Another Countdown

We began the Advent Wreath on Sunday.  On Tuesday, December 1, we'll start the countdown that all kids and kids-at-heart can relate to.

This days-to-Christmas hanging was made by my mom when I was DLG's age, about six.  She also made a tree skirt from felt.  Every now and then, when I'm looking for something in her crafting stuff, I run across the patterns she'd pulled from "Good Housekeeping" or "Ladies' Home Journal."

I haven't seen that tree skirt in years (miss it,) but when my mom was "down-sizing" her Christmas stuff (mostly getting rid of the tatty things I grew up with,) she found this and offered it to me.  I am a sentimental fool. The original bells were half-inch brass, tinted either blue, red, green or gold.  They seemed to glow.  But now they are faded and fewer than two dozen.  The small glass candy jar we'd deposit them in is long gone to some garage sale.

But I have accumulated exactly twenty-four 1" silver bells over the many holidays. A small candy tin will catch the bells now.  A bit of Modge-Podge to stiffen the yarn tips, and we're ready for another December!

The First Sunday of Advent

The first Sunday arrived and we were all at Mass.  The kids and I participated in Children's Liturgy of the Word.  Carl enjoyed Fr. Louis's homily.  We all sang.

This is the start of Liturgical Cycle C.  We will be hearing Gospels from the book of Luke.  Today's reading was Chapter 21: 25-28, 34-36.  Although the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah told the familiar reassurance that the Lord "will raise up for David a just shoot," the Gospel anticipates the Christ's Second Coming, (not the first coming that Advent heralds.)

To be warned of "signs" and instructed to be "alert" by Jesus is not the happy-feely stuff we want out of our Christmas season, is it?  Didn't we just have all those old end-of-times readings with the end of Cycle B??  The readings are chosen, changed as necessary, to instruct.  The readings are not selected on a whim, but assembled to create a narrative for our spiritual lives, much like a writer carefully choose words and scenes.  Some years, we go straight to the Messianic anticipation, but this year, we are reminded that the birth of the baby is not the end-all-be-all, just like the festivities of Christmas Day are not all there is to celebrating our call to love one another.

The end of our lives?  Fleeting, considering the age of all time.
The end of time?  Inconceivable.

Helping provided weekend food for kids who rely on subsidized school meal?  Everyday.  Giving a smile when you have one, or accepting a smile when you don't?  Anytime.  Really listening to someone?  Do-able.

The best way to anticipate is not to fret about what will happen when "someday" gets here, but do all the good we can "today" so we're not caught unawares with all of our "might-have-beens."

Shop Small Saturday

I did not go out to shop on Black Friday.  It's just not my thing.

But I do like the "Shop Small Saturday" idea.  I bought a Collector's Draw Ticket from the Huntsville Art League, and I went to a few thrift stores.

(Yes, I went to Walmart, but it was a heavy duty utility shelf, faucet covers and AAA batteries, come on.)

(And I consider Krispy Kreme a boutique restaurant.)

I went to a few thrift stores.  At St. Vincent de Paul Thrift store, and bought 15 items of kids clothes and a Christmas sweater for me.  I visited the two Saving Way Thrift Stores in the north part of Huntsville, and I bought some crafty sorts of things.  And a book.

I admit. I don't recall ever having READ Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," but I found it lovely and the illustrations charming.

But I still don't think I have enough Christmas books.