Reflecting on a decade passed

This New Year's Eve marks the ending of the "Millennial" decade. On an international level, it is the decade of 9/11 and the many consequences we feel to this very day (2 wars, Patriot Act, Gitmo, upticks in police brutality incidents, the slow corruption of civil liberties which continues unabated under Obama, etc).
On a more personal level, it is a decade of great sorrow and great joy.

(Our last photo of all four of us "kids". Dad's 60th birthday, May 2001)
My brother Tommy and his wife had their daughter, Sara, 10 years ago tonight - almost a millennium baby.

Fast-forward eighteen months and little Alyson was born. Twelve days later, and Tommy was taken from us in an act so horrific that we as a nation can only refer to it as 9/11, because to truly focus on each individual person and their individual deaths would be too much to bear.

But time goes on, and heals our broken hearts. Sometimes in fits and starts, sometimes in a slow and steady stream.
My brother, Paul, married his lovely Leah and they went on to bring Madison and Kaylyn into the world. New joys to savor, new loves to share.

My brother Jim sadly divorced, and his sweet daughter Audie moved away to Florida - but she comes "up North" a lot to visit with us and my other wee nieces, who adore her.

My grandmother, Ada, passed away just shy of her 94th birthday. We said a sad goodbye, but at the same time we rejoiced in the life she led - she spent her last years in her own home surrounded by four generations of loving family - a blessing indeed!

My dear sister in law married a lovely man, and we welcomed him into the fold as our new brother.
My son, Matthew, graduated high school, turned 18 and then 21 in this decade - milestones along his path, as I watch him grow into a handsome and interesting young man.

My nephews, Paul and Robert, were accepted into Harvard and started attending this past September - a wonderful recognition of their talents.


But then a very dear friend lost all of her children in a tragic accident to heartbreaking to comprehend. I still weep to think of that day...

(We will always remember Emma, Alyson and Katie)
And then finally long-awaited reunion with Lorna, lovely young woman dear to my heart.

This decade is a tapestry of many shades. Births and deaths. Weddings and divorces. Reunions. The all lend their color. My "millennial" decade has been about FAMILY, and rediscovering over and again why family is so important.
What has this decade meant to you

How did Mary Feel?

On this Christmas Eve, as I travel in a warm train to my office - knowing that same warm train will deliver me to my cozy home - I wonder how Mary felt.

Mary was called upon to travel a great distance whilst great with child, in the days when traveling meant walking alternated with riding upon the donkey - those who have ridden on horseback know what a jostling ride this would be for an extremely pregnant woman! Mary must have known that this travel to Bethlehem would mean that she was far from home and beloved women who would comfort and sustain her during the pains of labor and birthing.

And yet she did not question - she did not complain.

She gave birth to our Savior in a barn, amongst the animals, because there was no room in any inn or home for her. I think of my own labor and delivery, in a clean and comfortable hospital, and wonder how I would have felt laying on straw and hearing the noise of cattle - and probably mice!

And yet Mary bore this - and more - with the Grace that had been gifted her at the beginning of time.

What would I have done?

No Room at the Inn

She wrapped the babe in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, for there was no room at the inn.

10 Little Things to Love about Christmas Preparations

1 - Baking cookies, and having that wonderful aroma wafting thru the house

2 - Deciding which candy recipes to make (and which to save for another time) and then being immersed in rich chocolate, peppermint, spicy cinnamon, tangy orange, and other yummy flavors and scents!

3 - The tree! The smell of fresh pine, the thrill of propping the tree into the stand (will it or won't it fall?), and stringing fairy lights

4 - Sorting through boxes of ornaments - mine and my grandmother's - to pick exactly the right ones for THIS tree!

5 - Sorting through the memories the ornaments carry with them: Christmases past, births, deaths, marriages, baby's 1st Christmas, kindergarten crafts, and more!

