The Secret of Christmas

Do you remember this song from the good old days circa 1959 when it was written for Bing Crosby? (What? You weren't even born yet? Goodness I am growing old.) I still love Crosby's smooth, warm voice and so listen to a lot of his Christmas music. Yes, I am most particularly fond of some secular Christmas music and this song ranks high. It may be the discussion my mother had with me when I found her shedding tears while listening to it. My mother was a sensitive spirit married to a way less sensitive one, which explains a lot about the marriage and my childhood.

Anyway, in the end, the song says that the Secret of Christmas is not the things that you do at Christmastime, but the Christmas things you do all year through.

Now on the face of it, THAT is not the secret of 

Christmas — or is it? I might be able to make a case for it because The Child Who came to us is NOT a secret. No, the story is told from Genesis to Revelation and preachers have been telling the story for centuries, not to mention those pesky bloggers who just keep sharing their faith when what people really want is a pretty picture or a new recipe. ☺

Once again, this Christmas is not shaping up to be the most perfect one ever. All the same conditions that existed before are still with us. And that is why it is good to remember that the entire reason for Christmas is to acknowledge that He came to rescue us over and over again. It is His desire to live in our hearts and to be called upon first. (John 15) Sometimes I practice counting all the times (that I am aware of...there are probably too many to count of which I know nothing ) where He rescued me. So many. He's been rescuing me for years. I expect Him to continue all the way to Glory.

Now as it happens, I do have some pictures to share and so will be returning, The Lord willing and my resolve holds. I certainly have been enjoying visiting you and seeing what you are doing. I love all the variety of experience, place, decor...

 Before you wander off to enjoy this wonderful day: What do you think the "secret" of Christmas is? 

A Little Bit of a Lot to Do

I'm supposed to be doing something, anything, but blogging. Yes, I still have a little bit of a lot to do. 


In the meantime, let me share some sweet photos I took at my sister's yesterday when I was visiting with my dad. If you are a praying person, I'd love it if you would say a prayer for him. He fell hard Wednesday evening...right over backwards and tunked his head pretty fair and all because he was trying to pick something up from the floor. I told him that no good deed goes unpunished, which is probably way too cynical by half, but how I feel sometimes. Growing old is not easy.
Anyway, back to brighter things...

My father and I have been having some conversations about the changes he has experienced in a lifetime of Christmases. He has said goodbye to many people and homes and things. 
We talked about how his family celebrated Christmas with his maternal grandmother and her younger children (her "second family") spending the day with them. The tree was always in the front room bay window and his dad usually fetched the tree. This was news to me as I had assumed that my father had to fetch the tree. 
(I remember many a Christmas when my sister and I went on the annual search in the woods behind our home to find a tree.  Dad would usually take the toboggan and his saw and after a lengthy search, he would eventually settle on one. The tree would be loaded onto the toboggan with the trunk under the curved front and my sister would ride the tree in while I trudged along beside. If my parents owned a camera, I'm sure that there'd be cute photos.) 
My father told me that he doesn't like Christmas anymore. I asked him why and he said that he didn't like Christmas trees. What? Well the tree above is the one that he insists must have its lights on all day and evening. (In my childhood home, the tree lights had to be off during the day. ☺)

This is the JOY sign that is directly before him and its lights must be on all day as well. I'm sure that he hates it. Ha!

Dad dozing after lunch. He soon woke to watch an old episode of Matlock with me. We do love Andy Griffith.

My sister has a lot of red in her decor. That's my father's favorite color.

Unless it's blue.

He wanted to know about my tree here so I was able to share a picture on my cell phone.

He looked at it carefully and wanted to know why I had all the books. He enjoys reading non-fiction himself and then getting rid of the book. Having bookcases is just "showing off." ☺
Gotta scoot! As a Christmas gift to you, I'm closing comments today. Read and scoot. You have better things to do!

You're Here

Two very different songs from two different perspectives have provided me with much to think about this Advent season.

One is Joseph's Song by Michael Card. I have loved this one for years. Now Scripture does not tell us what Joseph was thinking the night Jesus was born, but in this song we get an idea of what may have been going on in his thoughts.

Joseph's Song

How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be

Lord I know He's not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The son of my love

Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God
Lord for all my life I've been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king, How can I raise a king
He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be


Michael Card

The second is You're Here by Francesca Battistelli from Mary's point of view. Mary seems to be aware of future events...that sword that would pierce her soul. How much she comprehended that night, I do not know. We know that she pondered things and we also know that life was just so ordinary that she and Joseph pretty much forgot who Jesus really was that time at the temple...it is easy to forget when life is _______.

