First!

Ah, up in the morning and time for my "twah-lette." But first! I should go ahead and make the coffee so it brews while I'm "busy."

Ah, time for a cup of coffee. But first! I should go ahead and clear the dishes from the dish drainer, because my husband's mug in somewhere in there... and go ahead and empty the dishwasher, too.

Mmm, breakfast. But first! The kids want waffles today, and Carl would like a breakfast sandwich. While I'm in the fridge, I should get out the lunch stuff and make those, too.

What to wear, what to wear? But first! Mooooommmmm! I caaaaannnnnn't..... uh, better get those kids sorted out for school.

Kids are at school. The morning is mine. But first! I need to go to the store. Well, both stores.

Wow! Sale on clothes! My wardrobe could use some additions. But first! The kids are growing like weeds and they need new things in bigger sizes for this weather.

Home again, home again, jiggedy-jog. Man, I'd like to take a nap, 'cause 5:15 a.m. was awfully early. But first! I need to unload the car and put everything away. Which, of course, entails all sorts of other straightening and rearranging.

While I'm straightening and rearranging, I think I'll finally try to clear off my alledged-crafting table. But first! I see the laundry basket is full. Is anyone running out of crucial clothes?

Clothes washing, now to tidy. But first! The dog wants a walk. I also really need to finally eat. And wash and put away dishes. And do some dinner prep. And some clothes are ready to be put away. And, oh look! it's time to go get the kids.

Home, again. Again. Maybe now would be a good time to surf the interwebs. But first! The boy child needs me to ride herd on him and his homework. Daughter just needs some attention of her own.

Homework is done. (Finally!) Maybe while they're busy, I can start on my blog. But first! I should start dinner, since it can cook while I'm blogging.

Dinner is cooking. Computer time??? But first! Ugh, I should clean all the prep dishes so there's less to do after dinner (and clear out that dish drainer again.) Oh, I've topped off the garbage can-- out with you! Really, more clothes to fold? Kids! I need you! One of you needs to set the table for dinner, the other take the dog out. I don't care who does what, just do it! And wash your hands before you set the table. ("Hi, sweetheart! Welcome home. kiss-kiss. Dinner will be on the table soon.") Good, did you wash your hands, too? Then do it. And you, go tell everyone dinner is ready.

Good dinner. Time to relax and enjoy a dessert. But first! Kids can't make up their minds what they want. You want ice cream? You all want ice cream? Ok, bowls or cones? Yes, you can have yours in a mug-- with chocolate syrup. Kids, when you're done with dessert, go to the bathrooms. It'll be time to start getting ready for bed. I'll just finish up in the kitchen while you eat.

I still have dishes and clothes to finish. But first! Getting. Kids. Ready. For. Bed. (sigh) Bill Cosby spoke truly: "Turn on the water! Use soap!"

Still. Dishes. Clothes. And now I think I need a bath. But first! "Mommy, can I have a story?" "Mommy, can I have a cuddle?"

Sweet sleeping littles. And clean kitchen. And clothes at a "stopping point" for the day. Time for a LOOOOONG, HOT shower. Ahhhhh... But first! Eww... when did this shower get so grimy? Well, while I'm in here, I might as well bring in the cleaner and a sponge. I'm wet anyway, and would need a shower after cleaning.

Clean. It feels good to be clean. And in pjs. Ready to sit in bed and goof off. But first! What's the matter sweetheart? Your heels again? Here, let me smooth them.

Time to sleep. 5:30 a.m. still comes awfully early. But first! What, sweetheart? You want to "hmm-hmm"? Sounds good to me.

But first? Sure, I'd love to relax in your arms and let you love me.

Open to Revelation

" Said the night wind to the little lamb, 'Do you see what I see
  Way up in the sky, little lamb? Do you see what I see?
  A star-- a star dancing in the night!-- with a tail as big as a kite.'

  Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, 'Do you hear what I hear
  Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy? Do you hear what I hear?
  A song-- a song high above the trees!-- with a voice a big as the sea.'

  Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, 'Do you know what I know,
  In your palace warm, might king? Do you know what I know?
  A Child-- a Child shivers in the cold. Let us bring him silver and gold.'