6 - Carefully unpacking my Santa Village, laying out the "snow" and arranging the shops and houses

7 - Carols and other Christmas music - a continual soundtrack to my days and nights

8 - Crafting wee gifts for family members - sachets and potpourris and more!

9 - Advent, and the peace that this daily meditation brings

10 - The ever-traditional photo with Santa!!

10 Little Things to Love about a Snowstorm

1 - Hot muffins from the oven first thing in the morning

2 - Steaming mugs of cocoa and tea

3 - Snow men, snow women, snow families!

4 - Having a really good reason to wear those comfy (but perhaps not as fashionable) boots

5 - Mittens!

6 - Tossing out seed and berries to uber-appreciative birds and squirrels

7 - The wonderful blanketed silence of late night snowfall

8 - Savoury stews and soups after a morning of sweeping, shoveling and playing with the snow

9 - Having a great excuse to lie-in under the blankets and read a good book

10 - Watching the children play!!

Santa Claus and Appollo 8

The Santa wars are alive and well on the homeschooling and parenting blogs these days! There are some (like me) who enjoy Santa but focus on Christ in Christmas, there are some who follow the secularized Santa version of the holiday exclusively, and many more who believe that any reference to Santa is anti-Christian idolatry. And, to be honest, on some days I can see their point! Christmas in our modern culture has come very far from its intended purpose.

When Matt was younger, I enjoyed the mythical Santa with him - but we always focused on what "real" Christmas was all about. And now with the wee nieces I also enjoy Santa - and at the same time we watch the Little Drummer Boy and Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey together and talk about the baby and the star and the promise. A gentle introduction into the true meaning of the season :)

And for a little Santa fun from my childhood, here is a bit from the actual transcript of all Apollo 8 radio contact:

089:34:19 Mattingly: Hello, Apollo 8. Loud and clear.
089:34:25 Lovell: Roger. Please be informed there is a Santa Claus.
089:34:31 Mattingly: That's affirmative. You're the best ones to know.

Third week of Advent - REJOICE!

The 3rd week of Advent started with Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is taken from the Latin, Gaude, meaning "Rejoice".

In this week, the 3rd candle is lit - and for the first time Light overcomes darkness! While the readings for weeks 1 and 2 focus on penitence, the readings for week 3 focus on joy and God's promise of salvation.

In this 3rd week, we reflect on reasons for rejoicing in our own life, and strive to create joy for others.

Being Content

Today I had a lesson in being content with what I have.

Now, please keep in mind that being content is not the same as being complacent! Complacency moans "I don't care..." or drawls "All is well..." when all isn't - whereas contentment says, "I am ok where I am right at this moment, because I see that I am on a path I want to be traveling."

Sometimes being content is easier said than done! Being content means that even tho I eventually want to own a home with some land for chickens and a larger garden, for now I am happy to be in my large, quirky and bohemian rental apartment.

Being content means that altho it may be fun to have a bottomless wallet of cash to spend on any little desire, I do not wallow in envy or resentment over what I do not have. Instead, I try to always celebrate what I do have! I create my own unique and beautiful home and gifts and lifestyle with what I find around me and what I am led to seek out! No amount of cash can buy my little niece snuggling in and saying, "I really love snuggling with you, Aunt Kathryn. You feel like love."

But this morning I had a run-in with "but I want it!!!". As I was photographing my kitchen manger, I once again noticed the icky textured and lumpy white walls . Most of the time I don't even see this anymore, but this morning the walls screamed at me! As the only real repair is to demolish them altogether, I had decided to just live with them. This is just a rental, and not my "dream house", so usually it is an easy task to let it go. But this morning I was consumed with kitchen envy - envy of all those beautiful kitchens in the shelter magazines and on HGTV. Argh!

Fortunately, this spell did not last too long. I went for a loooong walk and regained my perspective. But it did shake me a bit to see how all these negative thoughts and feelings are just lurking around waiting to take over!

How do you handle creeping discontent?