December 31, 2005

The Journey

Mauna Kea Covered with Snow Photo courtesey of the Hawaii Tribune Herald, Hilo Hawaii

"Dad Im hot and tired and we have walked so far, why doesnt God let us stop?"
"I dont know dear, but He has a plan for us and He is with us. Remember how He did many miracles while we were in fear and in bondage in the Green Land, and wanting a better life for ourselves?"
"I know, Dad. But I miss the green trees that never turn brown and the ocean and my friends there. Its so hot here and the nights are so cold. I just want to be at home."
"You had few real friends there, dear. They mostly only tolerated you because of what you could do for them. Didnt you just tell me how beautiful the seasons are in this new land that God is giving to us, and that you were glad for the new things that I have given you to do. Yes this is a desert, a place where it hardly rains, but it is a land that has not forgotten who God really is, and He has blessed it.
"But I dont belong here"
"You didnt belong there either"
"Where DO I belong..."
"Dear, you belong wherever God takes you. He has promised you that he would give you the land you just need to believe, and keep moving. There is rest and home in the end of the journey...


I thought about this little dialougue this morning as I had my prayer time. I felt that this was how I was feeling yesterday. And I am sorry about it, but I am weary and yes I wish I had a home at my job... This moving around thing bothers me. Just as I get comfortable, I get ripped away and plunged into a new situation where I must reimpress people and learn a new way of doing things. This is hard for everyone but I find it exceptionally difficult.

But I should trust God more.

That is what this year has been about. Going forward when I wasnt sure that I should. Taking the risks and so far all of the things that we have done were the right things to do, even when it hurts...

Yes I still feel a bit like a displaced person, but that is going to change. This year was the year of the "Hua kai", the long journey. Next year is the year of "Mai Kauhale" the comming home.

That isnt something that will just happen, I need to do what I can to make it happen for myself. That may mean making a place for myself someplace.

I want to thank all of my readers that have encouraged me through this year of change. It has been an interesting challenging adventure. Stay tuned, the adventure continues

Have a Blessed New Year!

December 30, 2005

Mahalo, Aloha Joe

The Gleaming Shores Hilo Bay Big Island

I made a discovery at work that may have saved my sanity... and I feel like I am losing it...

I am somewhat adrift. At the end of my fifth week at my job is feel like I am a million miles away from what I love. I miss being at home terribly, envious and angry at Woody for his joy in domesticity. I try not to let it show, not even a little... Woody says he sees how mean he was to me, when I found myself too ill to work and home in bed, right after we were married. He thought that we should some how be "even partners". I never understood this since he wasn't working until just a few weeks before we went to the altar. Within three months the whole situation changed and it made him angry.

I saw it as a righting of a imbalance and a terrible wrong. He was now the Breadwinner and the head of the house. I was the stay at home wife and did not shurk my duty even if it exhausted me... I would drag myself up to clean our house and make his dinner, only to have him not eat it and go to mc Donalds and bring that home. Our first few years were just a bigger picture of those moments. It was horrible Now that things have come around full circle, and he is not working, not trying to find work, Im so mad at him. I feel like I have been betrayed...

The truth is I am a traditionalist... All I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother. I know that I sound like a big whiner, but how do you live with this? I am questioning Gods will, because I know that nothing that happens to me is outside of His control, but why am I suddenly the Breadwinner in a role I detest for myself. I feel like I am constantly being forced to be something that I am not.

Work has been uniquely difficult in that I am not permanently assigned to to the desk I am working so the people I am working with have no reason to invest in me at all. Who will decide if I am doing well or not, or where will I go. I had a VP visit my desk today and I shared with him that I am concerned that I have no position, I am a temp... I thought that I was a permanent hire and he said that I am, but I am going to be "floating" for a while... I don't know what the criteria is to not float... I found out that that two of the four people that started with me quit already because of this lack of security...

I wont quit, but I feel this rising level of anxiety...Coupled with the anger it is really overwhelming.

"This is what I gave my Hawaii up for..." "This is what I gave up my store and my dreams for..." I feel these thoughts pushing into my head all of the time.

This is a pretty "free" company... As far as policy goes. One of the things they allow is for everyone to play what ever music they want at their desk. The guy across the way was cranking up the metal last week when I complained about it. So I checked my CPU and sure enough, I have a sound card. So I plugged some speakers in and I called up my buddy, Aloha Joe. Having the sound of the Hawaiian language in my ears is a soothing balm to my aching heart. It helps me to smile and takes me back to a place that while I struggled at least I knew my place. Right now I don't know where I belong.

Mahalo Aloha Joe

December 26, 2005

A Winter Drive

An American Armadillo browsing in the sun

It has been a quiet Christmas for Woody and I. Woody has been down with the flu that has been traveling through my office and friday I wasnt feeling very unwell after we went to Cooper Chapel so we went home. I was sorry that I exposed all of those elderly people to my germs!

Christmas Eve I spent much of the day in bed, not eating (as to not be physically sick as much as possible, and compaired to Woody who believes in feeding an illness. To me if you are going to give the food up why eat?...I had that at a bare minimum and Im still not eating much. Perhaps this is the beginning of something, I only need to lose 100 lbs...)

We did watch services on TV, concluding with watching Father Mark and Father Miguel at EWTN at midnight conduct services there in Irondale AL. I was sorry that we were not in our own church but there was no way I was going out in the cold feeling like that.

Christmas Day we spent a good deal of the day resting and enjoying the fire, and books, and discussion of religion, the different viewpoints converging upon the same event, the Nativity of Jesus.

Conclusions?...only that we need to look at things further, and do not accept the concept that we are to accept anything "just because thats the way it is and take it on faith or else..." Perhaps the journey has now truly become an inner one.

Today we drove to Holiday Island, likely for the last time for a while. Woody will be closing the mail box there at the end of the month. All of our mail that we need is forwarding and there is no need for this extra box. After being shut in and sick and COLD, it was a lovely warm day... perfect for an outing.

