First published in 2017; tis the season to repost. Joy in the Journey* is one of the themes of Advent, which is a central part of the Catholic religion, to which my mom was faithful. For me, that thought always takes me back to a dark country road, under a green and white blanket, under…
Tag: advent
Advent Eve Offering
A beautiful poem, written and spoken by beloved peace worker Carolyn Pogue. Galaxy image from pixabay.com
On This Holy Night
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. – Matthew 2:10 Tonight, I am home in the quiet, Mom. This house is old-fashioned, with the kitchen at its heart, like a farm house. My living room walls are gold, like yours were. I keep a garden, Mom, and I bake bread. I…
Her Singers, Her Songs
I will sing for joy. – Psalms 92:4 What music brought joy to Mom?What were Mom’s favourite songs, and who were her favourite singers? A daughter can’t always know that, as every one of us has songs with meanings we hold only in our own heart. As for the songs and singers I do recall,…
Ten Things
You have filled my heart with greater joy. – Psalms 4:7 This simple statement has squirrelled round in my head all day, while I wondered what to write. Finally, I saw a photo of David Letterman, now old and bearded, like some unexpected hermit, and I’ve taken that as my way in. Dave, if you…
Toes for God
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. – St. Augustine If not for my Mom, God might have taken my toes, along with my horse and my money. I was the third of six, middle daughter, youngest of the ‘big kids.’ Sometimes I felt a bit invisible to Mom….
Gideons
Joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. – Romans 12:12 When I was a kid, the Gideons International gave out New Testaments to all kids in Grade 5. I remember my big sister got one, though it wasn’t until she was 15 that she really took up with our churchy neighbours – for…
Cake
I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you. – Ezekiel 36:26 It’s supposed to happen, isn’t it? Isn’t every stereotypical mom ever supposed to badger her kids to give her grandbabies? Mom didn’t do that. At various times in my life, I’ve interpreted that different ways. Mostly, I believe…
Reflection
A joy that’s shared is a joy made double. – John Ray What does it take for life to beat you to the point where you refuse to exhibit joy? What does it say about a society that it develops standards of maturity that include hiding your joy, tempering your interest, curbing your enthusiasm. Why…
Morning
Joy comes in the morning. – Psalm 30:5 Morning was always Mom’s time. In the winter on the farm, morning would begin with the sound of her rattling the kitchen stove, stoking up the fire. We heated the house via a mixed-fuel furnace in the basement, whom, for reasons that live in family legend, we…
Roots and Futures
The future starts today, not tomorrow. – Pope John Paul II The future starts yesterday, in actions and dreams we are not party to, which prepared the ground of today. We step into the future carrying our pasts, and all they taught us, the strengths and the scars of them, the wisdom and the folly,…
What Lies Ahead
Be truly glad. There’s a wonderful joy ahead. – Peter 1:6 Oh Peter. The fisherman with the shoes. The guy tagged by Jesus as the rock on which to build a church. How about that Jesus, the punster? I have to wonder how he saw Peter, how ironically he might have been saying to Peter,…
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