Terrapin Station

Advent Photo: Abound

These are the gifts that my colleagues chose for residents of the Denton State Supported Living Center. This huge complex on the south side of our city is not well known to most of us. I had never been there until I dropped off gifts. That is another blog post.

The abundance that this picture represents is not just of gifts, but of the love and concern of my colleagues and the joy they took in selecting them. I saw a tenderness on faces as they talked about the gifts that their adopted residents had requested ... that is different and greater than when we adopted Salvation Army Angels or collected for other groups.

What a blessing.

 

Advent Photo #5: Wonder

How does the tree know how to do this, gradually, losing its leaves but turning their colors first? I know there's a biological answer. Today I need the beauty and the wonder.

Advent Photo #2 Promise

¹⁴ The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵ In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

This is my way of helping to execute justice and righteousness in my land, today. A promise to make sure the care that was there for me when I needed it, will continue to be there for future generations of Texas women.

 

 

Advent Photo #1: Hope

I'm using this format, from PictureAdvent.com    

Here's the scripture for today:

²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶ People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

HOPE:

I've got to tell you, I'm feeling pretty un-hopeful these days. Largely because, more than ever, the scripture resembles the world we live in. I believe the Black Dog of depression is sleeping at my bedside (funny because in reality the White Dog of Josie really sleeps there too).

But, one of the Major Truths I know is "fake it til you make it." So here goes.

About a month ago I divided my irises and replanted them. I was stunned to see new growth from those dead-looking potatoey things...amazing!

We had a cold, rainy Thanksgiving and a light freeze last week. Yet, this morning when I went to put the trash out, here's what I saw:

Those irises have hope.

Friday Five: The Advent of Advent

(As posted by me at RevGals)

Shhhhh….

Advent is coming. I tell you this, not to panic you, but as a quiet invitation.

This time of year can be so busy with planning for Advent and Christmas, for those who work in churches and we who live close to them. Today, I invite you to sit quietly…as Mary sits in the photo above…and consider five things about Advent. They might be images, practices, hymns, anything you like. Just let the thoughts wash over you. Be peaceful with them. Be blessed with them.

1. I am thinking of what my Advent observance might be this year, and I am thinking to rededicate myself to the centering prayer practice I have never really gotten into. I'm taking a Centering Prayer workshop next weekend at the marvelous Life in the Trinity Ministry and hoping that spending that day with Rev. Joe Stabile in intentional consideration of the practice will prepare me for the season.

2. As a child, my favorite part of Advent was the Advent wreath at the dinner table. Because we always, always ate dinner together at the table. In my current life, we don't do that. I have the Advent wreath on the coffee table in the den, and I try to remember to light it when we do eat together there. But I have evening commitments three nights a week. That didn't happen when I was younger. We were home in the evenings. I'm wistful for those times. For sparring with my sister to put out the candles with the snuffer (later, in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, I learned to call that "changing the light.") For reciting with my family, "Our King and Savior draweth nigh," and the response, "O come, let us adore him." Liturgy is "the work of the people" and, though I grew up deeply involved in the life of the church, there was not much liturgical activity, as such, in our home life. So that memory remains very special.

3. I love that the Episcopal church does not decorate for Christmas until after 4th Advent. I get the cultural pressures and the problems with it. I will say that I decorate my home earlier, but that's because if I'm going to spend that kind of effort on decorating I want to enjoy it for a good period of time. (and, hopefully, take it down before April.)

4. I appreciate the waiting. The mindful sense that millions of Christians everywhere are waiting together...striving to stay away from the commercialism of the season, and hold to practicing, preparing the Way, and being ready. There are so many, many personal and family resources, and I can get very bogged down in which one to choose! In addition to rededicating myself to prayer,  this year, I'm going with this one, and I'm not going to spend lots of time looking at others.

