have special meaning to your family? I remember as a kid enjoying "Holiday Inn" on Christmas Eve, and who doesn't tear up during the final scene of "It's a Wonderful Life"?

Another of my personal favorites is "White Christmas." While most people know the movie for it's namesake song, the following song from the movie has always been my personal favorite. It reminds me to put aside the things of this world that cause me to worry and instead to count my blessings and thank God for the many wonderful people who make life such a gift.

Enjoy this treat! Take some time with family this weekend to make a list of "must-see" holiday movies. Then pop some popcorn, light the fire, and snuggle in together to enjoy!





BONUS CONTENT!
The song "White Christmas" is the best selling Christmas song of all time. It is considered simple by musical standards, just 54 words and 67 notes. But did you know it was not originally written for the movie that bears it's name? Instead it was composed to be part of a musical revue about the holidays that eventually became the movie "Holiday Inn." The song was first sung by Bing Crosby on a radio show sponsored by the Kraft Company. The program aired on Christmas Day, 1941 just eighteen days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

A Sunny 6

Walk into the produce section of any grocery store this time of year and you are likely to find yourself surrounded by citrus. Here in the Midwest, the bright orange and yellow delicacies are a welcome distraction from the cold and white of our wintry landscape. For many, this healthy dose of Vitamin C also brings memories of the prized orange you would find tucked into the toe of your stocking on Christmas morning.

There are various explanations for how citrus and Christmas became linked. One theory draws on the tradition of Saint Nicholas.  After hearing some poor maidens were to be sold into slavery because their family was too poor to pay their dowry for marriage, Saint Nicholas is said to have tossed gold coins through the window of their home. His generous gift saved their lives and their virtue. The oranges have become a symbol of that act and a reminder to be generous and giving to those in need.

A practical connection reaches back to a time when transporting goods was difficult due to less sophisticated methods of food storage, preservation, and distribution. Items like citrus were very hard to come by, especially in cold climates. Their scarcity made them quite a precious and valuable gift. Receiving an orange at Christmas was a rare treat indeed.

Perhaps today the bright colors and burst of freshness are enough to make them a special treat. They serve as a reminder that even in the cold, shortened days of winter, a sweet, warm, and bright summer is just around the corner.

Why not treat yourself and someone you care about
to a little taste of sunshine today?