There is never a happier moment for me than when my entire family is gathered in one spot.  It's no secret that I think my kids are the greatest people ever.

It's also no secret that my world is not the same without them and that empty nesting is not for sissies.

When this family, gathers, "Joy To The World" could be our theme song.  We play a lot, we eat a lot and time flies.
How glad I am that the tradition of Christmas is important to my family and everyone makes it priority to be home.

Two years ago Justin and Jenn were absent from the Christmas celebration, but two days later, grandson Preston arrived in this world and gave us another cause to celebrate.

This year, daughter Marta will be absent from us  She will be on call at the hospital where she is doing her internship.  There's no getting around it, gathering everyone together will start to become more difficult as the years go by.

It is easy to get so caught up in tradition that we cannot change our way of gathering.  This is a beautifully blended family and they all got used to celebrating holidays on different days in order to celebrate with both sets of parents.  So we are creative in how and when we celebrate.  We have all had to let go of certain traditions in order to be together.  The kids are better at it than I.  I'm still dumping traditions left over from my childhood.  


So, gather the presents, gather at church, gather around the piano, gather around the tree, gather at the table and have a most blessed Christmas together.  


We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing...

St. Michael is an archangel who goes into battle before God for the people of God.  His name means Who is like God?
Bearing the scales of justice and truth, St. Michael is believed to be the angel who accompanies us to heaven.  He is the angel depicted in Revelations who leads the angels in the battle against Satan.  Some believe Michael was the archangel who warned Mary and Joseph to flee to Egypt to save the life of the infant, Jesus. 


Saint Michael is depicted brandishing a sword 
in triumph over Satan at his feet. He also holds the scales of justice (mercy) and truth above the head of Satan.  


I have worn a St Michaels' medal for a few years.  At first it was to remind me during a down time in our lives that not all things are just but we must hold on to truth.  Later, I wore it to help keep me close to my son who not only joined the army but entered into Special Forces training.  It gives me hope to know that our Special Forces understand the balance of truth and justice and that justice without mercy would only be revenge.

Who is like god? No one but God...   The arrival of the baby King was an incarnation of love, mercy and truth on earth.  Jesus came to teach us the delicate balance of truth and justice and that judgement was not a part of justice - just truth and mercy with love.  








http://angels.about.com/od/SearchAngelsMiracles/p/Meet-Archangel-Michael.htm

My siblings and I were simply giddy with excitement and more often than not were warned that if we didn't settle down, Santa would pass us up this Christmas.  The idle threat worked for at least 5 minutes until one of us would burst with excitement once again, and cause a little trouble.  I'm sure it was mostly my brother, but I don't want to be a tattle-tale, Santa may not come this year!!

It was usually a clear cold night, sometimes snowy, but seldom rainy.  The clear skies allowed us the chance to  seek out Santa's sleigh, hoping to make a sighting.  One of those clear nights, my aunt took me outside and pointed up into the sky where a very bright light was moving across the sky.  She told me it was Santa.  I was awestruck and convinced that Santa was up there doing his job.

I had faith that Santa existed and even though I had never really seen him, (except for the "Santa's helper" in Meier and Frank, I was still certain he would show up with a gift for me and my siblings.  

The faith of a little child is pure and filled with hope.  Some think that the whole concept of Santa is teaching your child that it is okay to lie.  I don't think so.  I lived the hope until I was in 6th grade.  i knew the truth by then, but I wanted to hang on to  the wonder for as long as i could. Santa ended for us that year.  No more stockings or Santa gifts.  Perhaps that's why Santa still comes to my adult children.  I stopped the stockings two years ago, but I still love the anticipation and excitement as we blast the Christmas musci on Christmas morning to announce Santa has arrived and to wake up the kids.

Santa is not our reason for the season, but it isn't a stretch to me then, to wonder if those awaiting the coming of the Messiah wasn't done with hopeful hearts and faith in what they hoped for in a similar manner as the innocent, faithful and hopeful child.

Santa has always been more than a symbol of commercialism to me.  I believed that Santa was a generous, loving soul, who spread that love throughout the world at Christmas time. There is a boost of charity at Christmas time despite the negative news stories that make the headlines and Santa seems to be an inclusive conduit of love and spirit.

