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Monday, December 23, 2013

Post Philatelics

I used to have a full box of letters
and cards by the end  any year.
This year, I have 5.
All the rest is somewhere in
some cloud, somewhere.
No wonder the Post Office
is in dire straits.

Angels of Mercy

"Most people don't know there are angels 
whose only job is to make sure 
you don't get too comfortable & fall asleep 
& miss your life." 
                                        Brian Andreas, "Still Mostly True"

Words of Comfort

"There are days
I drop words
of comfort on
myself like
       falling
            leaves
                     & remember
                     that it is
                     enough to be
                     taken care of
                     by my self."
                                            Brian Andreas, Still Mostly True

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

It is snowing......

It is snowing this morning.

White,
Gently falling,
White,
Piling lightly,
White,
Covering all the grime of life,
White,
Quiet, mute,
White,
Cold, frozen drops of water,
White,
A child's playground,
White,
Why do I even need to shovel it?

Monday, December 9, 2013

Ancient Aliens

I have always been a fan of the  Ancient Alien theories, that throughout human history intelligent life from other worlds have visited our planet and have influenced the development, the evolution of human life on Earth. But lately, I am drawn more to the idea that these encounters may be not so much "extra"terrestrial, as they are "inter"dimensional, or "extra"dimensional, if we use the term to mean that intelligent life travels into our material dimension from another dimension.
After so many centuries of personal experiences, research, contemplation, study and intuition, most humans are still unsure of the relationship of the material dimension with the spiritual dimensions. Yet, we are taught by many intuitives that spiritual dimensions "outside" of this dimension exist, and that "spiritual" commucation (interdimensional communication) is a real part of human experience.
What if, thousands of years ago, intelligent life from another dimension had the means to enter into this material dimension, along with abilities to manipulate matter in ways our ancestors could only think of as "magic"? That could certainly explain so many anomalies, including how the massive monuments dotting the entire world  were built 10-20,000 years ago.
We are spiritual beings living in material bodies. The energy of our souls exists naturally in another dimension, and we are intimately "connected" to the material body to experience this material dimension. I liken this to the "Matrix" effect (ref. the movies). Our perspecitve on Angels and "ghosts" (manifesting spirits) would have to be rethought. We "know" we are connected to another dimension (we like to call it a 'spritual') dimension, but at this point we cannot prove it scientifically. But I predict a breakthrough is about to be made, a real connection leading to a confirmation of  belief which will put to rest the spiritual/material debate.
We call this Earth experience "material". We like to call the world we come from (for souls exist first in a "home" world) and the world we reenter after the material body disfunctions, "spiritual". Let's start thinking of reality in less controverted terms, and stop fighting over the terminology. We exist in many dimensions. Let's reach out and touch them, for real. We are all connected, interdimensionally. Come home.

Monday, October 7, 2013

10.7.13

Well. - It's just Monday, Oct. 7, 2013. We finally are having some rain, along with thunder and lightning - cooling off everything. It's been a steady rain all morning (now 11:30am). Absalom wanted out, but I kept him in. He's such the outdoorscat. I thought I would get SO much DONE today ... hah! Watched musician Michael Hart's and scientist George Smoot's work on music universalis - love the concept. The video is fabulous! Rhythms of the Universe Otherwise - just about time for lunch, a nap, getting things together for ESOL tonight.  The kits are all in sleepy mode - rainy days make 'em so.
Great shows --  America's Secret Slang - about how slang terms got inserted into our everyday language.  http://www.tv.com/shows/americas-secret-slang. America's Secret Slang TV show

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Here We Are Again

Well now, here we are again.....
Fall....
Longer nights,
   shorter days,
      cooler air a relief from Summer's heat.

Cascading tree hair
In oranges, yellows, reds and browns,
A shower of color,
  when riding through the harvested fields,
Shorn by metal and sweat,
Leaving behind giant golden bales
   of winter fodder.