5. Finally, the image that I always hold of Advent is this: I am a young child (elementary age). In the evenings after dinner, I lie under our family Christmas tree and read by the light of the bulbs, with my book propped up against wrapped gifts. The bulbs are the old fashioned kind, like this:

My Daddy thinks that flashing lights are "tacky," but somewhere in the past, a set of flashing replacement bulbs was bought, and we are by golly using them! So, one or two of the bulbs are flashing, slowly, at different times. I am deeply peaceful in this memory. My childhood had some turmoil, but it is not present to me at this time. I am safe, protected, warm, comfortable, loved, and waiting for Christmas.

I am waiting, Lord Jesus, to wait for you.

 

 

 

 

Friday Five: Random

Karla says at RevGals: Happy Random Friday Five, dear RGBP-ers!

I hope this Friday Five finds you happily wandering through these deep long twilight days with a reasonable  amount of hustle, bustle and peace in between.  Knowing however, that this can also be a jam-packed  or stressful time, my first FF question is:

1.  How are you?  How can we pray for you? Thanks for asking. I've been sick with a sinus infection since last Monday. I finally broke down and went to the dr. on Tuesday for antibiotics, but it's taking a long time to break free of this one. Please pray for continued healing and patience.

2.  On another level, I am sure that many of you have treasured Christmas ornaments.  Tell us about one of your more treasured, and why it is special. My Memamma used to make gorgeous ornaments, satin-covered balls that she would adorn with mirrors, lace, pearls, and beads. My mom had several that I have adored all my life. In addition, when we were in elementary school each year Meme would send an ornament to give to each of our teachers, packed carefully with paper towels in a recycled margarine tub. Great memories. I have some of those ornaments now, and the mostest beautiful one is dusty pink, with mirrors shaped like crescent moons and surrounded by pearls. Will add a photo.

3.  Since I have started in a new call in a new city, I have a new guilty pleasure called Shubies which is a store of wine, cheese, craft beer, gourmet foods, fun kitchen gadgets and more, besides a bakery/lunch counter.  I am currently enjoying an (overpriced)  kale-avocado-goat cheese pressed sandwich on cranberry sunflower seed wheat bread. O.M.GOODNESS.   What is one of your current guilty pleasures? Will have to keep thinking on this!

4. I picked up a beautiful hank of handspun wool in heather grays and purples in October that I am sending my sister for her birthday this month.  I have been looking forward to giving it to her.  What is something (tangible or less tangible) you are looking forward to give in the next few weeks? I am so insanely excited to be traveling to Houston for a long weekend at the end of next week. My oldest sister and brother live there, with one of my nieces, and my mom, dad, and younger sister and I are all going to visit them, along with THEIR visitors, the nieces and nephews who have my parents' (so far) three great-grandchildren. One of these little ones we have met; two were born in November of last year and we have not. Being with that extended family, and also my nuclear family (one of them, I actually had two) will be a treasure.

5.  We must have random words for a random sentence or story, right?  So, here are your words (or forms of) to use in a sentence or two:   earth, cranberry, codfish, kettle corn, pitcher, love, joy, hope, peace, Santa, artist. 

Will have to come back to this also.

Friday Five: Advent Confidential

As posted by me at RevGals:

Good morning, all! In the United States we are waking up from our annual turkey feast, a day and meal surrounded by traditions of all sorts.

One of my favorite Thanksgiving morning traditions is listening to a National Public Radio program called “Turkey Confidential,” in which Lynne Rossetto Kasper and a selection of celebrity cooks take calls from people with problems like, “I put too much cayenne in the cranberry sauce!” and get advice like, “Add a little fat, like cream, to cut that heat.” It’s folksy and amusing, and celebrity chefs join in as well. And I do it every year, so: it’s a tradition.

Waiting for us, just around the corner, is Advent, which almost all of us observe in some way…whether by that name or no, we are all preparing for the coming of the Christ.

Today’s Friday Five, following that line, is Advent Confidential. What are your favorite traditions, observances, hymns, or memories of Advent? Is there something you remember from childhood that you’d like to do again? A funny story you can share about the time the Advent wreath got a little over-lit? We are here and listening!

Play along with us, and if you do so on your own blog, let us know in the comments.

