Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Quotidian Liturgy

When I got to be with Kendra last week, she commented that my emails with pictures are certainly a kind of a ritual. As we talked, I reflected that these have become daily ways that I am able to count the gifts and to give thanks. A quotidian liturgy of sorts, I suppose. I take pictures and write a little something about them each day to learn, to meditate, and to remember…So, for those of you who look at these with me, thank you for taking the time to be a part of how I am trying to process the wonder and wildness and messiness of life. They are ways I try to look for grace and light and hope in the midst of brokenness. They help me to focus my lens and to choose joy on many days. Thank you for walking this road with us and for being a faithful part of this journey.

 


































Christmas afternoon playtime outside 

Alison and her adorable little 8 month old- Owen! 
 

a table set for a Christmas feast 
 

tradition! 

 
 


:) 
 
 


:) 
 
 

 em and katherine 


Cheekwood's amazing decorations at the holidays 
 

let it snow! 
 



























 
Frosty at Cheekwood 
 

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012

 Words from The Jesus Storybook Bible from Luke 2:

They knelt on the dirt floor. They had heard about this Promised Child and now he was here. Heaven’s Son. The Maker of the Stars. A baby sleeping in his mother’s arms. This baby would be like that bright star shining in the sky that night. A Light to light up the whole world.
Chasing away darkness. Helping people to see.
And the darker the night got, the brighter the star would shine.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!! 













Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Eve- a star and a gift

 words from Christmas past... 

I found this in my journal from December 24, 2006:  "I was talking to Sally Bailey at the Dunkerley's party. We were talking about Anna's debut as a sheep in the Christmas pageant at St. B's that night. I related to her the story of how Father Jerry encouraged us to not miss what God might be saying to us in the midst of the pageant....the sheep with their bows on their bottoms, the "camel that broke:, the real baby who was being held by the little girl playing Mary, the cute angels.  It can be easy to get lost in the chaos of all the children up in front and to get distracted from the profound message that God may be speaking in the midst of this. As I was sharing this with Sally, we were laughing about how the service at 5:30 is very different from the more contemplative candlelight service at 10:30 on Christmas Eve. I told her how I felt my life was more representative of the 5:30 service rather than the midnight mass.  Perhaps one day, I told her that I will return to a life more like the midnight service, but for now, my life is all about the chaos as I try to keep pace with our ever growing and ever changing children. Sally shared that she too thought that life would come back to that, but that life just keeps on going and it is still just as wild now as a grandmother and as she takes care of her parents.  So- perhaps we are all still in the mode of the 5:30 service. But, as we are there, may we not miss the voice of God int he wonder and wildness of it all." 

a gift and a star 
Carla said tonight in her prayer before the service: "Thank you Lord that you invite us to be a part of your STORY!" Indeed... thank you, Lord!! 

 
star of wonder 

star of light 


the three gifts 

shepherd on watch (Wilder Allen) 






westward leading, still proceeding- guide us to Thy perfect light
 
 




a gift indeed 

 

Christmas Eve 2012

 I loved waking up this morning and hearing Taylor say, "I can't wait for tomorrow!!" Christmas anticipation is a sweet gift...


                                                              Happy 23rd to Taylor- a football date 

 

 in our Indian dresses