Hail, Nature's Sandman!
Ready the tired beds
  for the white quilts of Winter.

agd 10.2013

Saturday, September 28, 2013

A Memory

Laundry day, washing clothes,
Dryer warm
Laid on the bed,
Always a favorite spot for Camille,
but she's nowhere to be seen.

Friday, September 27, 2013

In Memoriam



Camille, a tortoise feline who befriended me 18 years ago, has gone home in spirit. She came to me as a young cat, about 8-10 weeks old, via an interesting series of events. I was living in Winchester, in a small carriage house behind a garage of my dear friend Ramana. Another dear friend, Maddie MacNeil,  called me one day, asking if I was interested in a cat. Hmmm. I hadn't thought of a pet, but suddenly I was considering it. She explained that her neighbor found this cat in a tree on their property after quite a violent storm. They took her in, but being that their family was comprised of three dogs, they didn't think the cat would be welcome. They talked Maddie into temporary foster care. After Maddie called me, I went over to see the cat, and I fell in love with her. She was bright, beautifully mottled colors, as if an artist blended beige, lt. brown, brown, a reddish brown, and dabs of black all over her. With Ramana's permission, I took her in and named her, Camille. She has been my companion, my first-born,  for these past 18 yrs.
Over a week ago, Camille had an episode that I can only describe as a possible stroke. Though she had no paralysis, it weakened her considerably, and from then on she curled up in her favorite spots (she hobbled about from time-to-time), lost her "voice", but did not complain. She stopped eating solids (refused food), only sipping water from time-to-time. Wed., Sept 25, Camille hobbled over to the door - a real surprise to me - last night, I thought she would not make it through the night. It has been a chilly morning, 41 degrees, and even though she hardly EVER went out in the chill of the morning, I opened the door, and she slowly went outside. Camille laid herself down just outside the door. I checked on her every 10 minutes or so to see if she wanted to come back in. First check - no Camille. She was under the stairs in a favorite spot of hers. A bit later, I checked again, and she had moved to under the car. A bit later, I checked again, and she was gone. She often went across the street to a wooded area when she was well. She was nowhere to be seen, and I can only think that she hobbled her way across the street to the woods. I'll not go after her. I believe she went to another of her favorite spots -in the woods - to die, like many animals instinctively do. I waited to post this, and late in the afternoon, she hobbled out of the woods and I brought her inside.
Each day Camille seems weaker and weaker. Today is Friday, Sept. 27. I know Grayson knows. He started meowing at me incessantly just a minute ago. I went to check on Camille and she was gone. Camille died about 8:00pm. The 2 yr. olds are aware something's up, but they just continue being kids. We all cope in different ways.

I said goodbye to her so many times the past few days, cuddled with her, and told her how much I loved her and was grateful for her companionship and devotion. She struggled to speak in response. We said our goodbyes. She wanted to leave this world in her own way, and I allowed her to do so. I will miss her gentleness and loving presence. Thank you, Camille, for everything.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Dear Lord

My Lord,
My sweet Lord,
Will  the human species have to be destroyed
in order to evolve?

The world's ulcers are increasing
in so many parts of the world.

Fewer souls are living your words,
given by so many prophets
in so many cultures.

Turning a deaf ear,
living in fear,
separated by our egos,
our true divine state is overshadowed.

Perhaps this part of the experiment
is a failure.

Still, there is so much good being done,
challenged by the few who are blind and deaf,
believing in themselves, and dismissing Love.

agd 9.1.2013

Monday, August 26, 2013

One

Jesus said to them: "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside, and the outside like the inside, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, then you will enter the kingdom (of heaven)."
 The Gospel of Thomas

All spiritual wisdom warns us to be wary of, and not be fooled by the duality of this world, for it belongs only to this world of matter.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

The Gift of Air

Oh look!
The trees are waving at me!
They're dancing in the air!

Billions of bits of air racing each other
Toward nowhere in particular,
Bombarding every solid in their path.

