Snapshot & Whatnot: Christmas Heart Cheer

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Virginia

SNAPSHOT:

& WHATNOT:

“Christmas will always be, as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.” Dr. Seuss (from ‘The Grinch Who Stole Christmas’)

A comforting thought, but we must do our bit – the part about standing heart to heart? Even with folks we may disagree with, a little? Oh, and maybe extending our hands to folks we don’t usually hang out with? Who may need a little Christmas cheer to melt their Grinch-like hearts into beating with love?

The kind of cheer that’s not store-bought, but heart-brought.

grace, peace & Christmas hearts

Virginia : )

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Illuminating Light

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Virginia

Preparing our hearts for Christmas, we might want to take a moment (or two) to bring whatever we’re struggling with into the Light. Maybe fear has stymied our hopes into mopes, we’re wrestling with big decisions and don’t know what to do, anxiety is crushing our every minute, or perhaps we’re just in a dark funk we can’t skunk.

With all the twinkling lights and everyone making merry, sometimes it’s hard at this time of year to let the light of Christ seep into the dark corners of our hearts – closets where we’ve locked the doors & forgotten where we put the keys?

“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

Jesus is good with the prickly bits of our lives. He can even turn them into something beautiful, like these cactuses in Arizona catching the evening light.

We can ask for Christ’s empowering love to open our closets and sweep out our doubts, fears, and insecurities. We can let His mercy varnish our tarnish. We can ask for His peace to transform our anxiety into piety (the kind that means we pray more often & worry less.)

Darkness doesn’t stand a chance in the burning bright Light of Your love, Lord Jesus.  It evaporates. Please evaporate the darkness in our hearts, minds and spirits with the Light of Your love and mercy. Empower us with Your love. Empassion us with Your love.

Please transform our hearts & minds with Your peace, that we may walk Your path of peace in this fractured world. Make us conduits of Your Light in the night that surrounds us. Shine in us, O Lord, and through us, by Your grace.  Amen.

grace, peace & Divine Light

Virginia : )

“When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a Light unto me.” Micah 7:8

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Romance & Christmas Wrapping : )

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Virginia

Sunday whilst down with flu blues, I became a Hallmark Christmas movie slug. Both Hallmark channels have been playing non-stop Christmas movies since, geez, end of October? Seems like a long time, since I normally record several series on Hallmark Mysteries (the Postables, a total fav, Garage Sale Mysteries, Aurora Teagarden etc.)

No mysteries. Nada! Just sorta sappy romantic Christmas movies in places like Reindeer Lodge (VT), or Alaska (near Santa’s North Pole station), or a variety of big cities swathed in massive Christmas decorations, or small towns (Colorado, North Carolina, the Midwest) – these characters get around.

Everybody needs a little love. Basic story line of all of them (so far as I can tell.)

Not just love, but ROMANCE (very chaste romance, at that.)

Not to bah humbug Hallmark’s protracted intricate romances, but one of my favorite Christmas romances condenses a quirky courtship into a few minutes of 1980s grooves generated by The Waitresses in their song “Christmas Wrapping.”

Here’s a YouTube video (with the words) to have a listen & read-a-long…

All kinds of things can bring folks together, but how fun: CRANBERRY SAUCE!!

So Virginia, how does all this romance relate to Advent?

Most of these movies involve some sort of transformation. At least one character (usually both) have to open up their hearts to the idea of love, romance, and (eventually) life-long commitment.

Guess what? That’s what faith is all about: a lifelong commitment to God. Opening our hearts wider and wider to God’s grace. Joy. Peace. Mercy. Wisdom. Love.

God’s transformative Love that softens our hearts with verve and nerve to be and do — whatever & however we’re led to groove in this dance of life.

“Romance is that sense of adventure and daring and surrender that comes in to our lives when we have a vision worth living and dying for.” Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM

grace, peace & cranberry romance(s)

Virginia : )

p.s.  Ut oh, maybe Virginia should lose the cranberry sauce, to go on Christmas Day for more? What think ye of that strategy? 🙂

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Santa Maria @ The Hospital

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Virginia

“…and Mary pondered these things in her heart…”

As a bed-fast quadriplegic my Papa was well looked after by the medical mafia of Williamsburg, dedicated doctors who regularly came by the house to check him over. But there were numerous times Papa was in and out of the hospital for medical emergencies and diagnostic stays.

