Christmas Advent Season is here. My Christmas prayer and wish is

Peace on Earth; Goodwill Towards Humankind

Advent Week 4

Today is when the electors vote for POTUS. I've never seen so much controversy before around a presidential election. Also I have never been so fearful as I am this time. Once before during the Viet Nam War and Nixon was President. I was so hopeful he would end it and bring everyone home. The economic hardships at home were awful. Now I am seeing a President-elect who is buddies with Russia's Putin and both climate deniers interested in fossil fuels especially oil all over the world. I fear we will be in a large war in Syria soon, allies to Russia for the oil. 

What really breaks my heart is that the US had steady growth in its economy over the past 2 terms of Obama and was still able to keep climate change a priority and very little increase in dangerous pollutants. We were so on the right track. Now a huge setback is in store for the world. Paris so awfully polluted the Eiffel Tower disappears in the smog and China in a red alert for air pollution that it closes its schools and businesses down. Europe and China working so hard to stop their global footprints.

Oh my God, please help us on earth. 

Advent Weeks Two and Three

Christmas and other holiday preparations taking over the energy now, helping the tensions that have accompanied the election this year. I am trying to keep my spirits up and it isn't always easy. Hearing from friends far away and near helps, reading, developing some new paintings, and working on my 4th manuscript all are activities that keep me away from too much sugar, downward spiraling moods, and grumpiness in general. Hope others of you have found your coping skills for these jolly days. 

I've been reading Clint Hill, the Secret Service Agent in charge of Jackie Kennedy as First Lady and several presidents. Fascinating. I recommend books and music and gazing at the gorgeous Christian art through the ages if you can find it. 

Winter Solstice at Newgrange 2014

Newgrange is over 4,000 years old and located in Ireland. Like Stonehenge it served to mark the seasonal changes into the winter months and was a spiritual temple as well as an astronomical clock.

Third Week of Advent

Hoping Thanksgiving was good for everyone. Now the Advent Season is here. I spent Thanksgiving cooking a neighbor's turkey and watching them bring in a live Christmas tree. They spent the day decorating it and the rest of their home. It was very festive especially since a little child's joy was involved in the activities! Now it is the first Sunday of Advent and I am decorating my home a little bit. Every weekend of Advent I add more decorations or Christmas cookies. The music of the season is beyond compare! It is the time of secrets, whisperings, and wonder!

Epiphany is January 6 when we celebrate the visit of the Magi.

Star of the East when God is Born.

 

Christmas Day evening I was looking forward to watching The Star of Bethlehem, a dvd I had bought several years ago and didn't seem to work very well. I put it in a better player and voila...the movie began. It was an amazing experience of a Christian lawyer who with new software, on his own tracked down the astronomy of the Star of the East when Jesus Christ was born. The star the Magi followed and who they were possibly, Jewish descendants of Daniel, and their spiritual meaning added to the Bible teachings of both Old and New Testaments. It was a fascinating account he presented and brought a fresh and deeply spiritual meaning to my Christmas.



Advent Week Two...Hanukkah and Mary

 

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Advent Weeks One...Mary and Hanukkah

 

The Immaculate Conception at Old St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, CA

Epiphany and Twelfth Night

January 6th is Epiphany and Twelfth Night, the end of the 12 Days of Christmas. The Magi bring their gifts to the Holy Family and decide to go home. Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus leave Bethlehem for Egypt to escape the slaughter of the innocents under King Herod. Terrified of the prophecy of the coming Messiah/King he has all newborn boy babies slaughtered in his kingdom to remove the threat, certain the coming King has been born. The Magi gifts include gold and myrrh which was even more valuable than gold. Myrrh was used for embalming and foreshadows the prophecy of crucifixtion of the King of Kings. The Holy Family leaves provided for by God to return to the land of slavery and exodus...Egypt.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Some people still have their Christmas lights up...even their indoor trees. Don't laugh. Maybe some neighbors are lazy or are still basking in the warm glow of Christmas cheer, but it is still the holiday. It is the 12 Days of Christmas and will be until January 6 when Epiphany arrives and the Twelfth Night. Some Christians celebrate Epiphany until January 19th! Actually there is a tradition that takes it to the first day of Lent. Please remember these traditions before you chastise a neighbor for being lazy about their decorations. I take down all my outward decorations but leave my tree and nativity up until 12th Night. More on this later.

The King of Kings, the Priest of Priests, the Lord of Lords ~ Baby Jesus!



Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace!



Merry Christmas!

Santa stops here!

St. Nicholas always accompanies the Baby Jesus birth, filling stockings with goodies, giving away presents and nibbling a cookie or two. I hope every child in my country has a gift for Christmas.

Christmas at my house...angels, candles, baking, music, roses...love!

Smokey is in his condo looking at the Christmas tree. He loves the little red bells hanging at the bottom and hits them off the tree to play with on the floor. He's the only one to have toys in his stocking! The tree is 11 years old. When I bought it, the verdict wasn't in yet on artificial or real trees. Definitely going back to fresh greenery!

My neighbor and friend, Colleen admiring the love in the roses at the Nativity!

 My own unglazed sculpted nativity scene I made when I lived in San Francisco. I love it for its simplicity.

                                              
 I love the color red for Christmas. Here is St. Nicholas on the floor and my red and white angel I brought home last year on top of the bakers rack.

 My new green angel for my treetop. No lights just beauty and ethereal. She was the only treetopper left at Home Depot a couple of weeks ago. There wasn't even a box! She was really just laying on her side waiting for me to rescue her to adorn my tree!

 My kitchen table has my first angel of decoration and baking I brought home ten years ago. Also a little red clay angel candlestick by the cookie can that a friend gave me in the early 90's when I  lived in San Francisco. All through Advent, I have various ingredients for cookies, punches, and the Christmas cake waiting to be used up. I keep several candles here to light for inspiration at different times.

 My big Nativity scene was made in Mexico and I found it in a little Mexican grocery store down the street from where I lived in Gilroy at the beginning of the millenium...remember that? 2000!

Robert is the love in the red roses. He will be home next year from Iraq with everyone else advising and training!

Peace on earth to everyone!

Santa at the Coffeeshop

Today Santa will be in his full Christmas outfit at this coffeeshop "E's" in San Jose, CA. (Note the SMILE poster of him in the window!) He will visit with families, listen to children's wishes, and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!

 (Free cocoa for all the children!)



Breaking News...Dasher er Comet, well one of Santa's reindeer escapes!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Second Week of Advent and St. Nicholas Day ~ 2010

This week I finished my shopping, wrapping presents and will ship my presents to my grandchildren and at my daughter's home. It is the last week to mail anything for Christmas and guarantee the packages will get there in time for Christmas. They live way back in northern Illinois by the Wisconsin border, so it will take a few days to get there.

This is also the week that many Christians celebrate St. Nicholas Day, December 6th. It is a special day that separates the tradition of Santa Claus from the religious observance of Christmas later in the month. It is celebrated in different ways depending on the country. St. Nicholas is one of my favorite saints, recognized in both the Western Christian churches and Orthodox Christian churches. His story is a wonderful one and he is the Patron Saint of New York City! How wonderful to remember his special entry into that city every year via the Thanksgiving Day parade there and also the movie Miracle on 34th Street which is about Santa and NYC!