The trees,
Animated yet immobile,
Actually growing, yet appearing still,
Exchanging molecules to help us,
The mobile species,
To breathe and act
In a dimension
Which is illusion,
At best.

agd 8.25.2013

Four months 'til Christmas!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Gender Confusion

I just happened to watch a devotional message on the BYU (Brigham Young U. - Mormon) channel, "Quorum of the Twelve Apostles", given by Elder M. Russell Ballard. I thought I would learn something about the Mormon perspective -- and yup, I sure did. I quote:

"Our heavenly Father created women and men who are His Spirit daughters and sons. This means that gender is eternal."  (my emphasis)

I'm sorry, gender is not "eternal" - it is a manifestation of the world of matter, of the outcome of the blending of both parents' DNA into a new and unique individual. And the soul which incarnates is neither male nor femaile. Yes, we are "children" - offspring of the Most High - God is Spirit - our Father-Mother-Parent, and therefore we are spirit and share the divine nature of God. Those souls who have had many incarnations might have a "soul-tendency" toward being male or female, but in spirit, we the soul is neither female nor male. Gender is a product of this material, Earthly world. The strength of gender identity lies in a combination of the hormones in the physical body with the soul memory of past lives. Both play a role in the understanding of gender identity.
For example, a soul with many female incarnations, when born into a male body, may manifest more female tendencies and even identify with a strong feminine side because of its many female incarnations. He may have effeminate behavior, be drawn to males for intimacy, or even manifest the urge to dress and "look" like a woman, even thought he is materially, biologically a male. And vice versa for a material, biological female tending toward male behavior and identity.
The material body is a vehicle for the soul to experience this Earthly, material reality. The design of the species to procreate requires DNA from a male (sperm) and DNA from a female (ovum) in order to create a new physical form, and by now, our own scientific history reveals the infinite variety of possibilities, most acceptable, and some aberrations which are culturally unacceptable (and this happens in every species - "broken" or incomplete or abnormal bodies are often left to die off) because of the physical challenges to live a productive life.
But to understand the possibilities of gender identity, one must take many factors into consideration. Before entering into this life, we choose the body and life we are incarnating into - for its challenges and its blessings. Once blended with the body, the soul has to act in this world according to both its spiritual AND its physical nature. We are what we choose to be. And I might add, if we had the possibility of choosing an asexual body (no genitals), there are many souls who would do so.
The success of any life does not lie with the boundaries of gender and the limited understanding of a culture. The success of any life is all about how we deal with each moment - making decisions which beneift others, while trying to eke out joy in this challenging world. Love, love, love is all there is.
So, are you a male ALWAYS and forever? Are you a female ALWAYS and forever? Wake up people -- the answer is NO. And promulgating a teaching as quoted above will onlystifle the creativity which God is manifesting through the human condition. We should be building bridges, not walls.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

The Illusion of Perfecton

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Soul memory

After all these years, I've stopped labeling myself or others for that matter. It's such a foolish system we have - once declared, always the same - not!  I have made my own the words of a mid-east mystic, Hafiz - 
"... The truth has shared so much of itself with me that I can no longer call myself a man, a woman, an angel or even a pure soul....." 
Every human is a mix of male and female, some more male, some more female. Many factors play a part, and part of it comes from many lives in this material dimension as both male and female. This I believe. It's why some men feel "like a woman" inside, and some women feel "like a man" - from a sense or "memory" of past lives as the opposite sex.  Genetics and chemical balance play a part also, but we cannot leave out the reality of multi-incarnations. Strong soul-memories of opposite sex experiences can inform the present incarnation, and sometimes override the "norm."

Friday, April 26, 2013

Get 'er done!



If not now, when?
                   If not me, then who?

What are you waiting for ??!
                   Get 'er done!

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Evolution and original sin

Do you believe that people ( I won't use "beings" or "aliens") from other planets or dimensions have been instrumental in guiding the human race's evolution?
If this is a truth, a recurring question is: "Where are they? - Why don't they come by and continue to teach us the technologies they have fashioned?" Basically, the human race has not evolved in the way they thought it might. Their intercourse with humans tens of thousands of years ago did not produce physical bodies which were any better than theirs. Our "wiring" still contains the propensity for violence which they themselves experienced. Their DNA is flawed, and so is ours.
Over the years, they have inspired and interceded to teach humanity how to overcome this propensity toward violence -- teachers, masters, gurus in every age have reiterated the dictum: "Love one another - forgive one another - love your enemy - do no harm to another living being - walk the extra mile - do to one another as you would have others do to you, etc., infinitum" - words of encouragement offered by thousands more souls than the ones we have put on a pedestal - Buddha, Jesus, Francis of Assisi, Confucius, Lao Tsu, Lincoln, Gandhi, Cayce, MLK, etc. And still, our violent animal nature tends to override the efforts we make to change and allow our divine nature to shine through.
I often struggled with the idea of "original sin", the sin we are told we are born with (in the Catholic tradition). How can a newborn carry any sin at all? But yes, we are born with a "sin" - the propensity toward violence and behavior which breaks our connection with one another. And every spiritual master, teacher, guru has taught us how to overcome it - by learning to Love - by practicing Compassion. It is Compassionate Loving which reconnects us with one another, which establishes peace in one's own heart, and which can transform another heart to love and be compassionate. The more we learn how to connect, the more we can truly bring what Jesus calls "The Kingdom of God" into this material experience. (The Kingdom of God is already here among us - we have lost the ability to "see" and experience it.)
The best mantra to learn and to repeat in our minds, is: "Everything is connected." Because in truth, everthing IS connected, on the level of Being, in the heart of hearts of Limitless Being, from which everything, ALL of Life, springs. If we can only learn that we are really all the same, with variations, we would not decide to harm one another. For then we would understand that in harming others, we only harm ourselves. And when we harm ourselves, we limit the expression of Being, who only wishes to create new and wonderful ways to be.
I certainly recognize all the good which is done in the world. Without it, we would be cannibalistic animals. But it seems that not everyone in the world sees the good which can be done through even a minimal practice of compassion. Perhaps if they did, their hearts could change, too.
So, why don't our ancestral "teachers" come back to help us? Why don't they show themselves and teach us more? Because we have not learned to love. Our ethics - as a species - is terribly flawed, and there would be those who through egoistic and misguided faith would misuse the gift of knowledge these people could share with us. Namaste.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Is this hell?

Concentration camps in N. Korea,
Guantanamo, Cuba, the Mideast, Asia,
Fanatic Muslims terrorizing whole countries,
Pirates on the seas,
Megalomanica "leaders" in Africa and Indonesia.

Cities of unrelenting poverty in South America,
Haiti, Africa, Indonesia, Central America,
Dominican Republic, the USA.

Mafias in Mexico,
Gangs of hatred in America
and on all continents,
Unscrupulous businesses
and businessmen.

Mentally unstable roaming the streets of the world,
with weapons,
Racists and a variety of bigots,
lack of love.

Delusional loyalists,
Injustices perpetrated by
selfish egoists,
less and less respect for others,
Fears overwhelming
for lack of love.

Forced ignorance
and bullies,
The raping of the planet,
and lack of love.

If not for the beauty of this earth
and the moments of joy --
If not for instances of love and support --
If not for the freedom to be creative
and purposeful --
If not for the faithful
whose works bring balance to the globe --

This would be hell --
Well -- is it?

Friday, April 5, 2013

Volcanic Menstruation

Volcanic Menstruation

From the boiling fire,
rock flows,
then freezes.
First life pioneers paint the gray rock
with a palette of green,
eating the rock,
regurgitating the soil
which lays in wait for the first settlers.
From early soils
royal life takes root,
growing a community skyward,
inviting mobile life to live and flourish,
until the next boiling fire
cleanses all --
and a new world is born.

agd 2013

Written after watching a documentary on the volcanic activity which forms and renews life in the Indonesian Archipelago.

Wake up!

So many souls are yet asleep -
Should I wake therm?
Will they understand?
Will they rejoice?
Will they grieve?
Will they stand the pain?