The world here is a picture of soft sparenes. Colors are muted pastel, grey lacelike bare trees, pale yellow grass. The early mornings when I travel to work as the sun rises the sky is royal blue and pink...and turns to this pale tourquiose during the day and turns golden in the evening. In Hawaii you dont have a sunset everyday... here in the driest December on record the tad bit of clouds we have brings us the colors of the rainbow.

The leafless tree expose landmarks and other things we had never seen. We feel that the view is new everytime we exit our house. Valleys and hills normally covered with leafy trees are bare for our viewing.

Also, you have a much better chance of seeing the animals as they forage, with so little cover. The warm weather encouraged them to come out for us including this delightful Armadillo. I was able to nearly pet the thing it let me get so close to it. It is a mammal, I saw the hair on its back! It foraged like a rabbit nibbling at the grass and I suppose insects. Once it realized we were ther it jumped straight up and then ran very fast under the fence and away. Sadly, this is what they do when a car startles them they jump up, just at the right height to be whacked by the cars bumper. They account for the largest amount of road kill on our roads...

Deer by the dozen, we had to stop a number of times, some walking right up to the car and looking in. Sorry no photos of this I was too amazed and just sat there and took it in. The large group was in the area around the Pea Ridge National Battlefield where there are large expanses of grassy meadow turned to standing hay, perfect winter fodder.

With working in a building under artificial light, I dont see much nature so I must soak it up when I can, like the forest creatures in the winter sun...

December 25, 2005

O Come Let Us Adore Him

A Monotree, a custom founded in the Methodist church in the 1950's the ornaments are sings or symbols of Christ or Christianity

This is a repost of a peice that I wrote last year. Now more than ever we need to embrace the truths of Christmas and pass them on to a lost and dying world...

Im sure we think we know know the words to this carol... Beautiful in both the original Latin that it was composed in, as well as English... I have come to love it more and more as it seems to invite me to do that which I long to do the most... Worship God in the beauty of His holiness. I also invite the world to join me in spirit in that little cave in Bethlehem, 2008 years ago...As SmoothStone quoted in his post A vibrant Christianity living a religious life is a supportive element in the life of Jewish children who can see that while we believe and observe differently, belief and observance are not strange. When your neighbors attend Church with their children, you can take strength from that and attend Shul with your children.

I would take this further. For those of us that follow Jesus, a natural out growth of this discipleship is forbearance with those that believe differently. We may tell them of our faith and hope perhaps for a change in direction, but bigotry is inconsistant with the message of Jesus... Our hope in God and His Son is evidence of a truth bigger than mere religious observance, it is evidence of His Life lived from within us, We are His Body, His Physical form on earth, His Church...

The message of Christmas is more. For that Baby born in that stable to those humble people is what the world is looking for...



To the Bhuddist, He is Enlightenment
To the Taoist, He is the Beginning and the End
To the Hindu, He is the Ultimate Incarnation come to earth
To the Animist, He is the Great Creator
To the Seeker, He is the Answer
To the Humanist, He is God made Man
To the Jew, He is Messiah
To the Muslim, He is Issa The Very Word of God
To the Native Hawaiian, He is Lono, Gods Begotten One

To a lost and dying world, He is Way the Truth and the Life....

O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye,
to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
born the King of Angels;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of True God,
Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgins womb
Son of the Father,
begotten, not created;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation;
O sing,
all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God,
all glory in the highest;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds,
summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks,
draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Lo! star led chieftains,
Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense,
gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child
bring our hearts oblations.

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.


Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee,
with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee,
loving us so dearly?

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.


Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing.

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.


John F Wade 1743

May this Christmas Day be a day of blessing for you and your famliy

December 24, 2005

Proclamation of the Birth of Christ

The Chancel of the First United Methodist Church Bella Vista AR


In the formal liturgy for Christmas day, in the opening of the Midnight Mass there is a formal announcement of the birth of Jesus in the style of a proclamation. It begins with Creation and relates the birth of the Promised One to the major events personages and times of sacred and secular history.The particular events contained in this proclamation help to situate the birth of Jesus in the context of Salvation history.




Proclamation of the Birth of Christ

from the Christmas Martyrology (Roman Rite)

The twenty-fifth day of December.
In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year
of the creation of the world
from the time when God in the beginning
created the heavens and the earth;
the two thousand nine hundred and
fifty-seventh year after the flood;
the two thousand and fifteenth year
from the birth of Abraham;
the one thousand five hundred and tenth year
from Moses and the going forth
of the people of Israel from Egypt;
the one thousand and thirty-second year
from David's being anointed king;
in the sixty-fifth week
according to the prophecy of Daniel;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year
from the foundation of the city of Rome;
the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
in the sixth age of the world,
Jesus Christ the Eternal God
and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to sanctify the world
by his most merciful coming,
being conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and nine months having passed
since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea
of the Virgin Mary,
being made flesh.
The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to the flesh.

Through Thy Nativity...

Winter Sky near Lowell Arkansas

Litany of the
Most Holy Name of Jesus.


LORD, have mercy on us

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Splendor of the Father, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Brightness of Eternal light, have mercy on us.

Jesus, King of Glory, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the Sun of Justice, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.

Jesus, most Amiable, have mercy on us.

Jesus, most Admirable, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the powerful God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Angel of the great council, have mercy on us.

Jesus, most powerful, have mercy on us.

Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us.

Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Lover of Chastity, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Lover of us, have mercy on us.

Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Author of life, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Model of all virtues, have mercy on us.

Jesus, zealous for souls, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our Refuge, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Father of the poor, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Good Shepherd, have mercy on us.

Jesus, True Light, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Infinite Goodness, have mercy on us.

Jesus, our Way and our Life, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Joy of Angels, have mercy on us.

Jesus, King of Patriarchs, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Master of Apostles, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Strength of Martyrs, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Light of Confessors, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Purity of Virgins, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Crown of all Saints, have mercy on us.

Be merciful, Spare us, O Jesus.

Be merciful, Graciously hear us, O Jesus

From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.

From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus.

From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Jesus.

From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Jesus.

From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Jesus.

From eternal death, deliver us, O Jesus.

From a neglect of Thy inspirations, deliver us, O Jesus.

By the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Jesus.

By Thy nativity, deliver us, O Jesus.

By Thy infancy, deliver us, O Jesus.

By Thy most divine life, have mercy on us.

By Thy labors, have mercy on us.

By Thy agony and passion, have mercy on us.

By Thy cross and dereliction, have mercy on us.

By Thy languors, have mercy on us.

By Thy death and burial, have mercy on us.

By Thy resurrection, have mercy on us.

By Thy ascension, have mercy on us.

By Thy institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, deliver us, O Jesus.

By Thy joys, deliver us, O Jesus.

By Thy glory, deliver us, O Jesus.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us,O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus!

Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, graciously hear us.



Let us pray.
O, LORD Jesus Christ, Who has said, 'Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you!' mercifully attend to our supplications and grant us the gift of your divine charity, that we may ever love you with our whole heart and never desist from Thy praise.

Give us, O Lord, a perpetual respect and love of Thy holy name; for you never cease to govern those whom you instruct in the solidity of Thy love. Who lives and reigns, one God, world without end. Amen.

December 23, 2005

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Rose Window with advent wreathes

I am spending this holiday season in a very new circumstance as you know. I have often felt a stranger here even though we have been warmly welcomed by the community.

The last few Christmases were spent in a flurry of working, I am working just as hard as I did when I worked for myself, but the walking out at the end of the day has been nice...

I drive home to the sound of Christmas songs old and new... the radio station proudly boasts of hits from the last five decades. The music of my teen years is now an "Oldie" uggh! I am finding that I cant cope with the irritating sounds of my co workers "head banger" music. I complained about it today when a vendor asked 'if we had a party going on in the office. 'A bit over the top, Id say.

The weather guessers are predicting a white Christmas, which is nice for us as we will be sticking close to home...and the blazing gas log. We are warm and cozy, with the sterio and the kitties. Saturday night we have a Candlelight service at the church and Sunday morning there is one service...later at 11:00am, with a meal after. It is thought that two thirds of the congragation is out of town to families for holiday festivites...(we are the only ones at home on our street this week end)

Today the church pianist had a small gathering in her place of emplyment. She is the manager of the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel check out the website and catch a glimpse of the gem of our lovely village.The place seats about 100 and was fills with people, most involved with the choirs of their churches. We sang for two hours watching the glorious winter sunset throught the barren trees. It was a delight.

It was a difficult week at work. I was told something I already knew, this is one of the most difficult weeks in Transportation. First, the object of the over the road driver is to go home, preferably with a loaded truck, once home he or she wont stir until January. So as the week rolls by capascity shrinks hourly. Next week will be impossible...Then you have retail realizing that they have all of this stuff ordered and they have to get into the stores in time for the after Christmas sales. My account is a major US retailer (and not Wal Mart). All of this Irrisitable force meet Immovable wall gives me and my fellow transportation coordinators one huge headache. Add to that shippers having parties and we are having parties and the "why cant we go home early" crowd...Give me a Tylenol please....

Its not a good time to learn a new job. But I am comming along. I feel like I am slow and not learning as fast as I should. I am uncomfortable in this group of people (I dont know why, but a lot of them rub me the wrong way) And I know that this account is for sure leaving the company in the spring. I have been assured that I will have a job, but they arent sure where yet. This is the first place that I have ever worked for that hires in advance of need. (they estimate they have 100 new positions opening in 2006, not counting attrition. Their goal is 100 percent retention of new hires. Pretty amazing.)

Which brings me to tonights carol. The lady I am replacing is about to give birth. When she comes back from her leave she is joining a brand new account in a promoted position. She calls it two births in one... She is a Catholic,as are many of the team members and announced that she was off to her Advent Confession a few nights ago, and as she did her little son started kicking so we could all see him through her tshirt. She sighed and said..." Can you imagine riding 80 miles on a donkey in THIS condition? I' be singing 'Come thou long expected Jesus' too... See even this one cant wait for the choirs and the singing!"

I had to agree. We are all in that place of expectation, maybe not so much as our mother to be but doesnt it seem like the world is holding its breath waiting for something? As I sang the carols tonight I felt it stongly, that the world knows it needs a Saviour, we each do every one...so...


Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Charles Wesley

May He come to you in a very real way this Christmas....
Cooper Chapel Bella Vista AR

December 22, 2005

"The Incarnation"

Winter Dusk Trees near Lowell AR

The Incarnation

There is this One,who knows all mysteries
And who embraced them from Eternity
And this same One...,the Father's Word He is...
Splendor, that Word,of his Divinity.
See that One come with Love's excess
With Charity so urgent! Say:
"Son of The Father's tenderness
God gives us Him on this great day!"
O Word may-lifelong now-
I listen to You! so
Possessed by You,that how
To love be all I know

"Amo Christum"

In me, a house that God is living at,
This Jesus Christ, Divine Adorer there,
Takes me to the souls, as to The Father: that
Being the double movement of his prayer
My Saviour My Master, here
Whose call to me still drives me on
For this I ought to disapere
I lost inHim, with Him as One
One Word of Life with You
For always and above
Your virgin host anew
All shining forth with love

Amo Chirstum

His Sanctuary, I! He rests in me!
There is this peace one looks for and attains:
In silence and in deepest mystery
He's captured me: for ever I'm in chains
Ah, to Your ev'ry word to cling
Calm in the faith I'm anchored to:
Adoring You, through everything
As one who only lives by You!
Beneath Your splendent Light
O Word, by night and Day
May I be now- outright-
To Your great love, a prey

Amo Christum

Mother of God, tell me your mystery
Of how your earthly life was spent:the way
Right from the time of 'Fiat'- how you'd be
Buried in adoration, Mary! say
How- in a peace, a silence-you
(what mystery!) could enter in
To Deeps that none but you could do
Bearing the gift of God within
Secure in God's embrace
Keep me, I ask. In me
His imprint may he place
For wholly Love is he.

