One final word: Nativity

Nativity

Calyn about one hour after birth

    1. (noun) The process, circumstances, and place of one's birth.

   2. (noun) The coming into life or into the world.

For Christians, of course, Christmas culminates in the coming of the Christ child. But, I think it is imperative to remember that as much as we try to make Christmas about flaunting and fulfilling our images of perfection, that originally it actually must have been pretty un-idealistic circumstances. You know...the unwed teenage mother has her baby in the donkey's dish without any birth attendants. 

This is not an anesthetic, sterile, or managed experience. Rather it seems that it was most likely animalistic, alarming, unpredictable, and empowering. These are the circumstances where that child, whom we call God, came to dwell. And ours are the situations the people, whom God calls children, are called to live. Powerful.

Should this not make us revere the birth process and women's roles in it a bit more? Check here for some ways we can do that more.

The years that I have had a baby at Christmas, I feel these dichotomies acutely. It also feels that God and others are nearer in this season; perhaps as a more loving spirit permeates everywhere. In that magic of the incarnation God dwells with us and also in us. In Les Miserables they say "to love another person is to see the face of God." Always I have believed this to be true, especially of a baby. Interestingly the Indonesian people of Bali also believe that a child is a full deity for the first 6 months of life (Thank you Eat, Pray, Love).  (Hard to not believe so, really.)

So as the new year begins, welcome new life and see if you can feel the presence of those who have gone before especially close to our world, dwelling on the edge.  

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray...O come to us abide in us, our Lord, Emanuel.

24: Glory

24

Glory

Door in Rust, Austria

1. (noun) Great beauty and splendor. 

2. (noun) Something marked with beauty and resplendence

23: Dash

23

Dash

    1. (noun) A symbol used in writing to connect elements.

    2. (verb) To finish or move off hastily.

22: Worship

22

Worship

Gary, Evan, and Hannah Christmas 2001. Only friends.

    1. (noun) The feeling or expression of reverence or adoration.

21: Play

21

Play

Hannah and Evan, August 2011. Eisenstadt, Austria

  

  *Adult versions 1. (verb) To perform or act [like something you are not]. 2. (verb) To pretend to be; mimic 3. (verb) To behave carelessly or indifferently. 4. (verb) To compete against 5.(verb). To occupy or work at. 6.(verb) To attempt to gain possession or control of. 7. (verb) To bet. 8. (verb) To perform jest or deception. 9. (verb) To use or manipulate. 10. (verb) To exhaust.

20: Child

20

Child

Cris, July 2009. Age 3.

    1. (noun) "a crazy dimpled lunatic." Ralph Waldo Emerson

19: Hiccup

19

Hiccup

Calyn December 19th

     1. (noun) A hilarious spasm accompanied by a peculiar noise.

     2. (noun) To experience a temporary interruption within a longer term plan.

18: Patient/ Impatient

18

Patient

Calyn and Evan, December 18, 2011

     1. (adjective) The capacity to accept delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.

or

Impatient 

Ali and Evan

      

      2. (adjective) Having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or provoked.

Hmmm....which are you being this holiday season?  

***I love you dear***

17: Grace

17

Grace

     1. (noun) Unmerited divine assistance.
    2. (noun) A short prayer giving thanks.

16: Knight

16

Knight

Knight Connor and Horse Grandma Mary, December 16, 2011

     1. (noun) One who served his sovereign or Lord.
    2. (noun) One honored for merit.
    3. (noun) One who comes to the rescue of another.

 Perhaps there was invisible armor in the manger...

15: Desire

14

 Desire

Cris and Grandma Mary, December 2009

     1. (noun) To want or long for deeply or excessively.

There are many things we desire acutely at Christmas: beauty, loveliness, fulfillment of expectations, perfection...Peace on Earth. Too often these are thwarted by the toxic inadequacies that come from elevating ourselves or others to unreachable divine status, or from feeling solely responsible for bringing the meaning and the outcomes.


Pardon me; an irreverent culinary analogy:
The one holiday dessert that embodies and fulfills EVERYTHING I long for at Christmas time it would be the scrumptious French Bûche de Nöel (literally translated as the Christmas Wood; stop laughing; now!) This traditional cake served on Christmas Eve looks like forest logs one might burn in the fireplace. It is like pound cake filled with chocolate cream and covered in buttery dark chocolate  bark. Sometimes there are meringue mushrooms on top, (an addition I like to omit). It is the-best-cake-I-have-ever-had-in-my-life. On this one night only you can find it in almost every French bakery. I'm pretty sure it is single-handedly why the french are more peaceful. After waiting, for so long, it is so beautiful to enjoy it and the coming of Christ together.


Lately though, Connor has been introducing us to a new delicacy... "the cupcakes of death". Not really sure what these look like, but they probably taste like E. Coli or Ebola. Insidious. And they smell distinctly rotten; like everything that tries to take Christmas away.

Not identical to our recipe, but make your own: Bûche de Nöel

14: Blessing

14

Blessing

Evan and Hannah, Paris 2005

    1.(noun) Something (or someone) contributing to happiness, well-being, or prosperity.

    2. (noun) Invocation of divine care. 
    3. (noun) The acts or words of one who blesses.

13: Serenity

13

Serenity

Calyn December 1st

    1. (noun) The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

12: Compassion

12

Compassion

Violet. Winter 2010

     1. (noun) Sympathetic concern for the sufferings of others.

11: Abundance

11

Abundance

October 19, 2011. Calyn 2 days old.

     1. (noun) Overflowing fullness.

     2. (noun) Present in great quantity; more than adequate

10: Stealthable

10

Stealthable

Connor November 20, 2011

     1. (adjective) [A Cristopherism] "So stealth that bad guys (or your mom) can't see it.

     2. (noun) "Something that flies high above the clouds."

Includes important technologies for the future. Santa and frosting stealers take note...

May all your holiday surprises stay above the radar. [***Wink***]

9: Marvel

9

Marvel

 

December 5th

      1. (noun) A wonderful or astonishing person or thing.

      2. (verb) To wonder at.

8: Journey

8

Journey

Cristopher, Age 3.5. Winter 2008. Setting out from home.

    1. (noun). A distance to be traveled or the time required for a trip.

    2. (noun). Passage or progress from one stage to another.

7: Peace

7

Peace

December 4th

     1. (noun) A state of harmony between people or groups.

    2. (idiom) at peace: in a state of relationship of non-belligerence or concord

6: Holy

6

Holy

January 2011

     1. (adjective) Regarded with or deserving of worship or veneration

5: Expectation

5

Expectation

Christmas 2005

     1. (noun) Eager anticipation.

    2. (noun) A belief that something will happen because it is likely.

4: Adoration

4
Adoration

     1. (noun) Profound love or regard.
     2. (noun) Intense admiration culminating in reverence. 

3: Hope

3

Hope

Hannah with Calyn December 3rd

     

     1. (noun) a person or thing in which expectations are centered

    2. (noun) something that is hoped for

    3. (noun) the feeling that what is wanted can be had

2: Delight

2

Delight

Cristopher December 2004

      1 : (Noun) a high degree of gratification : joy; also : extreme satisfaction

     2: (Intransitive verb) to give keen enjoyment

     3: (Transitive verb) to give joy or satisfaction to

1: Presence

During the Christmas season, I thought I'd do some images and brief reflections about words of the season. So starting a few hours late, but here goes...

 

1

Presence 

     a) a person or thing that exists or is present in a place but is not seen.
     b) the state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing.