Just Keep Swimming!

My friend Nancy gave me a beaded bracelet with a fish for Christmas. It is entitled the "Just Keep Swimming Bracelet," which struck me as being odd at first. A day later, in our very quiet house, it is helping me to focus.

With our children back in their homes (in Austin and Houston, TX and Seattle, WA)--and at work today--I can see beyond the holiday to my commitment of finishing my master's degree in theology, a mind-boggling task for me in narrowing down topics to even begin. Nancy's gift is a physical reminder to keep on keeping on.

The bracelet came with this little aphorism:

"Life can be as hard to live as swimming against a tide. But at the worst of times, if you will just remember to keep swimming, sooner or later you will develop the ability to swim through life like a fish through the ocean."

It is too easy for me to sink into a muddle of doubt followed by old patterns of denial. My piano teacher points out that I start such waffling when I make a mistake while playing, which throws me so completely off-track that I am lost and can't find my place. This is a huge awareness to help me learn a new pattern of behavior. I think the fish will remind me!

Cinnamon or Panic?

After Christmas

The Work of Christmas

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.

 

~~Howard Thurman

• The Mood of Christmas

From Inward/Outward. Subscribe here. 

Mary and Jesus

Ever since having my own children, nursing and loving them intensely, I have wanted to find art showing Jesus' parents holding him as a baby, instead of sticking him in the itchy manger all by himself. I look for nativity scenes with him being held, which are rare.

Today I found a link to early Christian art showing Jesus as a babe being breastfed (and obviously held) by his mother. That was the most natural way to raise a child 2000 ago, just as it is now.

Madonna and Child (Madonna Litta)
by Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519

 

 

IF you want to look at more paintings of Mary and baby Jesus, go here.

Love at Christmas

Maria Lactans
Artist: Reni, Guido, A.D. 1575-1642

Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas:
star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith the sacred sign?

Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
love for plea and gift and sign.

---

Words: Christina Rossetti (1830-1894), 1885

Happiness!

Jan and Avery with a toy made for Avery's dad David

We are happy with most of our children home for Christmas. Avery is the star with us all, especially with her aunts AE and KA in Cincinnati on a video of a rocking horse! Go here to see that.

Our two sons have to go back to work on Wednesday and so they are driving back to Austin and Houston early on Christmas afternoon. So we won't be in such a rush tomorrow, we are having our traditional Christmas feast tonight. In fact, the turkey is cooking right now.

In between two church services we will eat. Avery, her parents and Aunt MJ are going to go to First United Methodist Church for the children's service at 5 o'clock. While they are there, I will be finishing up the side dishes for our dinner. Then at Chuck's and my usual bedtime (10 pm), we'll go to the late service at All Saints Episcopal Church for the Christmas Cantata, as performed by the amazing choir, of which Chuck is a member.

We are glad that after everyone leaves tomorrow, MJ will be staying until New Year's Eve Day!

Merry Christmas!

My Christmas and Afterwards

One week ago, I felt sicker than this snowman looks. Last Thursday, after appointments with two different doctors, I surprisingly came home and vomited. Sadly, this was only hours after my grandbaby Avery and her parents had arrived.

I kept getting sicker, so that on Christmas Eve (Saturday) evening, our family doctor met us at his office and gave me a shot to stop the vomiting. Later my husband told me that Dr. S advised him to take me to the hospital if I kept throwing up. Luckily, the shot worked and by Sunday I could drink water (and keep it down).

Christmas was a blur for me, but seemed happy for everyone else. I am still grateful that husband CB, daughter-in-law AA, and youngest daughter MJ did all the cooking for breakfast and the big Christmas dinner. The girls made cinnamon rolls, apple and pecan pies, plus side dishes for dinner. CB cooked the turkey. I hear it all was lovely and delicious.

I finally started to feel better on Tuesday, so this stomach flu lasted for five days. So far, no one else has caught it from me. And today, one week since the onset, I feel really WELL. All's well that ends well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other health news is related to that first doctor's visit last Thursday, which was with my orthopedic surgeon, who happens to be married to a good friend of mine. This was about my shoulder that continues to hurt since I partially fell from a top bunk on a train in Russia. X-rays showed that I had torn my rotator cuff, with a bone chip floating around.

Yesterday I had an MRI on my shoulder, which showed more fully the damage done when I torqued my shoulder. Dr. D kindly explained it all in a phone call last night--that I tore the infraspinatus part of the rotator cuff, which he said is consistent with the description of how I fell on the Russian train. There are bone fragments loose, which will cause nerve pinching unless removed. So surgery is indicated.

Today I learned that I can have the surgery next Wednesday afternoon. I spent almost three hours at the hospital this afternoon pre-registering. I am glad it can be done so soon and by such an excellent surgeon, who is also a kind and good man.

