Reclaiming Wonder

This Christmas, don’t just do something, stand there | LifeSiteNews.com

Here's an interesting article that I found, all about reminding us how to find the wonder in Christmas that seems to be so sadly lost once people grow up.

I hope your day is going well, full of light and hope.

-Linden

Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas to all! May your day be blessed, bright and beautiful.

Love and light,
Linden

Echoes of Olden Christmas

A year or so ago, I remember listening to the lovely A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas. While I may or may not like Thomas as a person, his poetry and work he did during the second World War always fascinated me.

Somehow, this makes it feel more like Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sweet Baby Jesus

I don't have a creche of my own this year, which is a little sad and feels a bit odd. However, I do have these figurines I was given a year ago. The other day, the sun burst through the windows and fell upon them, sitting on the edge of the organ.

Truly, Christ is He for whom we wait during Advent, He for whom we celebrate during Christmas, and also He who brings the light of Epiphany.

Happy fourth week of Advent!

Light from Light

Today I meant to be productive. I got off work at eight, went to the office for a half hour and then on to morning Mass. After that, I was intending to go to Winterwold and sleep for several hours.

Alas, the plans of mice and men oft go awry... as Burns constantly reminds me. Instead, when I went to the office I discovered I had several hours of training this afternoon. So instead of home and sleep, I went to training and then on to hunting down candles for my Advent wreath. At last, after quite a while of searching, I discovered some and headed back to Winterwold.

By this time, it was later in the evening and so I merely ate a small dinner, practiced a bit of music and left again for choir rehearsal.

It was a beautiful night to drive- the snow swirling reminded me of how when I was about four I thought shooting stars must look.

Finally, I got to come home and set up my Advent wreath. It really does something to my heart to see the three purple and one pink candle set on the table.

But that's as productive as I got all day. So now, it's off to bed and I'll get around to cleaning and cooking and such in the morning, as I have no where to go all day.

Poinsettia

Last year I posted a photo of a poinsettia, right around this time, I think. But this year, I have another poinsettia photo, and this one is my very own plant. I'm very happy with this bright little fellow, who is using his cheery bracts to brighten the otherwise very neutral coloured sitting and dining room of Winterwold- my home for the winter. 

It was this plant that made me realize I take after my mother a bit- the house had so little colour that some of the first things I bought were bright red: A Christmassy tablecloth to cover the dark wood table, a pair of scarlet candles to rest in my crystal candlesticks on said table, and then, this happy poinsettia. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here...

... which is good because yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent!

A Left-Over from Christmas

I was going through some of my photos yesterday afternoon and found this one glowing at me amidst photos of textbooks and coffee cups.

I think there was something slightly wrong with my brain by the end of last semester. :)

Christmas!

I know- I dropped out of touch as soon as Theophilus came home...

The first few days were pretty quiet, and then Tuesday we went to a friend's house and made doughnuts.

On top of that, the guys played Catan. I drank tea and then joined for a game of applied geometry. (More fun than that sounds.) The doughnuts were delicious and I probably had more than was really good for me, but after all, it was Christmas time, and you can get away with lots of sugar then. :) We watched a movie, talked, and then made thimble cookies with raspberry jam made by the lovely Mrs. S.

For most of that week the temperatures were a balmy -28 C.

On Christmas Eve, I was part of two separate Church services. The first was a Children's Mass, at 5 PM, but I was supposed to be at the church to rehearse by 3, which really broke up my day oddly. I loved seeing the children in the pageant for the gospel readings. Also, my friend Annie came and brought her new-born, who was completely adorable. While everyone talked, I got to play with several of the kids there- since we don't have foster kids at home right now, I was missing having little ones to play with.

We got home and had our traditional supper and opened presents and watched some Doctor Who, and then I went in to play for the Midnight Mass (frigid -34 C) and had another lovely time, although I was more than exhausted by the time we got home.

Christmas Day passed quietly, happily, with lots of food, and then, in the evening, a Doctored up Christmas Carol.

And it's hard to believe that was only a week ago!

He's Home For Christmas

Theophilus is home now... he came in the middle of the night. I think I was more asleep than anything and some how don't really remember anything other than Mum telling me to give him a hug. 

Hm.

Well, now for tea and catching up with him and soon going into S-Town for choir practice... Mid-night Mass is now in less than a week! 