'Amo Christum'

By Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, DC

December 21, 2005

We Would See Jesus

The Christ of the Ozarks Eureka Springs Arkansas

We sang this carol a few weeks ago and I loved its all encompassing message. I think we forget and convieniently too that the baby in that stable was born to show us how to live and how to die... Yes from the moment of His miraculous conception Jesus began His journey to His ministry and the final destiny, the cross.

I longed to see Him, even when I didnt understand that He was what I was looking for to fill that empty place in my heart...



We would see Jesus; lo! His star is shining
Above the stable while the angels sing;
There in a manger on the hay reclining;
Haste, let us lay our gifts before the King.

We would see Jesus, Mary’s Son most holy,
Light of the village life from day to day;
Shining revealed through every task most lowly,
The Christ of God, the life, the truth, the way.

We would see Jesus, on the mountain teaching,
With all the listening people gathered round;
While birds and flowers and sky above are preaching
The blessedness which simple trust has found.

We would see Jesus, in His work of healing,
At eventide before the sun was set;
Divine and human, in His deep revealing
Of God made flesh, in loving service met.

We would see Jesus, in the early morning,
Still as of old He calleth, “Follow Me!”
Let us arise, all meaner service scorning;
Lord, we are Thine, we give ourselves to Thee.


John E Park

December 20, 2005

A Moment of Silence

Meditation corner by candle light

A Moment of Silence

A moment of silence
is what we need
in the middle of
Advent business

To ponder the the
Beginning and ending
of Life of Hope
and the Real Gift

Life is uncertain
Too short to spend it
Rushing in worry
and missing the point

Missing the quiet
of silent snowfall
of the winter's night
and silent starlight

And the ageless songs
Cause a song in our soul
As we kneel down
Beside the Christmas Crib

And we take a breath
and wisper "Come"
O Prince of Peace
Be welcome in me this night...

December 19, 2005

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

my tiny hand painted nativity. I cant tell you how many times I have kissed this baby Jesus or his holy parents in the 15 years I have owned this collection.

I am sitting in the lap of luxury, at least to me and a large portion of this world's population...In a leather chair, before a lively fire burning in the hearth in a lovely home that I own, blogging to the sound of snowfall. I look across the room at the tiny crech on the see through between the kitchen. There to keep it from courious kitty paws, and to give it the pre emenence that it deserves.

It is my first Christmas here, and its been a wonder of weather and visiting new friends and spiritual renewl that we so needed. It was with hope and expectation that I pulled down the boxes from the high shelf in the garage and decked my halls with tree and lights. We only did this one time in the four Christmas's, the second year we were there. Our first year we were laying the wall to wall tile so all of our holiday things stayed packed. The second year I did put a few things out but it was a scary thing with young and playfilled kitties. As I decorated the house I realized that I had not found the box with the nativity or my hand painted ornaments from Germany and another liftime ago and went into a full on panic that resulted in two hours of tearing into then tossing aside cartons till I fell into a sobbing heap before the sought after carton where I took Baby Jesus out and kissed him and thanked God that he wasnt lost or left behind in California, and that we were still together even in the pain filled chaos that had become the reality of my Hawaiian Dream.

That fear filled afternoon was not unlike the first time I used these treasures to celebrate my Christmas. My first husband and I had been given a beautiful hand painted German Crech as a wedding gift. As I packed up the fragments of that failed marraige, I also packed up all of the "family "things that I felt were his and saw to it that he got them, including this beloved treasure...But I saw this lovely set and so painfully I saved the money to buy each figurene, one at a time... Amid the turmoil of my life turned upside, the serene beauty of the crech reminded me that I wasnt alone, and that God was bringing new things places and people into my life.

Again in 1995, newly married and discouraged beyond imagining, I drew strength and hope from the Christmas Story. I returned from my honeymood so ill that all I could do for Christmas was to unwrap the tiny figures and set them out, a sure and familiar act as everything I loved, every dream, and every hope was being systematically shattered and shaken. Within eight weeks I was to see my marriage fail (in many ways it never got started even to this day Woody and I have problems that would have ended most relationships) My ministry end in a church split, my much worked for carreer end, and my health deteriorate to the place where, that April, I was given 6 months to live.

I clung to the same God that got a young virgin, her new husband and her miricle Infant clung to to get them through. How their lives were turned upside down, all hopes and dreams changed, by the comming of the Infant Jesus. Think of their loss...Friends, family, reputation... their lives put on hold by the trip to Bethlehem, the flight into Egypt... Eventually like the Holy Family, my life fell back into a familiar place, as it always will if we allow God enough time to work things out in HIs Time...

This year, in this place that God has brought me to...at the end of a long journey, I held the tiny, fragile infant, in His manger bed, and thought about His journey from Godhead to infant...From the throne of heaven to Our Lady's womb, and how incredible it is that we can share the journey with Him...



Infant holy, Infant lowly,
for His bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing,
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing,
noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

Flocks were sleeping,
shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the Babe was born for you.

Christ the Babe was born for You

Traditional carol by Spiewni­czek Pies­ni Kosciel­ne, 1908; trans­lat­ed from Po­lish to English by Edith M. Reed, 1921

December 18, 2005

The "O" Antiphons

The Holy Family, First United Methodist Church Bella Vista AR


When I first began my study of Early Church Liturgy, one of the gems of the genre are the "O" Antiphons of Advent. These are a series of poetic thoughts or statements based on scripture and spoken or sung during the Vespers service in the Divine Office of the Catholic liturgy, one for each of the days of the last week of Advent. Read more about these ancient songs by reading this beautiful website by Jeanne Kun She has each one on a page with a lovely devotion based on each one.

The "O" Antiphons

O Wisdom,
you came forth from the mouth of the Most High and,
reaching from beginning to end,
you ordered all things mightily and sweetly.
Come,
and teach us the way of prudence.


O Adonai
and Ruler of the House of Israel,
you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and on Mount Sinai gave him your law.
Come,
and with outstretched arm redeem us.

O Root of Jesse,
you stand as a sign for the peoples;
before you kings shall keep silence and
to you all nations shall have recourse.
Come,
save us, and do not delay.


O Key of David
and Scepter of the House of Israel;
you open and no man closes;
you close and no man opens.
Come,
and deliver from the chains of prison
those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death.