Merry Christmas!

Church of the Resurrection and Spilled Blood
Saint Petersburg, Russia

Christmas Wishes

Within Our Reach: Joy

— by Fra Giovanni Giocondo

Fra Giovanni Giocondo (c.1435–1515) was a Renaissance pioneer, accomplished as an architect, engineer, antiquary, archaeologist, classical scholar, and Franciscan friar. Today we remember him most for his reassuring letter to Countess Allagia Aldobrandeschi on Christmas Eve, 1513.

---

I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant.

Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see. And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver. But we, judging its gifts by their covering, cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard. Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power. Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel's hand that brings it to you.

Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty, believe me, that angel's hand is there. The gift is there and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Your joys, too, be not content with them as joys. They, too, conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it; that is all! But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country home.

---

Friday Five: To Do List

Ever since I was little, I heard that Santa is making a list and checking it twice. I can see why he has to keep checking it, because there is so much to do before Christmas! Only nine days left, and I don't have church services to plan, but there is much left to be done. My daughter-in-law tells me that she feels behind, which is how I have been feeling.

No matter how organized you are, there must be some things you still need to do. For this Friday Five, tell us five things on your Christmas "To Do" List. Include anything you have decided to skip doing this year. As a bonus, give us something that helps you remember why this season even exists.

1. Decorations out--I'm not sure how much will get out. We finally put up a Christmas tree last night. The lights are on it and an angel on top, but still no other decorations. I am thinking that it looks very nice as it is.

2. Baking cookies--I've only baked the only family favorite "Holiday Sparklers," which are butter cookies with three chocolate chips rolled in the middle of each ball. Each ball is topped with green or red sprinkles. I am not sure how many other ones I will try; usually I bake way too many.

3. Decide on our Christmas meal--Over my entire life, we've always had about the same menu for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. This last Thanksgiving had me wondering if I really wanted the same old, same old. I know I am stuck with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, but I need to plan what the accompanying items will be.

4. Find out when and if third child (and second son) BJ is coming home for Christmas.

5. Clean out the big drawer under the wall ovens to be devoted to Avery's books and toys--before she and her parents arrive next Thursday.

Bonus: Centering Prayer at least once a day--twice would be better, but that is not always managed, to my chagrin.

Christmas Shopping

I have done almost all my Christmas shopping on the internet this year. I find that easier, especially when people have Amazon Wish Lists.

Friday Five: Random

Revkjarla brings today's Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals:

I don't know about you, but my life seems to have a lot of random surprises lately. Just little things,like the doggy in the picture, who was rescued by a Good Samaritan from running into traffic, who then brought him to the police, who brought him to my neighbor's house. I took the doggy, now named Scout, to the vet on Monday, and the woman behind the desk said, "This dog looks so familiar. Were you here last week?" I told her no, that this particular dog is a stray, and she looked at me, and said (use your best Boston accent here), "Oh my GAWD! I rescued that dog on Satuhday! I took him to the police!" and then she proceeded to tell me the story. She was Scout's angel.

Random, right?

So, for our Friday Five, I invite you share five random things about you, or five random thoughts, or five random surprises in your life.

Just be random!

This goes along with something my friend Katherine said to me today about her husband--he will ask "Tell me something interesting." That could be random but interesting!

1. I've been hating my hair recently, as it has been so flyaway and weird. When I got my hair cut recently, I asked Dee, who has cut my hair for the past 18 years, about it. She said it is because I have varied lengths of little hairs coming up on top of my head--I have been losing hair over the past few months so slowly that I did not notice. I had thought I had escaped side effects of taking methotextrate for my RA, even though my rheumatologist asks me at every appointment if I am losing hair. . . .and I had not thought so until now! So I am in the in-between stage of growing out my bangs, so the weight will cover up the little hairs. So I am encouraged.

2. Daughters AE and KA are flying from Seattle to Austin on Saturday! They are not going to spend Christmas with us, but will visit KA's family in Ohio instead. So we are having a mini-family gathering this weekend in Austin. Yay!

3. AE and KA gave me the newly published book 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami for my birthday, which was also its publication date. I plan to read this thick book after Christmas when I have more time to dedicate myself to it. I had never heard of it before they gave it to me, even though many people were awaiting its publication.

4. I love playing Words with Friends on my Ipod, even though I usually lose.

5.I had to go to three different supermarkets to find red sprinkles (sugar) to buy. I cannot find red currant jelly anywhere in Corpus Christi, but may get it in Austin. At least, I am getting ready to bake Christmas cookies! (The only Christmas item I've brought out is our Christmas wreath on the door. Husband CB put lights on the house outside, too.)