I will play my harp
to soothe their minds.

agd 2012

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Gun Control

If anyone in Congress begins a filibuster when voting begins on this most needed bill, he/she ought to be fired and replaced. I think the American public is becoming increasingly impatient with the waste of time and our taxes by Congress. What are they there for?? To serve the interests of the American public they represent, not their own or their lobbyists' agendas.

In The End

"Everything will be all right in the end. If it is not all right, it is not the end."  Line from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

I am not alone - I am

Whether I stand in the midst of a crowd,
embedded in a family,
dependent on another,
or dependent on no one,
or hermited and separated from humanity,
I am connected to all that exists,

because the source of my being is God,
and God is the source of all that exists;

knowing God, the Source of All Being,
as the foundation of my soul,
I am always connected with all of Life. Selah.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Papacy and a Gay Vatican Lobby???

The Pope and the Gay Lobby??

Just what we need: another reality show, or better yet, soap opera --- how about -- As the Collar Turns


Lobbyists should be outlawed in EVERY venue!! Thou shalt not commit adultery refers to ADULTERY: having sex with another person's spouse! - BASTA! Sex is a wonderful part of humanity which GOD created in us to experience and celebrate. To extend the meaning of any of the commandments is dastardlly, controlling and diabolical. If taken to the extreme (and it can), there is nothing man does which is not a sin.
Understand the commandments in their simplicity and directness - follow them, and you will be at peace with yourself, the world, and God. Enough!

Friday, February 15, 2013

A sperm is not a soul.

It's Science Friday on NPR. One comment smacked me in the face: A mention was made that in an ejaculation, there could be 40 million sperm. A retort was "That's a lot of souls - dying".
I couldn't pass this by. Consider this: A human is comprised of a trinity of "beings" -- a created physical body, a created spiritual body (soul), and an uncreated spirit (spark of God - for want of a better tern). The soul cannot "attach" itself to a physical body until the body has been "built", and the organs and glands are completely built and functional enough to allow the soul to attach to the physical body. This is not new. Dr. Michael Newton, Ph.D. intimates this in his book "Journey of Souls," which I recommend highly.
A sperm is not a soul - it is a necessary transmitter of life - and is instrumental in commencing the process of building a physical body after it successfully enters into a receptive ovum. Once the union is made, the sperm spills out its DNA/RNA, initiating the process of physical grouth. The sperm, in essence, gives up its life for the new physical life to be built. The prospective soul is aware of its new physical vehicle, but cannot meld with it until it has built the proper receptors the soul will attach itself to for the life of that physical entity. 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Bless, and do not curse

President Barck H. Obama -- Congratulations! and God continue to bless your work  as our nation's leader and advocate.
I watched most of the Inauguration festivities today. There was a lot of blah-blah-blah by the reporters, but I was moved several times during the day by snapshots of the people attending, the President's address, the patriotic songs (Byonce blew me away!), and the poem by Mr. Blanco.
The theme of the day - unity in diversity - was poignant, inspiring, and very much needed after 2012's parade of challenges.
Mr. Blanco's poem - One Today - a pastiche of American life - included just about every choice of life which makes up the quilt of American democracy - and yet, with all the diversity that our borders embrace, we are each assured by law the freedom to pursue our happiness.
And I was impressed with the constant mention of God by all the speakers, in giving thanks to, and in asking for, divine blessing. Connecting to the source of our being must always be our primary work - then success and nurture and contentedness will be ours - though not without the challenges that this dimension presents us with.
Staying connected to our Source draws into the individual and collective experience the energy which inspires and creates the future present we live in. The more we acknowledge our connection with the Divine, the more is our resolve strengthened, the more we discover that the universe is ready to help us in our need. We are all connected - and every thought, every prayer, every emotion flows out through invisivble connecting threads, like in a spider's web - the slightest movement anywhere on the web is felt by the spider. All of us are somewhere on that web. All of us are affected by the slightest vibration on that web. Do you seek happiness? Then be happy. Do you seek comfort? Then be comforting. Do you seek to be understood? Then work at understanding others. Do you seek peace? Then be peaceable yourself. Do you seek love? Then learn to love others. Do you seek being recognized for your gifts? Then be thankful every day for the gifts you have. For if you are not grateful, the little you think you have will be taken away. That's Karma, the Law of the Universe.
All-in-all, there was an uplifting energy today which I am sure was felt by all. And such blessings strengthen us for the next challenge - whatever that may be. Stand fast, stand tall, stand strong. As the President mentioned in his speech - we are capable of accomplishing anything. May our decisions be confident and always be filled with light - that is, with compassion and love.