O Rising Dawn,
Radiance of the Light eternal
Sun of Justice:
Come,
and enlighten those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death.

O King of the Gentiles
and the Desired of all,
you are the cornerstone
that binds two into one.
Come,
and save man whom you fashioned out of clay.

O Emmanuel,
our King and Lawgiver,
the Expected of the nations
and their Savior.
Come,
and save us, O Lord our God.

December 17, 2005

Merry Christmas One & All...and be nice while you're at it.....

People in a Blue Light Special Frenzy as a T-Rex looks down on them AP photo

May every lighted Christmas tree
And every candle's glow
Reflect the joy of Jesus' birth so long, long ago
And though the world is troubled now,
May we celebrate his birth
With a day of love for everyone;
A day of peace for everyone.

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, one and all

May your Christmas Day be brighter
Than the brightest star above
May the holidays enfold you
With an everlasting love
May the happy songs of Christmas
Fill your home with special cheer
And echo loud o'er every land
Throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, one and all

Copyright 1987, C. Keith Haugen "Merry Christmas One & All" is another in the series of Christmas songs by Keith Haugen and it was recorded and released in 1988 by Island Viking, in an a cappella recording by Keith and the Sugar Cane Express barbershop quartet. This song can be heard on Aloha Joe dot com

this is how its supposed to be...people being all sweet and nice to you after all its Christmas time right? WRONG!!!!How many of you have been trampled, cussed at, run off the road, while being given "the wave"... Its pervasive, from the White house to my house, (Woody! Stop doing THAT! said this loving shrew of a wife last night)Grumpiness and trash behavior reigns insted of Peace on Earth.

So I laughed at this peice by Patti Davis in the Web edition of Newsweek and I thought Id repost it here. We have all seen this and felt this way...

The Mean Season

The holidays are supposed to be merry and bright. Sadly, it’s more likely to be scary and fights.
By Patti Davis
Newsweek


We've all seen the images of shoppers stampeding over each other on "Black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving. We might even be tempted to laugh at the woman who lost her wig during an early morning melee of shoppers gone mad. But the laughter stops when we realize how widespread this bad behavior has become.

There have been other stories of fights breaking out over limited supplies of bargain merchandise, of unruly shoppers being pepper sprayed by police at a Wal Mart in Texas. Here in California, I watched a local news broadcast from a store opening where a wave of people rushed in and one man was knocked to his knees. Fortunately, he wasn't trampled. People at least had the courtesy to stampede around him. But clearly their courtesy didn't extend to stopping and helping him to his feet. I thought that surely the reporter would comment on this hooliganism. It was right there in front of her. Nope. The news story was about sales, the economy and the hopes of storeowners that eager shoppers like these would bring a prosperous holiday season for corporate America. The man,who was hardly young...struggled to his feet and walked out of camera range, with no mention being made of the fact that he was literally knocked to the ground and no one helped him up.

A friend of mine stopped her car at a crosswalk the other day for a man with two children. The children were young, they were taking a while to cross, and the woman behind her began honking her horn and gesturing wildly to my friend to go. Apparently swerving around children in a crosswalk seemed perfectly reasonable to this woman, since she was obviously in a hurry and that's all that mattered.

"It's this time of year," my friend said. "People are just awful during the holidays."

People are just awful during the holidays. This is something most of us have probably acknowledged more than a few times. But to me, that's the most disturbing part that many of us now consider the holiday season the mean season.

Regardless of religious beliefs or faith, the holiday season was and is formed by spiritual markers. The emphasis is supposed to be on kindness, generosity, helping others, an awareness that there are more important things than Neiman Marcus catalogs and being first in line for a $200 laptop at Circuit City. I'm not even going to ask when we lost sight of these themes, because who in the world could figure that out?

What I would like to suggest, though, is that we don't become so complacent about this yearly upsurge in meanness that we allow it to keep festering. If it gets any worse, we’ll find ourselves in October asking those near and dear to us, "Have you prepared for the war yet? November is almost here."

It's easy to make excuses for the increase in hostility. We say things like, "Well, the holidays are stressful because of family and relationships." OK, I get that. But does shoving past people in stores and berating hard working salespeople alleviate the stress? It hardly seems like an antidote to me.

Or we say, "Everyone has so much to do. There just isn't enough time. People are rushed." And how exactly does acting rude and belligerent somehow put more minutes into the day?

Another common excuse is worries about money will there be enough for all the gifts that must be purchased? Here’s an infallible piece of logic: if you rear end the car in front of you, mow down pedestrians because you’re in a hurry, or injure another shopper in a store brawl, it’s probably going to cost you a lot more than that Xbox 360 you wanted to buy.

Let"s stop making excuses for the mayhem and madness that have come to characterize what is supposed to be a spiritual, searching and, dare I say, holy time of year. What if, whenever someone is horribly rude and hostile, we said something like, "I hope you have a warm and meaningful holiday"? I might give that a try. And then run away really fast before they knock me down or run over me with their shopping cart.

December 16, 2005

I'm Getting Nuttin' For Christmas

Oh Santa how can you resist these snuggle babies??? The little angels with crooked halos Mak and Nani


Poor Mak and Nani have been singing a lot these past few days. Sort of sadly and I wondered why... Then I heard this song sung by a child and it inspired me to do a re-write especially for the furry kids...They look at their empty stocking hanging from the mantle and wistfully sing...


I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad
I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad

I bit my little sister's head
Somebody snitched on me
I chewed the blankets on the bed
Somebody snitched on me

I barffed all over Mommy's rug
I made Nani eat a bug
We chewed the cord and hid the plug
Somebody snitched on me

I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad
I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad

We put dead mice in Mommy's chair
Somebody snitched on me
Before, we covered it with hair
Somebody snitched on me

I did a dance on Daddy's face
Climbed cutains, screens in every place
Dumped my water bowl with grace
Somebody snitched on me

I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad
I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad

So you better be good whatever you do
Cause if you're bad I'm warning you
You'll get be nuttin for Christ-mas too.

Oh,I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad
I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad

Meow Meow!!