The weary awaiting the messiah were waiting for love to appear. And, according to scripture, once He was born, after all the hype of thousands of years of hopefulness, and after three years of ministry, Jesus, had this to say,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Matthew 22:37-39.

The Hope for the world had a distinct message and for me, I hope, always to have faith enough to believe that love will always triumph.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

One of the synonyms of steadfast is constant.  How fascinating that "constant" has two meanings that conflict with one another: happening all the time or very often over a period of time and staying the same, not changing.

Having given a talk on a Life in Piety (devotion to God) on numerous occasions, I can really connect to the two definitions of constant as a meditation for Advent.  A life lived in piety is a life lived in total devotion to God.

During advent I often connect with "the people who walked in darkness;" those who were awaiting the arrival of a Messiah, those who walked in gloom who depended on the constant presence and promises of God.

Darkness covered the earth.  Thick clouds covered His people. But the Lord had promised them light.  

 For a Child is born this Day!  Rejoice.  (Isaiah 9:6)  A message of hope spoken by a prophet of long ago; a steadfast, constant message from God.  The message of hope from Isaiah was repeated over and over again throughout a long, long period of history, approximately 730 years.  The message stayed the same and was presented "often over a period of time."

Imagine the patience of the people. Generations came and went and still the promise was made that a light would shine in the darkness and show the way.

Patience, People til the Lord is Come.
See the farmer await the yield of the soil.  He watches it in winter and in spring rain... 

Steady your hearts for the Lord is close at hand and do not grumble one against the other...
Patience, People for the Lord is coming...

God is the constant in the midst of chaos. It is the constant devotion from God that is unchanging in my life. A constant companion, it is not God who leaves my side, but me that strays off the path away from the comforts of His love. When I choose to live a life in piety I make my relationship with God my highest priority.  It is then that I can be patient during the chaos.  It is then I can steady my heart.  it is then I feel less like grumbling.

The steadfast love of the Lord is great.  Patience, People, for the Lord is coming...

Gentle Night is one of the most beautiful Christmas albums ever.  You can buy the CD or download it at www.OCP.org

Holy :  exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.

Looking at that particular definition of Holy, it would seem that not only is being Holy unachievable but perhaps a bit blasphemous to even think about it.  But 1 Peter 1:13-16 says: So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

William Dun Longstaff, a well-to-do business man in 1882, pondered the call from that srcipture. 
The more he thought about it, the more logical and practical it became and the words to the famous Hymn, Take Time To Be Holy was written. It was written in metered prose and the messages sometimes lost in that prose to the contemporary listener.  Translating it helps me see more clearly, a path to living holy.  Read first the original words of hymn and then my translation.

In this advent season, take a little time to be with Jesus.  Be "totally ready to receive the gift that's coming..."
While the world rushes about, sit and talk with God and let your soul be calm .Let O, Holy Night, become O, Holy Advent. Wait in holiness.  Let others see the light of love radiate from you.  Let others be the recipients of your charity. Be at peace. Holy is thy name...

Delight!!! Such an easy word to reflect on the day after I make Christmas Cookies and a felt Christmas tree with my almost 2 year old grandson.

For my anniversary, my hubby of 23 years gave me a weekend trip to Phoenix to visit my grandson, Preston.  We hadn't seen him since the wedding in June.  Facebook, texts, and FaceTime really help us keep in touch but there is nothing like a real hug and an authentic, "I Wuv You, Nana!"

We packed a lot into three days.  Lots of laughter, good food and lazing around with two of the best parents ever.

Preston had a "friends" birthday party this weekend and I delighted in watching approximately 20- 2 year olds run and play and delight in one another.  They flitted around like hummingbirds from one play station to another; running and chasing and skipping with joy.  These little dollies expressed love for their friends by kindly sharing with one another - without being prompted, helping one another up from little falls and whooping with joy when a favorite friend walked in the door.

After opening some of his presents, Preston scooped up a rainbow colored ribbon off one of the gifts and handed it to me like it was a precious gem.  His mommy was calling him so I told him to go see what she wanted and I would hold his rainbow for him.  I felt a little spark in my heart when I said that.  If only I could hold all his rainbows for him forever. Every color of his little being is in my heart to stay.  I wish for him an everlasting life of these precious little rainbows -- the gifts in the little things.