Monday, January 7, 2013

You are loved.

I recommend "Proof of Heaven" by Dr. Eben Alexander -- a neurosurgeon's experience of Life while in a coma for seven days. Enlightening.

The three lessons revealed to him:
1. You are loved, you are cherished.
2. There is nothing to be afraid of.
3. You can do no wrong.

This physical world is the microcosm -- the inner world, the dimension(s) of Spirit, is the macrocosm - reality so vast, no one can measure it, nor know its borders. And it is ruled by Love, unconditional Love.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Little Merry Christmas to you!

Epiphany - January 6th, 2013

Today is Epiphany - The Revelation - revealing the true nature of Jesus of Bethlehem/Nazareth - Son of God and Son of Man. Revealing His nature reveals to us our true nature as well -- Does not Scripture say that you are gods, and children of the Most High? His nature is our nature - God-filled, Mega-creative, Love-inspired. Live as such. Here is a prayer that sums up the meaning our celebration of Christmas. May your mind always be set toward the Star.

O God, who sent fire from heaven upon the sacrifice offered by Elijah, the prophet of the Anointed One; who led the children of Israel through the desert with the pillar of fire; who led wise men from the East to the house of Wisdom by a fiery star; and who fulfilled the prophecy of John the Forerunner by sending the Christ who baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire: Pour your blessing upon this Epiphany flame that it may be a reminder to all of the true Light who came into the world as at this time, and who ignites us with the Holy Spirit to lead us on our pilgrimage with the fire of his Love; through Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  Twelve Days

Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Twelfth Day of Christmas....



January 5th


It is often called the "Christmas star" and it is seen in crèches and in artworks depicting the Nativity of our Lord. But the star does not actually come into the story until the entrance of the Wise Men, and Matthew indicates that their visit was some time after the birth of Jesus, perhaps as much as two years. By the time the Wise Men arrive, the Holy Family is neither in a stable nor in an inn, but a house. We do not have to be literalists about details like this, but we could save the star for the end of Christmas, and as a segue into Epiphany. If the Wise Men for your crèche have been making their way through the house or even just across the room, today might be the day to hang the star. Before hanging the star, get out your favorite cookie recipe and your star cookie cutter and make some star cookies. (If you don't have a favorite recipe, here is one that looks good.) Make enough to have some samples when you hang the star, and more to eat tomorrow when Epiphany is in full swing. The shepherds and the angels should be back in their box. In fact, they could have been removed days ago. The Wise Men may need to make their visit to a stable, rather than a house, but, as we said, we do not have to be literalists about this. And, wherever they encounter the King for whom they have been searching, they may arrive in the crèche either tonight or tomorrow morning.
Epiphany really begins this evening, as Twelfth Night is the Eve of the Epiphany, so we have two reasons for a party: the end of Christmas and the beginning of Epiphany. In the middle ages, these Twelfth Night parties could get quite rowdy. It was the Feast of Fools in which the order of the world was turned upside down, with fools reigning as kings and all sorts of people taking on roles quite the opposite of their true character. Shakespeare, in his play by the same name, gives us a picture of such a topsy-turvy world as Viola masquerades as a man, people fall in love across class lines, and the lowly indulge in ridiculous delusions of grandeur. It would be quite foolish to deny the Christian significance of all of this. There are few things more serious and true than the games people play. The medieval Feast of Fools reminds us that Christmas celebrates nothing less than a world turned upside down in which God becomes man in order that man might become divine. So, party on!