December 15, 2005

Ho'omo'o ke Hokulea (Follow the Star of Gladness)

Following the Star of Gladness The Three Wise Men, from a retelling of the Christmas Story Hawaiian style... Copyright Hawaiian Resources Co. Ltd. All rights reserved

As some of you know from last years blogging and some obvious hints (such as featuring the refrain on my poetry blog) I love the Carol "We Three Kings" As a child it was so mysteriously different from the others, as is "O Come O Come Emmanuel"... I can remember my Mom, God Bless her, saying " I don't like it its as nearly close to "Jingle Bells" as we have in the hymnal, because we don't know if there were three kings or three thousand... We don't really know their names... Oh the Catholics think they do but they weren't written down..." Ect... This was a household that never had Santa Claus or Rudolph, and we weren't allowed much mystery...

After I became a Believer, and became involved in leading worship, I discovered all the verses to "We Three Kings" and was struck by the power and majesty of them. For the story of Christmas is not just the infant in the manger, but the Man on the cross, and the God-Man on the throne of Heaven.

Every year at holiday time, my days of contemplation are not complete without a re reading of two great novels that I never grow tired of, one is "The Fourth King" by Norbert Coulehan, and the other is "Ben Hur" By Civil War General, Lewis Wallace. Yes Ben Hur of the movie, but that is only the kernel of the tale, really the whole book deals with the Wise Men and one in particular... Both books are out of print but you can get them via Amazon Used books...Both have a much different take on these gentlemen than what my conservative Baptist upbringing allowed...

I have also learned that we may know more about these travelers from afar than we thought. As I was studying the book of Daniel I found this passage fascinating....

NOW in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.
Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."
Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.
"However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation."
They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation."
The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm:
"if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation."
The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.
"It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;
he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Daniel answered and said:


"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.

"I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king's demand."

Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."
Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives* of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?"
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.
"But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:
"As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.
"But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
"You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.
"This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs* of bronze,
"its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.*
"You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
"Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
"This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.
"You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory;
"and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all--you are this head of gold.
"But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
"And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.
"Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.
"And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
"As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
"And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
"Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him.
The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate* of the king.


From the Book of the Prophet Daniel Chapter Two

This profound vision of the Epochs of Nations placed Daniel, a captive prince from a conquered and scattered nation, as the leader or prince of the Chaldean Magi... Astrologers, really the Astro scientists of their day... He had their attention, had saved their lives and according to apocryphal history those magi became nominal adherents to the God of Daniel... The prophecies concerning the "coming King" the Messiah, were certainly part of what Daniel shared with them. In later chapters, there are other Messianic predictions including the literal day of the appearing of the Messiah in Jerusalem (April 6, 29 AD) the day of the Triumphal Entry or as we now call it Palm Sunday. (Chapter 9)

Daniel taught... The scribes wrote it down... and they watched the skies... and so did their descendents, through the various conquerors... the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans...and they didn't forget that it was for the sake of Daniel the Jew and his mystical vision that their lives were spared

Approximately 400 years after their ancestors were spared annihilation, the Magi of Persia saw what they were waiting for, a glorious star , a new star or nova, visible to all (not a vision that only they could see for other cultures such as the Chinese record a similar celestial occurrence) They and their entourage, for it must have been more than three riders on camels to stir up old Heread and get him to have a royal audience with the travelers...Personages like this would have had a whole cadre of servants and attendents with them. It was more like an army that decended on Jeruslem rather than a few old men on a camel. and for them to be looking for a King other than Herod, would have sent the jelous child killing old goat into a tizzy. Killing a few more children would have caused this monster no grief at all...

It would have taken 6-9 months of travel for them to reach Bethlehem. Jesus was a "Young Child" and not said to be an infant at the time of the visitation...

And the gifts... We are told for the Gold of Kingship, the Frakenscense of Deity and the Myrrh of Death, but there may have been much more... The costly gifts would have made travel to Egypt much eaiser for the impoverished couple...

We know nothing more of them after they see the Child Jesus but the Bible says that they went another way to return to their homeland...

Some stumble upon Him, Others like myself know of him and yet make a very long hard journey just to find HIm and daily I feel priviledged to kneel at His feet...

We three Kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.

Star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light.


Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship him God most high.

Star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Myrrh is mine; it's bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

Star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Glorious now behold him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice.
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Earth to heaven replies.

Star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light

December 14, 2005

Christmas All Over The Islands

Red Ginger Wailoa State Park Hilo Hawaii


Inspired by Keith's "It's Christmas (All Over The World)," Carole Miguel wrote these beautiful lyrics and brought them to Keith to write the music. He did and the song won an honorable mention in the KCCN/Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center Christmas Songwriting Contest. It has not been commercially recorded yet, but has been a standard for more than ten Christmases. Yes, she's the same Carole Miguel who teamed up with Keith to write the beautiful "O`ahu," which has been recorded and recleased commercially by several artists.

I heard this great song on Aloha Joe today and loved it you can click on this link for a little holiday cheer 24 hours a day starting tomorrow

Christmas All Over The Islands

By Carole Miguel and Keith Haugen

Christmas Day in Hanalei, a single church bell chimes
Carols now on Ni`ihau, are sung like olden times
Twinkling lights sparkle bright, along O`ahu's shore
In the sky above Lana`i, a star shines bright once more.

Cho: It's Christmas all over the Islands
We celebrate this special date
From different points of view
It's Christmas all over the Islands
But on this day, as one we say
Merry Christmas to you.

A golden ray begins the day on Haleakala
Lehua strands create a garland wreath at Honoka`a
A lullaby on Moloka`i calms a sleepless child
And everywhere you hear a prayer for peace and mercy mild.

Copyright 1987, C. Keith Haugen

December 13, 2005

Fireside Chat

Its late and Woody and I are sitting by the fire. We went to a party tonight at our next door neighbor's house. We had a good time and its good to have good people near you...

Its a blessing really. I have never lived where the neighbors were more than a nod or a wave of greeting. Mostly its been sullen silence, or nasty loud music at odd hours of the day. I cant believe that we have been plopped here in the midst of the like minded and can relax and enjoy it.