You're Here 

Hold on now, I gotta take a deep breath

I don't know what to say when I look in your eyes

You made the world before I was born

Here I am holding You in my arms tonight

Noel, Noel, Jesus our Emmanuel

You're here, I'm holding You so near

I'm staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator

You could've left us on our own, but You're here

Don't know how long I'm gonna have You for

But I'll be watching when You change the world

Look at Your hands, they're still so small

Someday You're gonna stretch them out and save us all

Noel, Noel, God with us Emmanuel

You're here, I'm holding You so near

I'm staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator

You could've left us on our own, but you're here… you're here

Someday I'm gonna look back on this

The night that God became a baby boy

Someday You're gonna go home again,

But You leave your spirit and flood the world with joy

You'll be here, I'm holding You so near

I'm staring into the face of my Savior, King and Creator

You could've left me on my own, but you're here… You're here

Hallelujah… You're here… Hallelujah... You're here

by Francesca Battistelli

Your thoughts? 

I Need a Silent Night

A few random photos (and not necessarily wonderful ones) of my wee haven. The driveway is my responsibility again. And, yes, I cleared all seven inches of snow by myself. No plow, no snowblower, just a scoop and girl  old lady power.

That deck table needed something. I worked with what I had. The best that can be said is that it is colorful. (Your eyes are not deceiving you, it's a sifter secured with a birch stick.) Ha!

The grands like the wee village and the giant carolers. We are not fussy about scale here.

The wee village lives next door to the Poinsettia Jungle.

↑And just before the lobster tree...

  

It is so cold here (there, too?) that I ran the fake fire on full blast all day.

My vantage point...

My one attempt at wrapping...

Christmas boys: father and son (my son and grandson)

*Aromatherapy*

Love this song by Amy Grant and I'm sure that I have shared it before. Inevitably, I arrive at this place in the Christmas season...in need of a Silent Night. How are you doing?

Holiday Decorating Hodge Podge

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. a. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). 

5?  I feel that my decor is average...moderate...okay...enough. 

b. What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done?

One of my favorite and important spots to decorate is the buffet behind the sofa. It is NOT done.

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or do both-it's Christmas!

Check out 'Tis the Season a post or two ago for a picture of the Nativity. I have a love~hate relationship with this Nativity. It is a Home Interiors set that I bought many years ago for about $50. It seemed very pricey and dear at the time. I still think the figures are lovely and attractive. Where I am conflicted is...well...Mary is a blue-eyed blonde. That can't be right. Baby Jesus is a curly-headed, blue-eyed blonde as well.  That can't be right either. Yes, my Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are pastel; even the clothing they wear is soft and muted. 

3. Do you live in a social neighborhood? If so are you glad? If not do you wish you did?

Social? As in visiting each other's homes? I know my neighbors, but only in an informal way...not much visiting at the kitchen table, more like visiting over the fence. Guess that I am content with things as they are. 

4. As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now?

In two ways...It would be easy for me to slip into my memories of former, and happier, times. It would also be easy to slip into wishing my life away. There's no time like the present encourages me to be present in this moment, in this time. Secondly, as a horrid procrastinator, life is a whole lot easier when I buckle down and do whatever.it.is from making the phone call to paying the bill or decorating that buffet?

5. Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not?

Not since retirement. In fact, Monday is my new Friday.

6.  Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now?

I have an Easter cactus, but no Christmas cactus. I also have a poinsettia that I have managed to keep alive for two years now. It even had red leaves last spring. Anyway, it is leggy and all green now. Have always wanted an Amaryllis, but never have had one. 

7. Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

In the heat of battle my father wove a tapestry of obscenities that, as far as we know, is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan.

from A Christmas Story

Why? Because it is so recognizable and my father could. 

And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, "God bless Us, Every One!"

from A Christmas Carol 

Why? I want to be a "Keeper of Christmas" all year through.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm very excited about tomorrow, literally tomorrow—Thursday. And that's all I'm going to say about that. 

Today is The Greatest Generation's September 11, 2001. I don't know that there are many left who actually remember Pearl Harbor. It was before my time; nevertheless, it is a day worthy of special mention.

Thanks for reading! 

Please join Joyce at This Side of the Pond for more entries. 

Thanks to Debby and Lorrie for doing my editing for me! ♥

One of These Things is Not Like the Other...

Hope that you have had a great week. For those of us who celebrate Christmas right through the twelfth day, I am sure that it has been a busy one getting the Christmas decor down and put away. I have a ways to go yet, but the tree is down and packed away in the garage. Do you write yourself helpful notes for next Christmas season? I do. I have reminded myself how many strings of lights there are and where the red button extension cords are and where the Christmas cards are and things like that. 
On Wednesday afternoon, I spent a very pleasant time reading through all the Christmas cards once again. I noted that they come in categories and took photos of some of the most notable ones. 