  Said the king to his people everywhere, 'Listen to what I say!
  Pray for peace, people everywhere.
  Listen to what I say:
  The Child-- the Child sleeping in the night--
  He will bring us goodness and light.' "

                                                 (Noël Regney with Gloria Shayne Baker)


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Tomorrow, the Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate "The Feast of the Epiphany."  The calendar date for "Three Kings Day" is traditionally January 6th (also the 12th day of Christmas.) But here in the US, for a variety of reasons regarding accessibility, we celebrate this day on the Sunday before the 6th.

At Good Shepherd, our choir director will hunt up "3 Wise Men (or Women)" from among the elementary children at Mass. Ideally, some kids should have volunteered or have been volunteered by Mass time, but not often is the case. They will wear the same capes and crowns our Magi have worn for years, and they will carry up their gilded gifts in the procession in order to lay them before the Christ Child in the Nativity scene. They will sit in the front pew and, during the homily, be acknowledged by Fr. Louis. Fr. Louis might even trot out a lame joke. (He also likes to tilt everyone in the procession off-kilter by singing the "other" second line to "We Three Kings of Orient Are... Smoking on a rubber cigar." Come offertory time, the "Kings (Queens)" will bring up the gifts. They will also process out, with hopes of dashing to the choir room before they're asked by family to take a dozen pictures.

We do this year after year after year. And everyone, as tradition will have it, will still be confused by the who/what/where/when/how.

The "Why" we also have to relearn.

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This Epiphany, I have "Children's Liturgy of the Word."

???
Children's Church, if you will.

For my lesson, (technically, it's not a "homily" since I am not ordained,) I will teach about being open to revelation.

Our word "epiphany" comes from a Greek verb meaning "to appear" with a connotation of "manifestation."

During Advent, I taught the children about preparing themselves for the coming of the Lord as foretold by Isaiah and proclaimed by John Baptist. The mountains they could lower are the mountains of pride and anger. The valleys they could fill are the valleys of prejudice and social injustice. The rough paths of sadness and doubt need God's strength to smooth. The crooked paths of selfishness and sin need God's forgiveness to straighten. If their actions and words were feeling like a stark desert, God's love-- if they allowed Him-- could flow like a stream and give them life.

But we need to further prepare by being open to the experience. It is often said that miracles are what God does in our lives when we aren't paying attention.

The song above is so simple, but says so much. The wind asks the lamb, and lamb is willing to look. The lamb looks, and then HEARS! The lamb asks the shepherd, who listens, and then GOES! The shepherd asks the king, who learns and then SHARES! We should look, and listen, and go, and learn, and share. We should be open to discovery-- to FIND!

The Magi were open to discovery. They had studied many, many things. They observed many, many things. They discussed many, many things. But at the end of their knowledge, they went forth to discover. They were open to learning more things, to seeing new places, to talking to people different from themselves.

They were open to revelation and found that what they were seeking was more wondrous than they expected!

The Holy Family openly received the strange travelers and their odd gifts. And Mary pondered all these things in her heart.

Holy Joseph and the Magi were so open to revelation, that when they received dire warnings in dreams, they heeded the angelic words and took actions, actions that were inconvenient but necessary.

God has given us a wonderful gift of ourselves. To the best of our abilities, everyday, we should use our senses-- our minds-- our lives-- to be open to the wonderful revelations of God.

Be the Change

Pretty big topic, right??

I'm kind of stumped/stymied/blocked/constipated when it comes to blogging material right now.

I know. An Irish-American woman at a loss for words.

uh-huh

Not a loss for words, but a loss for concise, cohesive thoughts.

Stream-of-consciousness I can do until you're comatose.

I'm going to lean on The Daily Post's "Daily Prompts." I've never heard of this site before-- I just Googled "daily blog writing prompts," and this site was a top hit. It's by the editors/creators/managers of WordPress, so it's got its gravitas.

I want to create more, to spend more time with creative people. I'll start by writing more (again.) I hope that once I start getting my thoughts back in order, I can get my personal spaces for crafting & reading in order.

I'll be the change here that I want to see everywhere.

Pretty small step, right?