We talked about our joining the church and Woody being home. He is just getting a bit too comfortable with this being at home and its really starting to bug me. He is making out like hes a hero or something, because he made dinner tonight...like I havent done it for nearly all of my life (I started making meals for the family at age 10) He thinks he should get a medal for this.

We fought about it last night as he kept bringing up the situation... asking the retired guys when they go to breakfast and could he go... No mention of going out and looking for a job... I pointedly told him that if he was bored with the domestic goddess bit then get his little hind end out there and look for a job, it aint going to get handed to him.

Work is going ok. I am on my own now and have my own work and things to do. I am going to start to go in one hour earlier and get off earlier. This will shorten my commute by making it at an odd hour. But there is trouble in paradise too. A turf war is developing and I am the turf. Two other accounts want me in for a internal interview with the mind of moving me to a new and perhaps better more stable project. One of the men interviewing me was instrumental in my getting hired here. I am just a worker bee and have nothing that I care to say. Where ever I am supposed to be there I will be and that is it. Office politics drives me crazy, and it is attracted to me like iron filings to a magnet, or better still cat hair to black pants.

Some holiday presents arrived via the cyber Santa. I should have had wrapping paper delivered as well... but with the new hours perhaps I can get into a store during a non peak hour.

December 12, 2005

Lava Zone

Glowing Lava HVO photo

I havent written much about Hawaii or the Volcano lately, but heard that a major colapse of the "bench" or the shelf that the volcano creates as the lava hardens had collapsed. The area that collapsed was about 44 acres and such a sizable shifting of land into the seas can cause localized tsunami. If volcanos or natural wonders intrest you at all check out the Kilauea update at the site of the Hawaii Volcanos Observatory

The broken Bench lava flow at new delta at East Lae`apuki, Photo courtesy of HVO Big Island of Hawaii

December 11, 2005

Luke 1:5-25, 57-80 The Birth of the Herald of the Great King

Winter sunset near Lowell AR


5During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God. 7But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old.
8It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, 9it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. 10The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. 11Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. 12Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.

13But the angel reassured him, "Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. 14You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you--many will delight in his birth. 15He'll achieve great stature with God.

"He'll drink neither wine nor beer. He'll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother's womb. 16He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. 17He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics--he'll get the people ready for God."

18Zachariah said to the angel, "Do you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."

19But the angel said, "I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. 20But because you won't believe me, you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth. Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time--God's time."

21Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. 22When he came out and couldn't speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.

23When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home.[ 24It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. 25"So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.


57When Elizabeth was full-term in her pregnancy, she bore a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives, seeing that God had overwhelmed her with mercy, celebrated with her.
59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child and were calling him Zachariah after his father. 60But his mother intervened: "No. He is to be called John."

61"But," they said, "no one in your family is named that." 62They used sign language to ask Zachariah what he wanted him named.

63Asking for a tablet, Zachariah wrote, "His name is to be John." That took everyone by surprise. 64Surprise followed surprise--Zachariah's mouth was now open, his tongue loose, and he was talking, praising God!

65A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighborhood, and in all that Judean hill country people talked about nothing else. 66Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, "What will become of this child? Clearly, God has his hand in this."

67Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,



68Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he came and set his people free.

69He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives,

and in the very house of David his servant,

70Just as he promised long ago

through the preaching of his holy prophets:

71Deliverance from our enemies

and every hateful hand;

72Mercy to our fathers,

as he remembers to do what he said he'd do,

73What he swore to our father Abraham--

74a clean rescue from the enemy camp,

So we can worship him without a care in the world,

75made holy before him as long as we live.



76And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest,"

will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways,

77Present the offer of salvation to his people,

the forgiveness of their sins.

78Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,

God's Sunrise will break in upon us,

79Shining on those in the darkness,

those sitting in the shadow of death,

Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,

down the path of peace.



80The child grew up, healthy and spirited. He lived out in the desert until the day he made his prophetic debut in Israel.

From "The Message" translation by Eugene Peterson 2002 all rights reserved

December 10, 2005

Joy To The World

Advent Church Our new church The First United Methodist Church of Bella Vista AR

I am receiving a Christmas gift tomorrow. Woody and I are joining a church filled with loving people that love God and are commited to sharing that love with others. This is a sort of homecomming for me as we have been so long away from a Body of Believers. I know that some of my friends are concerned, that this is not the non demnominational church that they feel we should be a part of nor is it the Church of Rome where some of my new friends have been praying that we would become a part of. Its a happy balance, a meeting of the minds between Woody and myself and that is along cause for rejoicing.

I have written three years running on "Joy to the World". I would only add to the post below that the carol is resounding in a nation and a world that would push Christ and the spiritual aspects of this season to the sidelines in favor of crass commercialism. I actually dont think there is any danger of this, for how can you celebrate CHRIST-MAS without CHRIST... you cant. And you never will...

I wrote about this, my favorite carol, last year for Christmas Day. I had a epiphany about it and Christmas back in 1993 and really had it again today sitting in the squalid, air so greasy you can feel it, atmosphere of Ryan's coffee shop and Okazuya... Here surrounded by japanese good luck cats, fat bhuddas in tinkling feng shui fountains, I heard the sounds of slightly off key singing as Ryan and the waitresses began to sing along with the canned music....



"Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love"

Joy to the World
[Psalm 98, Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason, 1839]

It caught my attention first as this is likely my favorite song in all of Christian Musical literature... In fact I want it done at my funeral should someone care to hold one for me... and second...These non believers...and they of oriental religions to boot are lustily singing praise to my God and King. It was very much like this experience that I posted about last year.

....I love it (Joy to the World) because of the message that it brings, the hope that it shares and...Because in the guise of a cultural seasonal song the whole world gives honor to my Jesus. I realized this phenomena was occurring about 10 years ago. I was a starry eyed novice worship leader... Really in touch with words, music ect and I was walking alone in the crowded Cerritos Mall, in Southern California. I heard the words and the music to "Joy to the World" and I stopped and just listened. People were streaming past me, hundreds of them... singing or humming the familiar tune as the walked by me. The room was atrium like and the shafts of light were pouring in on me and I was enveloped with the thought that the whole world was singing about Jesus. Jesus as King, Jesus as Lord, Jesus as Ruler of the earth...Amazing. The Bible says that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus in Lord of All. All Christmas is, is a rehearsal for this great event. I shared this with my fellow worship leaders and later that week on from the platform Christmas Eve...