~2015 stack of cards~

~The Reason for the Season~

~Homemade Lovelies~

~Local Flavor~

~So Pretty~

~Families~

~From Family~

~With Sweet Messages~

As a regular reader, you know that I have been going through the vast amounts of ephemera that landed in my world when my parents' home was closed in autumn 2015. My mother saved so much! This is a precious, precious card and letter from my great-grandmother (pictured above with my grandmother). I was only six years old when she passed away so this was almost overwhelming to read. She writes and tells me how much she loves me and always will. She shares her memories of my singing and dancing for her. She offers sweet, gentle advice on how to cope with a challenging little sister. ☺  She sends money for my birthday for a dress with bows on it as that is what I told her I wanted. She closes with hugs and kisses for each member of the family telling me that she sent plenty for me to share. Yes, I did say overwhelming.

I am more determined than ever to remember to write sweet little notes in cards and letters. Sometimes we do not imagine how valuable they are to those who receive them, even years and years later.

Christmas Photos 2015

Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree.  Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes– Some have gotten broken–and carrying them up to the attic.
~W.H. Auden

This post was predated. It is actually January 7, 2016 and, as you might imagine, I am fresh from a day of dismantling Christmas.
The quote links to a post way back in 2008 and W.H. Auden's Christmas Oratorio.
These photos are ones that will be lost if I don't post. (My daughter doesn't want me to load up her laptop with photos.) Ordinarily, they'd be saved on the computer that is limping along so badly that I don't dare use it.
Comments are closed.

That's Why He Came

I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy!

~Louise Bogan

That December was the year that my friend Bea describes as life-changing. A life-changing event was playing itself out in her young employee's life... let's call her Veronica. Veronica's mother was in the final stages of brain cancer and the pall over the office was heavy. Bea lamented to another of her office staff that Christmas should be a time of pure joy and that nothing should ever go wrong at Christmastime. Bea was soon to learn that most important lesson when the young woman turned to her and said, "Oh. I thought this was why He came."

***

This week has been one of such moments. My daughter's dear friend has been forever changed by a tragic and unnecessary loss. John has lost one of his dearest friends to cancer. Both funerals were this week, just two days apart. We passed by the widow's home on Wednesday and saw Christmas lights on and the tree glowing in the window and I thought to myself what remarkable courage and faith.

Source (provided for tablets) Many of you have been similarly touched or are going through deep waters this December. Please know that John and I are praying for your comfort and peace. We do so knowing that Jesus is the answer to every need.

Reminder: Sunday comments are always closed.

Some Thoughts on Christmas

Do you enjoy the secular songs of Christmas in addition to the sacred? I do. I really do. They are not as significant, but they have their place. Every year during carol time at church, a child inevitably requests "Jingle Bells" and the congregation sings it with gusto: in a one horse open sleigh... Hey ♪

Today I thought I'd discuss a little point I've been hearing all over Blogdom and which I myself have been heard to lament: Christmas is soooo commercialized. It's toooo commercialized. It's this; it's that. It's a hustle-bustle nightmare. 

After hearing a recent interview on a morning news program where Matt Lauer suggested that Sarah Palin decried the commercialization of Christmas. She responded with this: "I love the commercialization of Christmas because it spreads the cheer of Christmas...We need to protect the heart of Christmas."

Whoahhhh...what was she talking about? I nearly fell off my sofa. It would have been a short fall as that old sofa is closer to the ground than it has ever been before, but I digress.

I began to ponder — you know how much I love that — I did some research — the kind easily accomplished with a bit of Googling. What did I learn? That Christmas determines whether most businesses are going to operate in the red or the black for the entire year. 

Wow! I know that the Bible teaches us that God is the glue that holds this entire world together (Colossians 1:17), but I had no idea that He was holding the economics of the world together, too. Incredible!

So, when I am tempted to begin my yearly moan, I am going to stop and remember that it's the most wonderful time of the year. As Christians, we get to spread the cheer not always bemoan the commercialization of Christmas. I'm going to allow myself to feel a little of the excitement. I don't think it will kill me.  

~my favorite and celebrating 30 years this year~

Oh, by the way, do you enjoy secular Christmas movies? I sure do. And until a Mel Gibson makes a Nativity movie on the same level as The Passion of the Christ, I vastly prefer them. Does anyone know of a great sacred Christmas movie? Fill me in! 

Emmet Otter  When the River Meets the Sea
(From another sweet little Christmas movie.)
Now for the big questions of the day! Favorite secular Christmas song? Favorite sacred? Favorite Christmas movie?