12 Gifts of Christmas

I just came across "The 12 Gifts of Christmas," a list of kind things to do for strangers for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. It would be most appropriate to post this 12 days before Christmas, but I'll probably forget, so here it is:

12 Gifts of Christmas by Trista Wilson and here is her list:

THE 12 GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS:

DAY 12: (DECEMBER 13)-- Buy food for a homeless person (or someone in need). This does not have to be expensive. $5 should cover lunch.

DAY 11: (DECEMBER 14)-- Write a kind, hand-written letter to someone that changed your life for the better. And no, I'm not talking about an email or a text...I'm talking about snail mail people. ;) (This can be to a childhood friend, a teacher from the past, or even an old baby-sitter that impacted your life for the better.)

DAY 10: (DECEMBER 15)-- Pay for the person's order in line behind you in either the coffee drive-thru, fast food, a tollbooth, train ticket, etc. (There are a LOT of options here...)

DAY 9: (DECEMBER 16)-- Put grocery carts away in a random parking lot for other shoppers or find carts that others have left behind. It will help the employees out by bringing them indoors where they belong.

DAY 8: (DECEMBER 17)-- Write a letter of thanks to the armed forces. (Yes, even if you don't support the war. Remember that these people are risking their lives daily in order to ensure our safety and Freedom).

Here is the address:

A Million Thanks
17853 Santiago Blvd. #107-355
Villa Park, CA 92861

DAY 7: (DECEMBER 18)-- Buy or bake something for a neighbor. You may know them well, you may have never even introduced yourself. So here's your chance;)

DAY 6: (DECEMBER 19)-- Buy a $5 or $10 gift card for a grocery store, gas station, coffee place, etc. Leave the gift card on a random park bench or windshield of someone's car.

DAY 5: (DECEMBER 20)-- Do something kind for the elderly. This can be anything from helping them to their car with heavy groceries, holding the door open for them, volunteering at a retirement home, or even raking their leaves.

DAY 4: (DECEMBER 21)-- Tape quarters to a vending machine. So simple, yet so convenient! I honestly cannot count how many times I have wanted a snack or a soda, but could not dig up that last quarter to satisfy my craving.

DAY 3: (DECEMBER 22)-- Leave a generous tip for a server, barista, or bartender--along with a nice note. This will most likely make their night. Having been in all three of these positions, I know how easy it is to get discouraged when guests are difficult and do not tip. This could turn their entire day around!

DAY 2: (DECEMBER 23)-- Purchase a gift card at a local grocery store (of any amount). Turn around in line, and hand it to the first person you see. Then walk away. No explanation is needed. I'm sure their expression will say it all.

Day 1: (DECEMBER 24)-- YOUR turn to choose a random act of kindness. I thought it would be fun to see the different ideas everybody comes up with for this last day before Christmas. Be creative. The sky is the limit. =)

Trista like you to document this and if you do so, please email your blog address and the account of your experience to CHAINLINKS08@GMAIL.COM.

If you'd like to get involved online on Facebook, go to
https://www.facebook.com/events/315454065150001/

Or just try one or all twelve activities now or on the dates indicated. Show you care!

Friday Five: Holiday "What Was"

KathrynZJ brings today's Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals:

Yes, I know it's January and yes, I know some of us are still on a cool sprint after only a brief respite (if that) from Advent and Christmas BUT... before we move too far along into The Next, I wanted to give us a chance to reflect on What Was.

A couple of staff members and I sat down today and wrote down what worked and didn't work during the Advent and Christmas season. There are quite a few things bearing down on us at the moment so it was a discipline to do it, but ten and a half months from now Future Me is going to LOVE that we made the effort.

And so partly to give us all a record and partly to give us all a chance to reflect on the 2010 Holiday Season now that we are out of it, I ask you this:

1) What food item was one of your favorites this year - a definite keeper?
Holiday Sparklers are our favorite family Christmas cookie, which was my mother's recipe. It is basically a butter cookie rolled into a ball around three chocolate chips, and this year I used Fair Trade chocolate chips!

The new cookie recipe I tried was one I found on the internet, which reminded us of old-fashioned cookies--mincemeat cookies. I tried it because I'd bought a jar of mincemeat, just because my mother always had that at Christmas to make a pie. I did not want to make a pie and so found that new recipe.

2) Was there a meal or party or a gathering that stands out in your mind from this most recent holiday season?
I loved the two vegetarian meals that daughters AE and KA fixed for us on two different evenings. Sweet potato quesadillas were wonderful!

3) Were you involved in a jaw-dropper gift? Were you the giver or recipient or an on-looker?
Getting my tree from all my children was a complete surprise to me. I love it! There's a picture of that in last week's FF.

4) Was there at least one moment where you experienced true worship?
The late Christmas Eve service was glorious, especially with all the music.