His mommy and daddy have done a wonderful job recording all of his life moments so he will always be able to appreciate the wonderful life he has had as a child.  But how can I be sure he will always take this innocent, happy go lucky feeling with him?

There is a bittersweet element to being a Nana.  Watching Preston brings back wonderful memories of my children.  Watching him is like watching a repeat of my fondest moments with my children. The warm little hugs, the kisses on the lips, the random little head on my shoulder with his arm around my neck.  It makes my heart jump with delight.  It is one of God's greatest gifts to provide these special reruns through our moments with grandchildren.  And yet, Prestonhis his own being and very confident in that knowledge. 

This isn't just Nana bragging.  This is Nana thanking God for the brilliant souls of little ones who teach us to love, to "live and let go" and not sweat the small stuff.  They teach us that spontaneity and being in the moment is a good thing. Drooling smiles and belly laughs are food for the soul and teases and impish grins are gestures of love.

To think Jesus came as a baby and ran and laughed and hugged as a two year is awesomely incredible.  

At this time of year, it is so right to see life through the eyes of a little one.  It is good to keep the wonder in our hearts as we look at each new day. And it is always good to take delight in moment.

Preston - total delight!

Steve Jobs once said, "Have the courage to follow your heart and your intuition, They somehow already know what you truly want to become."

One of the definitions of wisdom in the Webster's Dictionary is my favorite: "the natural ability to understand things that other people cannot understand.": 

I believe Steve Jobs' quote and this definition are similar in meaning.  Wisdom is not something gained solely from education.  There are plenty of smart, educated folk in the world, but not all end up being wise and many don't even know it's an option.  On the other hand, many  people believe that book knowledge is the only route to wisdom .  Some of the wisest people I've ever known are not 'book learned," but trained in the practice of life."  Wisdom isn't just a matter of common sense, either.  Common sense is brain savvy.  Wisdom combines the knowledge of head and the intuition of heart, and truly relies on the ability to  listen and discern an inner voice

I prefer to think of Wisdom as an integration of knowledge and contemplative thinking. Contemplation is a holistic experience/ 

Wisdom cannot be measured.  Wisdom integrates listening, discernment ,and awareness.  Wisdom requires us to seek the truth and then use our best judgement to act on the truth.  Wisdom is the combination of knowledge, instinct, mindful deliberation, and soul-filled discernment.

There are those who lead with their heart and those who lead with their mind.  The wise one speaks when both unite.




  


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Remember playing hide and seek?  The counting would begin by the seeker standing with eyes covered while all the hiders found there secret hiding places.  Everyone was fairly warned.  The counting was loud enough so everyone was prepared when the seeker would yell, "Ready or Not, Here I come!"  For most, the time allotted was plenty of time to find a hiding place, but there always seemed to be one or two kids still running furiously to find a spot.  They were called out by the seeker and were then out of the game.

Tthat's how I usually feel around this time of year.  Christmas Day is approaching and I've had almost 3 months of premature advertising yelling out the countdown, warning me of the impending holiday.  Yet, here I am, madly thrashing about trying to get things done. Ready or not, Christmas Day comes, and it always seems I sink into my easy chair after the last present is opened, the last morsel of dinner is eaten, and the mess mostly cleaned up and I wonder...  How the heck did I not see all this coming?  How am I not prepared?

I know myself well.  Usually around midnight on December 25th, I promise myself that I will start preparation for the next year's Christmas Holidays by June. HAHAHAHAHA.  That's really all I can say.  

What I really need to do is break out my advent meditation sometime mid-summer and prepare my heart - take seriously the practice of an Advent study in order to remember first why we celebrate Christmas all.  Then it would seem more appropriate to start my gift selections in order to have that part out of the way. Less crowds and a more leisurely shopping experience sounds delightful as well as plenty of time to wrap.  


Prepare the way of the Lord.  Make your pathway straight.  Once Advent comes, wouldn't it be so nice to have only candles to light, a select amount of decorations to put up and spend most of my Advent time adorning my heart with Christmas meditations?  It sounds so right.  