Merry almost Christmas, everyone!

In Cold December-Time

Only 24 more days until Christmas. And here's some more Christmas music.

It felt like December was never going to get here, the year just dragged on. And now it's time to make it feel like Christmas everywhere. That may include being part of the group from my office going to the School Head to petition for a Christmas tree in the office. 

Isn't this time lovely? I really can't wait to decorate our tree soon. 

It's Almost December Time

Well, in case anyone needed reminding, tomorrow's December. Just so happens to be my favourite month. I mean, there are Christmas carols and trees and candles. 

I think it's about time for me to break out the music books and CDs and find some Christmas lights to put up in my room. I'll post photos when I get to that. 

For now, I'll just leave you with a few clips of Christmas Music. :)

Last Day

Well, today is the last full day of break.

Tomorrow, Andromanche, Krysten and I will head back to HC to start the next long semester of learning. In some ways, I cannot believe how fast the last twenty-two days have flown.

Yet I'll be happy to have school work to do again, as well as seeing a few of my friends. It's going to be hard, when I see the space left by my friends who will be in London, and I will be haunted by the memories of the hopes that I had. But I still believe that God will work good out of this.

And so, I look forward with joy to writing you all again from HC!

Unexpected Gifts

Well, last night, I checked my email and found a notification of a gift card to the Barnes and Noble bookstore had been sent to me. I was a little surprised, as I knew that Mum had sent me a gift card for Christmas, and was sure that no one else would have thought of it.

But a few moments later, there was another email. It turns out that a friend whom I've barely heard from in nearly two years decided to send me a Christmas gift, after she received a card and bookmark from me which arrived to her place just yesterday morning. She could not think of anything, and so, deciding to not wait until next year to ask me, settled on a book gift. She told me that she knew that I loved books, and thought it could not go amiss. So I was the very happy, and surprised, recipient of a gift card.

After perusing the website for what seemed like forever, I settled on getting a copy of Wuthering Heights and found a decently cheap copy, and after the shipping and handling costs, found I'd used the exact amount that was specified in the certificate.

And then I found that it was actually just in time for Christmas on the Julian calendar. So, it seems that my friend had good fortune on dates, and we just had a small Christmas gift giving, her and I.

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone.... I wasn't able to go home to Alaska, which was hard, but Theophilus and I had a wonderful time with my grandparents and my uncle's family.

I found myself missing my friends at school, missing my friends and family at home, but still, God blessed us with a wonderful few days together.

Hopefully I'll be able to post photos at some point soon, but if not, expect quite the updates when I return to Houghton!

One Down

Yes, that's right. My last day of school was Friday!

I came pretty much straight to Gramma's, and then Merry flew out a little bit later. Since then, I've been mostly just hanging around the house with Theophilus, who is over in NY for part of break. We've been baking cookies and seeing family and watching movies, all of which are very relaxing because they have absolutely nothing to do with school.

In some ways, I still can't believe that I've now finished one whole semester of college. Where did the time go? Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that I was packing all my stuff to come down here?

Oh well, time to go to the Indian market, I'll write more later!

A-Wassailing We Go!

Isabel, after jumping into the snow-drift with me.

Jon, who is from Texas, learning to make snow-angels.

Here is my lovely snow-angel, after Jon had so kindly pulled me up.

Afterwards, when we'd traipsed back to campus, Isabel decided to sit on the snowy bench. After all, she was already completely wet from our angels and snowfights and drift-diving shenanigans.
Yes, Christmas Carolling at the nursing home gave us so much energy we had to expend it in the freshly fallen snow. The people there were so sweet, I'm not sure who was more blessed- those who heard us singing, or the eleven of us who got to see the smiles which Christmas songs could bring.

Favourite Things: Christmas Carols

This afternoon, I was rehearsing over in the music buildings for a concert I'm in tomorrow. After i was finished, I was spending a few moments with some friends.
One of them decided to grab me back into a practice room. He, Joia and I began randomly playing Christmas music: he sang, she played my violin and I played the piano. It was such fun that I forgot all my stress over finals and friends and everything else.
And it reminded me how much I love Christmas carols. Which is exactly what I needed.
Now, go listen to some Christmas music and think of the wonder of the season!!!