Friday, January 4, 2013

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

January 4th

Christmas is a time of wonder when the imagination works overtime. And out of that imaginative energy have come many stories that tell us how the Holy Child of Bethlehem has touched the lives of people, both great and small, through the centuries. If you have some favorites, use today to sit down and reread them. Better yet, have a reading. Gather family and friends, and especially children. Those who are old enough to read can read their favorites out loud. And those who do not yet read should be encouraged to request their favorites for someone else to read.

One of our favorites is the story known as "The Clown of God". It appears in several different versions, but if you do not happen to have one, Tomie dePaola has illustrated a lovely one. It is the story of a traveling juggler who has come home to the town of his birth after he has become too old to carry on. He arrives on Christmas Eve as the townspeople are gathering for the Midnight Mass of Christmas. The old juggler has no gift for the Child and so he gives the performance of his life and juggles.   Twelve Days

Thursday, January 3, 2013

The Tenth Day of Christmas

January 3rd - Celebrate Life

Another activity we have suggested for the Twelve Days of Christmas is to learn some new Christmas carols and hymns. Why not invite some friends in, warm up the leftover wassail, and do some singing? You could even include some of the old favorites everyone already knows while you warm up your voices.

Celebrating a special holiday never gets old, especially if you keep the spirit of that celebration alive. If it is just a materially-oriented holiday, it becomes an empty, robotic ritual. But the spirit of the celebration can enliven the heart and mind, and teach our understanding. Keep the spirit alive in your daily life, like the First Nation peoples did - celebrating Life, Family, Nature, and Spirit. To do so blesses you, your surroundings, your endeavors, and the people you meet day-to-day. We are co-creators with God - what you think, will become reality.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

The Ninth Day of Christmas...

January 2nd, 2013

In the Orthodox Church, January 1st is the Feast of St. Basil the Great, who is pictured in the top portion of the icon above. Although he is celebrated in the West on June 14th we would not want to miss an opportunity to incorporate a custom and a recipe into our observance of the Twelve Days. And, since the West tends to prefer a limit of one feast to a day, we have moved Basil over to January 2nd. In Greece, it is the custom to bake a bread or cake called Vassilopita (Basil in Greek is Vassilis). The cake has a coin baked into it and the person who gets the coin in his or her piece of cake is destined for good luck in the coming year. Here is a link to one of the many recipes for Vassilopita, together with an explanation of the protocols for cutting and distributing the pieces. 
  Twelve Days

I started off the New Year going for walk and then going out to dinner afterward with a friend. We went to the Jamaican Cafe in Winchester -- I had jerk chicken - hotter than hot, but great food! I drank coconut water to cool the burn -- great day. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The Eighth Day of Christmas...


The Eighth Day of Christmas - January 1st
The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus


St. Luke tells us that, in accordance with Jewish tradition and law, eight days after his birth Jesus was circumcised and named. While a "rose by any other name may smell as sweet", nevertheless, the name of the rose evokes particular memories and sensations for those who know the flower by that name. Many parents spend hours and hours thinking about the name they want to give to a child. Sometimes a child is given a name with the intention of honoring a member of the family or a friend or a hero. Sometimes a name is given simply because the parents like the sound of it. Sometimes a name is given because it signifies a meaning that will be, or the parents hope will be, manifest in the child's life: Mary and Joseph named their son Jesus because the angel told them that "he will save his people". Jesus, in Hebrew Joshua, means "the Lord will save". Does your name have a meaning? There are lots of websites that will help you answer that question--just GoogleTM "names" and you are in business. Do you know why your parents chose your name? As part of the celebration of this day, use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut the cookies into the initials of members of the household as a reminder of their names. Your name, or your baptismal name, may also be the name of a saint. Do you know when that saint's feast day is? That is your name day, which in some countries is celebrated instead of a birthday.     
 Twelve Days