That kind of "ready" would empty my mind, empty my time slots, and empty my heart in preparation of an in-filling of the true Chrsitmas Spirit.

Come to think of it, I could start my own countdown 100 days before Chrsitmas.  100, 99, 98,  Ready or not, Christmas, Here I am!!!!

 I am newly fascinated with this word "wake." It's one of those words we use and never stop to think about it's many meanings.  Wake - stay awake, watch over.   Wake from your sleep. We're going to Matt O'Reilly's wake.  Look, he's jumped the wake. Following in the wake of the storm.  It's really quite cool, isn't it?

In Advent we are reminded that people were awaiting a time when the Messiah would arrive.  They got so tired of waiting, they sort of spiritually "fell asleep."  Scripture would remind them to stay awake and keep watch, for for the Lord is coming.  

The tradition of a wake for the dead is rooted in more than one faith tradition, but it has traditionally been a time to gather and watch over the deceased before they are buried. It's now more of a gathering of loved one's to remember the deceased with tributes, song and even dance.

A wake is created in water by the turbulence of the boat moving forward and a water skier follows in the path, or hollow of the wake.

The common denominator of these three definitions, to me, is the action of going forward - forward movement.  

Wake from your sleep and see what is possible.  Be ready. Be alert and listen for the still small voice of God.  Hold a wake by the side of your loved who is transitioning to a better place.  Stay with me, remain here with me, watch and pray.

 And follow in the wake of the One who goes before you. He has made the pathway clear.

Make your waking time of Advent be a place of watchful anticipation.  Do not be lured into the exhausting chaos of the commercialism.  Wake from the slumber of of Christmas apathy and be ready to rejoice. Do not be a follower of wordly goods, rather follow the star of joy and truth and love.

For, the Lord is coming...

Flood. - Do I share a picture of a good thing or a bad thing?  

Floods can be good? Yes. 

Flooding of property and land caused by storms and earthquakes can be devastating.

But flooding can be an overwhelming abundance of anything like "flooding the widow with cards of sympathy" or "my desk was flooded with applications for the job," and, "I was flooded with emotion."
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 And - my favorite: Flooding can be to "pour forth; overflow." 

It is in the season of Advent - actually starting around Thanksgiving, when it is the norm for me to intentionally count my blessings and be grateful for the love and gifts that surround me.  Memories of past celebrations flood my mind and overflow my heart.  Flooding occurs at Christmastime in many ways.  The stores are overwhelmingly Tsunami'd on Black Friday.  Christmas greetings come flooding into our mailboxes along with advertisements and coupons.  Television commercials are extreme in targeting the consumer and the Christmas messages, good and bad, pour out of our TV sets, radios and internet.

It is only those things that overflow my heart with love and fond memories that make the modern celebrations worthwhile to me.  Because my bank account is not overflowing, it makes sense that any gift purchased be motivated solely by the love and appreciation I feel for the person of my gift intentions.

I love the thought of my advent season being flooded with quiet and peace -- with music and candles and shredded lists of to-do's.  

Perhaps if we look at pouring out as a way to re-fill, the flood of "things to do" could be damned in it's wake.  Think about this.  If we think of ourselves as vessels capable of holding an abundance of things which can be poured back into those who surround us, what, then should we hold?  How about deciding to empty our chalice of those things that do not serve us or others.  Instead, be filled to overflowing with those things that make our celebrations significant and remarkable.  The idea of simple abundance fits here.  Remove those things not essential to the peace of your soul.  Slow down.  A full vessel is full whether it holds good things or bad things.   Pour out (give away) and remove from your chalice those traditions, things, people, food, clothing, and anything that does not fill you with joy.  Pour out resentment, negativity, blame, judgments, assumptions and any feelings that don't bring joy.  Hold on to the memories, the traditions, people, food and music that fill you with joy and love.  Getting rid of what does not work anymore not only gives you room to fill up your Joy chalice with new traditions, but better yet,  gives you space for quiet, for reflection and room to receive the in-flooding of love from others.

The aftermath of devastating floods is chaos. The in-flooding of God's love is Peace.