So long 2011

Good-bye 2011 - Good-bye Stonecreek Statuary -

Hard to believe we went from this.....

To this morning's view....

Husband David is walking towards the last 2 items to be delivered....

Life is always about change....And though it's sad to see it close,

We look forward to what 2012 may bring.

May we come to accept all that has come our way this past year,

as we remain open to all the new paths that God sets before us in 2012.

Love you all! 

a joyful and arduous journey

As you recall from yesterday's post, our wise men are in a bit of a funk.

I left them with 100 Graces as it is a smallish book perfectly suited

for smallish readers.

Me:  So, have you found any words of wisdom in this book?

Wiseman #3:  We believe that this writing by Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB,

 was written just for us. We have read, meditated on, and discussed it all day. 

Me:  And may I ask what you have learned?

Wiseman #2:  We are drawn to the second paragraph.  Would you like us to read it?

Me:  Yes please. That would be lovely.

Wiseman #1:  "It is both a joyful and arduous journey.  Sometimes the star shines

brightly, the promise seems certain, and the pilgrims can sing,

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring God's peace." 

Often the star disappears, clouded over, hidden from view,

 and the pilgrims grope blindly, grow discouraged, get weary, give thought

to settling down, to forgetting the promise of peace."

Me:  Ahhh, this speaks to the "both/and" aspect of our spiritual journeys.

Wiseman#3:  Yes, in the past we have felt so certain of our calling. 

We were overjoyed to follow the star.

But this year we know that we have grown discouraged, and have given

thought to settling down right here on this shelf. 

Me:  Well there's nothing wrong with living here on this shelf - 

unless God is calling you to move towards something else. 

Are you being called?

Wiseman #1:  We're not sure because we really haven't spent any time reflecting on our calling or listening for the whisper of God. 

We are sad to say that we focused entirely on keeping our gifts safe -

especially in the face of these tough economic times. 

The leprechaun advised us to keep them close to our hearts.

Me:  What did I tell you about trusting leprechauns who horde gold?  

Wiseman #3:  We know but he convinced us that we should hold on to our gifts.

Me:  How hard can that be when they are attached to your hands?

Wiseman#2:  Your sense of humor is once again teetering on cruelty....

Me:  I know, I know...sometimes I just can't help myself....I apologize.  

 I have an idea that I think might help. 

It involves your seeing how you are connected to other wise ones. 

Tomorrow we will talk again, but before I go,  

can you read the last paragraph to me?

Wiseman #1: "One thing is certain:  All pilgrims need nourishment to sustain the journey.

An occasional oasis for the spirit is essential, a time to feast on the refreshing waters,

the rich food of the spirit, in order to get strength to continue the pilgrimage

through darkness, star-shine or not."

Me:  Oh, those are beautiful words.  I'll leave you to ponder those.

Good Night my little leprechaun lovers!

They're back (the wise ones, that is)

'Twas 3 days after Xmas, and all through the house,

there were shouts of glee because Bethany had

finally transferred most of my files from my

"almost dead" computer to my new one:)

So now I'm able to bring you the latest adventures

of the Wise Men.  And if you are not familiar with their previous

 adventures, I invite you to click here to read all about them.

And yes, they are STILL here.  I thought they had left for

the Holy Land last week so I was surprised to see them

on their bathroom shelf this morning.  I have to admit,

they have been in quite the funk for the past few months.

They tell me it's because of the world wide recession but I know

it's because of all the time they have spent with that leprechaun

they've been sharing their bathroom shelf with since March. 

Me:  So why are you guys still here?  Didn't you see the star

shining in the night with the tail as big as a kite?

WM#1:  Yes we saw it but Laddy (the Leprechaun) told us that

we should let some other wise ones visit the Christ child this year. 

After all, why should we always be the one ones who share our gifts? 

Me: You share your gifts because that is what God created you to do.

Wow...you really have been influenced by Laddy.  Haven't I

told you not to trust him?  Just look at that smirk on his face.  All

he cares about is his pile of gold. Not only is he not interested in

sharing it with you, he wants your gifts  too!  Good thing your gifts

 are attached to your arms or they would be in his pile by now!

WM#2: Dearest landlady, is there any conversation during which

you do NOT mention our affliction?  We do have feelings you know.

Me:  I'm terribly sorry.  I forget that you can be quite sensitive about that.  

Please accept my apologies.  In the meantime, I will remove Laddy

from the sill, which I should have done long ago.  Tomorrow we'll have a

 real conversation about your impending journey. 

 In the meantime, I've brought you new reading material.  

100 Graces.  It will help your mind and spirit settle down. 

May you find wisdom inside its pages which will enable you to recall your own story. 

You do have one you know, and it is sacred.

Good Night my wee wise men.

From 2008...

 

"The Advent mystery

is the beginning

of the end
of all in us

that is not yet

Christ."

- Thomas Merton

 

photo of Icon in Thomas Merton's hermitage

taken by Thomas Merton

a favorite from 2009

"Advent is all about

the unexpected arrival of God."

Paul-Gordon Chandler

Incarnation happens when you least expect it!

As do polar bears arriving for din-din :)

first at the cradle

"Perhaps it is no wonder that the women were

first at the Cradle and last at the Cross.

They had never known a man like this Man -

there never has been such another.

A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them,

never flattered or coaxed or patronised:

who never made arch jokes about them...;

who rebuked without querulousness

and praised without condescension;

who took their questions and arguments seriously;

who never mapped out their sphere for them,

never urged them to be feminine or jeered at them for being female;

who had no axe to grind and no uneasy male dignity to defend;

who took them as he found them and was completely unself-conscious.

There is no act, no sermon, no parable in the whole Gospel

that borrows its pungency from female perversity;

nobody could possibly guess from the words and deeds of Jesus

that there was anything "funny" about woman's nature."

 

(Dorothy Sayers, as quoted in the book "Freeing Theology")

 

photo from here

 

can you see the heart?

Advent Joy

What a crazy week this has been. 

In the midst of our Closing Business Sale at the Statuary

 and preparing for Christmas, my email was hacked

(due to my never having changed the password in all these many years)

and my bank cash card pin was also hacked.

Coincidence?  Who knows?  So I had no access to my email

 or my bank account for several days - and life went on!!!

But all is well now and here we are in the middle of

the Fourth Week of Advent.  Can you believe it? 

I've given up on any semblance of normal posting and instead plan

on posting some of my favorite posts from the past 4 years....Enjoy!

This one is from 2008.

 

"Mary and Elizabeth.
Together with child,
they both feel the joy of the Lord,
rejoicing in the great things He's done for them-
In the things He will do for the world..."

Artist: "Susan" from Polk Co. WI
found here