@ the hospital, he always asked the names of nurses, doctors, LPNs, lab technicians – anyone who came into his orbit.

The thing is, Papa remembered their names. (I sometimes have trouble remembering mine, and it’s where I’m from!)

During his last stay in the hospital (an hour before he passed) Papa asked the name of the lovely Spanish American nurse attending him. She said, “Maria.”

He looked at her and said, “Santa Maria.”

She quickly yelped, “Oh, no! More like Mary Magdalena.”

He said, again, slowly (each breath an effort): “You are santa Maria.”

In Spanish santa = holy.

She cried.

We cried.

A bit later as my sisters and I recited Psalm 23’s “and He leads me beside still waters,” Papa’s contorted face eased into peace. As our precious Mama clasped his hand, Papa went to rest in the Everlasting Arms of God’s everlasting Love.

During Advent we hear the word holy often: “Silent night, holy night;” “O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining;” “Infant holy, infant lowly…”

We ask God to make us holy. We’re at least meant to try? Like, it’s a part of our faith?

“Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”  (Hebrews 12:14)

I pray, Lord, make me holy as You are holy. Then, I get a little scared.

What needs to change? Attitudes? Actions? Absorption (me, me, me?)

To be holy means it’s not about me, its about drawing closer to God: letting God’s ways mend my ways into a heavenly blend with a holy aroma.

Santa Virginia? Nada. Not yet, anyway, but maybe one day by the grace (& mercy!) of God.

“God calls us to collaborate with Divine Purpose. But we cannot do it ourselves. We need everlasting Love pushing, nudging, if not outright shoving.” Madeleine L’Engle

grace, peace & holy Advent blends

Virginia : )

p.s. My Papa was never one for languages (except Biblical ones.) How he knew santa is holy in Spanish had to be Holy-Spirit engendered. (Although back in the early 1950s he completed his studies in California & worked a few jobs there. Maybe all those Santa names attached to CA cities somehow rubbed off on him.)  🙂

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Blues-Busting Holiday Blues

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Virginia

It’s a week before Christmas and Virginia (the person) has a bad case of holiday blues. The same Virginia almost to her Advent post-a-day gig goal (7 days to go?) Holiday blues?

Yup. Incendiary blues from a bad case of flu (hack, hack, sniffle, sniffle, can’t swallow? fever? chills?)

Woe is me (literally.)

Opening my email, however, holiday greetings from my undergraduate alma mater, The University of Virginia, busted my blues to the stratosphere. You may remember I posted about the ugliness there in August (click here to read it: Charlottesville:Standing Against Hatred.)

Do give this a watch – there’s a part with origami angels that brought tears to my (already teary) eyes.

Today, I’m a grateful graduate.

“Compassion means to become close to the one who suffers. But we come close to another person only when we are willing to become vulnerable ourselves. A compassionate person says: I am your brother; I am your sister; I am human, fragile and mortal, just like you. I am not scandalized by your pain. I too have wept. I too have felt pain.

We can be with the other only when the other cases to be ‘other’ and becomes like us.” Henri Nouwen (Here & Now)

grace, peace & blues-busting blues

: /   Virginia  : )

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Snapshot & Whatnot: Powerful Love

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Virginia

SNAPSHOT:

Chincoteague Island, Eastern Shore, VA

& WHATNOT:

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear… ” (I John 4:18)

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” Jimi Hendrix

grace, peace & powerful Love

Virginia  : )

 

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Quickie Advent Quote: Lanterns of Light!!