**

1. As a child, I loved lighting the Advent wreath at the dinner table, and taking turns doing a reading that ended with the antiphon: "Our King and Saviour draweth nigh / O, come let us adore Him." Given our current work schedules and preferences, we rarely eat at the table, so if this happens it's elsewhere.

2. I must confess that part of the fascination in the above was lighting a candle at the table, which was not usual for us and which my sister and I fought to be able to do. What is that fascination with fire? We also had a long-handled candle-snuffer, which I learned in Godly Play teaching (as an adult) to call "the light-changer." (The light never goes away...it just changes.)

3.  When I was little (this was the early 70's) my mom made us a wonderful Advent calendar out of felt, a wall-hanging of a Christmas tree with little ornaments in numbered pockets below. Every day we could put an ornament on the tree. We had some Advent calendars of the paper variety as well, but I would love to see that homemade felt one again. Mom, any idea where it is?

4. I appreciate Advent as a change of liturgical season and a time to re-charge my devotional batteries. There are very many printed and online resources for Advent, and I always choose one. In the past, as noted above, family Advent observances were at dinner time. Now I weave them into my morning prayer time.

5. One of my most favorite things to do in the Advent season is to sit and read by the light of the Christmas tree. In my childhood family, we put it up in the days following Thanksgiving, so there was a good long time for that. As I look back at this, I am lying on my stomach with my book propped up on a stack of wrapped gifts. The varicolored lights on the tree make for wonderful reading. Today, I am not likely to lie on the floor to read, particularly since the floor is hardwood, and I think I might need a little bit better light. But I'll get a chair close by the tree.

2013 Advent: I am excited for a trip to Houston (where I grew up) in December, just before Christmas. My mom, dad, younger sister and I will meet there for a visit with two of our older siblings and their offspring...which include my parents' three great-grandchildren. The youngest two we have never met, as they live in LA and New York. It is great anticipation...as is the waiting (come Spring) for my first grandchild. :)

Advent Disciplines

I've been thinking about Advent as a season of penitence. Somehow, despite the purple (or Sarum blue, O thou purists), I do not remember thinking of it that way before.

That may be a lie. If I look back into the archives of this blog, I have probably realized and discussed it. But it feels new to me, today, anyhow. That's why it's nice to be me: I get to realize things over and over again.

Here are some resources I found. 

What do you think?

 

Here's an online resource

Friday Five: Almost Christmas!

Jan says at RevGals: 

In a few days the Fourth Sunday of Advent will be celebrated, immediately followed by Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A lot of worship and celebrating will be packed into these few days, which for my husband and me also includes our wedding anniversary today (41 years!). So for this holiday Friday Five, let's have a free-for-all: Write 5 items about anything connected with Christmas, which of course includes Advent. Be personal, professional, spiritual or however you are feeling!

1. I attended a Blue Christmas service last night for the first time.  It was lovely and very well done.  I was grateful to have the time and space to sit quietly with the sorrows of this year, the things that are making it hard to feel "jolly" right about now.  All the writing I have read about the Sandy Hook shootings has left me with this assurance: I don't have to feel jolly, now or ever. I have to practice joy, which is a fierce thing, rather than a light and frothy thing. 

2. I have one more gift to buy (unless I am forgetting something), plus a dress to wear to a wedding next week.  The latter is by far the harder thing, but I have enlisted a friend to go with me. She will make sure I do not attend the wedding in jeans.

3. Brandon and his girlfriend are coming on Christmas Night.  Fun!  Now that I know I can start planning a menu. 

4. This campus is SILENT. Almost.  Someone on a skateboard is going by under my window. But otherwise, silent. The department down the hall had a party earlier, with much loud laughing. My phone has rung once today. After 5:00 the heat will be turned off in all campus buildings and we will be in hibernation mode until after New Year's. I'm grateful to work at a university so that my holidays can be configured this way...but it is eerie here. 

5. The birds and squirrels that I feed outside my south window will be fine in my absence. I will look forward to seeing them next year. They are a large part of my daily joy.

O Emmanuel - December 23

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.