5) What is at least one thing you want to make sure you do next year?
Again make my friend Nancy's mother's pie crust recipe so we will have wonderful pies. That's something I did for the first time this year, and it made pie making so much easier and more delicious.

BONUS: What is something you absolutely must remember to do differently... or not at all!
I want to worry less about everyone being happy and take each moment as it comes, without worry.

OR: If you just want to sum it all up in a few words, that will work too.
Be grateful as often as I can, living out of a grateful heart.

Jan. Friends: Acceptance

Friendship is always a way of accepting others for whom they are. However, I am not always as welcoming to myself as I am with others. Having grown up in an alcoholic home, I was raised with unwritten laws of (1) do not talk; (2) do not feel; and (3) do not trust. These "rules" continue to affect me in my life, though I am growing out of them to some degree.

Unfortunately, during times of stress, I revert to old patterns and inevitably judge myself harshly. I am aware that I did this during our Christmas-time with all our children home: when things seemed to be rocky or not idyllic, I periodically would assume it was MY fault. But how can I be in charge of everyone else? Forgetting that the only person I can change is myself, I expected that I could make everyone happy! When that failed to materialize, I took on the blame or responsibility.

This is old, old behavior. So my family and visitors were teaching me lessons I needed to learn (and re-learn)--that feelings arise and disappear and are NOT who I am (or who anyone else is). I am NOT my feelings! I am beloved as I am, not in the future or the past--just as each person is.

What is necessary:

ACCEPT--ALLOW--RESPECT!

Too fat to fit!

Poor Santa! I am feeling this way, as I keep snacking on the few cookies and goodies left around after our children's departure. Some thoughtfully gave me fair trade chocolate bars and now I keep snitching little bits. What won't I fit into?

Turkey Chowder

Most of my family (minus the two vegetarians) like to make and eat Turkey Chowder after Thanksgiving and Christmas, since we're a family who has turkey on both holidays. Ever since I discovered Jane Brody's Good Food Book in 1986, I have made Turkey Chowder several times a year.

With so much company this year, I cooked two turkeys for Christmas dinner. I have never done that before. Having a lot of turkey left, I gave good portions of it to BJ and DC/AA to take home with them. I knew AA planned to make Turkey Chowder, just I am going to make it tomorrow night. However, I did not realize that bachelor BJ would make it, too; he called me on his way home from work today to ask about the ingredients so he could buy them for tonight's meal!

Since we like this recipe so much, I decided that I should post it here:

Turkey Chowder

1 ½ Tbsp. butter

1 onion, thinly chopped

(optional ¼ cup chopped green pepper—I don’t use)

1 ½ cups chicken or turkey broth

2 cups diced carrots (about 3 medium)

3 cups peeled, diced potatoes (about 3 medium)

1 cup thinly sliced celery

½ tsp. salt

3 cups cooked, diced turkey or chicken

1 17-oz. can cream-style corn or pour in frozen corn kernels

½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

½ + tsp. Mrs. Dash

some drops of Tabasco Sauce

3 cups milk

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, and sauté the onion (and pepper) until they are tender.
2. Add the broth and carrots. Heat the chowder to boiling, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the chowder for 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, celery, and salt. Simmer the chowder, covered for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
4. Stir in the turkey, corn, other spices, and milk. Heat the chowder thoroughly, but do not let it come to a boil.

Brody, Jane. Jane Brody's Good Food Book. NY: W. W. Norton and Company, 1985. 347.

Are they gone yet?

Is it safe to come out? Are they gone yet?

Our cat has been hiding in the bathroom for the last week. With six dogs around, two of whom were allowed in all parts of the house (unlike the other four), she stayed in her bed in the pink bathroom all the time. Last year I took a picture of her doing that during the visit of three of our children and five dogs.

Everyone left today (and yesterday), so the house is very quiet, except for the washing machine running. It was wonderful to have all our children, their spouses, dogs, and one grandchild here for Christmas. Most of the Christmas cookies have also disappeared, which is very good for CB and me.

BJ left with Troy yesterday, because he had to go back to work in Houston today. About an hour ago two cars left with our remaining children. Youngest daughter MJ is driving AE and KA and Morgan cocker spaniel to the Austin airport so they will fly directly to Seattle this evening. MJ will then spend the night in Austin with her oldest brother DC and his wife AA and baby Avery tonight. That family left earlier today with their bulldog Sampson.

The children gave me a tree for my backyard for Christmas. I love my new live oak tree! CB is outside now staking it up.

I will download and post pictures later.

Merry Christmas!

Love at Christmas

Maria Lactans
Artist: Reni, Guido, A.D. 1575-1642

Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas:
star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith the sacred sign?

Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
love for plea and gift and sign.

---

Words: Christina Rossetti (1830-1894), 1885