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Virginia

On this Advent Saturday, here’s a brief (but challenging) quote for our minds and hearts to contemplate:

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the Light.” Helen Keller

May faith strengthen our hope to let the Light of Christ shine in us, like lanterns in dark places where it seems all light has been snuffed out.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it SHINE!!

grace, peace & lanterns of Light

Virginia : )

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Have a Cuppa (celebratory) Tea

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Virginia

There are many ways to celebrate Advent, but a dear friend gifted me with a new way this year: an Advent Calendar filled with TEA! Traveling to Germany she brought this unique gift home that has been such a joyful delight this Advent.

Each day there’s a different teabag with names like Gute Laune-Tee (cheery tea), Freier Geist-Tee (free spirit tea) plus a small calendar insert that lists a daily activity and Advent thought like this one:

“Music makes you happy. A simple gift that connects humans across all borders. Today rehearse a Christmas carol. No matter if you can’t sing, simply tap to the beat on a table. The music will enchant you…”

As shared previously in one of Virginia’s favorite posts (click here to read it: Tempests in a Teacup), tea is one of my favorite things (tied with chocolate.) All kinds are favored: black teas, green teas, herbal teas (especially rooibos) & varieties of chocolate teas (win, wins!)

This time of year, Virginia the avid-tea-drinker thoroughly enjoys sipping Christmas teas, and now, delectably joyful Advent Kalender teas!

On this International Tea Day, celebrated annually on December 15th to highlight fair trade from tea producing countries, share a cuppa with a friend, or enjoy a full pot on your own. To add a little hilarity to a dreary December day, have a listen to The Kinks’ song “Have a Cuppa Tea” – it’s not a Christmas carol, but table-tapping appropriate for today.

Tea in the morning, tea in the evening, tea at supper Time,
You get tea when it’s raining, tea when it’s snowing.
Tea when the weather’s fine,
You get tea as a mid-day stimulant
You get tea with your afternoon tea
For any old ailment or disease
For Christ sake have a cuppa tea…

Ray Davies, The Kinks ‘Have A Cuppa Tea’

A big cuppa Christmas Tea @ Walt Disney’s Epcot Park

grace, peace & celebratory tea

Virginia : )

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” C. S. Lewis

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Evicting Extra Baggage @ Advent

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Virginia

As we travel to the Inn of Bethlehem on our Advent journey, are we carrying too much baggage? Do we need to empty our pockets of resentments and heavy fears bogging us down?

Can we order up a heavenly dump truck to remove the debris of doubt cluttering up the corners of our hearts and minds? Can we take out the garbage of not-so-nice thoughts so there’s a clean place for Jesus to hang out?

My older brother calls it ‘stinkin’ thinkin.’  Advent is a good time to get rid of it.

Maybe it’s also a good time to get rid of the extra baggage of stored up hurts that still make our hearts sore: unkind things said that replay like a tape-recorder in our heads.

Wait. Some of you younger folks probably don’t even know what a tape-recorder is! What we used in the 1980s and early ’90s before CDs ruled the world. (You do know what a CD is?)

“And the One who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.”  (Revelations 21:5)

“Society may renovate, but only God re-creates.” Max Lucado

Here’s to evicting extra baggage in our lives!!

grace, peace & baggage eviction

Virginia : )

“We don’t think ourselves into a new way of living; we live ourselves into a new way of thinking.”  Richard Rohr, OFM

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Advent Snapshot & Whatnot: Perseverance

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Virginia

Another quickie post here @Roses in the Rubble’s Advent post-a-day gig. Christmas is 12 days away. Yikes!

SNAPSHOT:

Spring flowers on Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg, VA

& WHATNOT:

You may be thinking, what is Virginia thinking posting a picture of spring flowers when here in Virginia (the state of) it was 22F (-5C) last night & the high today didn’t break the 30sF (-1C).  Birrrrizzzzzzy cold. (Hot chocolate guzzling cold!)

As much as we may dislike the cold bleakness of winter, eventually bare branches will spring into blossom. Just like our lives, sometimes? Everything may seem downer dark, but God is with us in the bleakest bits (even if we keep bumping into corners of our lives.)

“Perseverance means the flowering of the love of God. It grows and grows, descending upon a soul like a cascade of flowers.” Catherine Doherty

grace, peace & flowering perseverance

Virginia : )

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