And so it is... They sing it in China, as they celebrate "Winter Holiday" having learned that Christmas is a huge part of the capitalist economic equaision... It is sung in India as millions still cling to customs learned from the British during the colonial era... It is sung in the Neo pagan post modern Europe, where the meaning of the message of the words has been lost... They sing it in new places, linguists teach it to tribes people in the Philippines and New Guinea, and here in Hawaii, I have heard a rendition where each line is sung in a different tongue that is spoken here as symbolic of the racial diversity that is both blessing and curse to this beautiful place...

It is being sung in Iraq and Afghanistan, in the former Soviet republics and in Cuba, where a friend tells me that nothing is more anticipated as the new holiday that was once banned only a few short years ago...

Where these words are sung and taken to heart, the freedom that is found in Christ cannot be long to follow...

Joy to the Earth, The Saviour reigns!...

No matter what happens, famine, pestilence, terrorism, We know that the earth is The Lords, in all of its fullness. Psalm 24:1 We can trust Him to banish the Curse, and bring us through, no matter what the future holds...

December 09, 2005

A Winter's Day

The snowy Day. Snow flurries outside of my workplace near Lowell AR

I woke to winter wonderland. We knew that this was a possibility, but I dont think that we were really prepared for this....

I loved it.

I was working at my job, my desk is on the second floor and I was looking out the window and was thrilled to watch the snow flurries. And yes they piles up but melted down by the end of the day. But it has stayed cold. As I blog this (12-8 at 10pm) it is nearly zero



Here is the weather pixie at noon. I know this is warm for some of you right now you are in our prayers. We watch the weather channel in awe at the snow fall in the Chicago area where the plane crashed its amazing...


Woody trying to light the gas fireplace system. I think this gets the silly Santa shot of the year

On the home front I am doing well at my job, but am a bit jelous of Woody staying home and out of this cold. He is doing everything possible to keep us warm, as you can see in this photo. He is also doing all of the house work and I have had dinner on the table when I get home. It has really helped me during this transitional time of ajustment to working again. Im really proud of him stepping up to the plate and helping out.

After several days of phone calls and neighbors helping, he did get the fireplace going, its a blessing to have it during this fridgid time.


Our winter fireplace with holiday decorations

December 08, 2005

Savior of the Nations- A Christmas Hymn

Advent Pontsettas

One of the things I love about the holiday season is the music...But as you know we hear the same songs over and over to the point of irritation.

The first year I blogged, I wrote about carols that meant a lot to me... Then last year it seemed that the songs of the season told our story, a Advent of a new beginning for Woody and myself. For in the Liturgical sense, Advent is a season of renewal and rebirth... While the hymns of Christmas sing of Christ's birth they also tell of our own possibility of renewal and rebirth.

I have for the past year been immersing myself in the liturgy of the church and have found a number of beautiful Chirstmas hymns that I had not heard before. I present them along with some lesser known carols and songs. I have also had a request to run a couple of the posts from last year on some well known carols.

I hope that the holiday season has been good for you so far. In the hussle and bussle of this time of year please give yourself a moments peace to contemplate the goodness of the Lord...

Savior of the nations, come;
Virgin's Son, here make Your home!
Marvel now, O heaven and earth,
That The Lord chose such a birth.

Not by human flesh and blood,
By the Spirit of Our God
Was The Word of God made flesh
Woman's Offspring, pure and fresh.

You, The Father's only Son
Have or'e sin the victory won
Boundless shall Your kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?

Saint Ambrose of Milan 360 AD

December 07, 2005

Day of Infamy

Quiet Waters Hilo Bay Big Island

They will never forget...

They that were the young children of Japanese decent that were residents of Hawaii when the airmen of the rising sun of Imperial Japan made their way to beautiful unsuspecting Hawaii and killed thousands that sunday morning. They have spent their lives dealing with the shame. I met a number of them while living in Hawaii.

One man spoke of a carefree childhood untill the day the planes came to kill...then he remembers the internment camp the disrespect to his old reletives and the disgrace.

We take our freedom and our safety for granted. Even after 9-11 we grow more and more complacent, loosening standards at airports, and sympathizing with the Enemy. The war on Terror is an old war. Its battle fields is first and foremost the human mind, its strategy is time, because we have such short memories. We forget that terror is nothing new either, and that it has been used to no avail in the past, and that it will be the weapon of choice in the future.

Let us review that famous speech to the nation by FDR, and honor those that died in the attack as well as those that survived to tell the tale

President
Franklin D. Roosevelt

December 8, 1941

To the United States Congress


Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

December 06, 2005

Winter Invasion

my new best friend...

Its cold. I know that a lot of you are dealing with this and I totally sympathize. I dont think that I understood what cold was. Even now with it at freezing and below, I know this is mild compares to lets say Fargo ND right now.

We have a heat pump but I am comming to loathe the contraption. The air it blows is sooo cold...I long for the massive gas powered floor furnace that was in the hall of my 1920's farm house. The thing blasted hot toasty air straight up. It baked my back and I would jump into bed and be asleep before the effect wore off....uggh those were the days...

I am not very creative just now and seem to have a bit of writers block. I have a lot of mixed feelings this week, weariness from the job... I had a tooth extracted yesterday and that still hurts. I am doing fine and will be ok, in many ways I am better off now that the infection is now been removed and I can eat without pain

It has now been a year since I have seen my Mother and I have a sense of dismalness about that. I love the holidays and all that they mean, but those feelings battle with the lack of family stuff, Woody can take it or leave it all and the change of seasons the weather ect...

The is little to inspire. I am also a bit intimidated that December of last year I think I did my best writing ever. So I pray for a bit of inspiration as I drive to work and try to intigrate myself into a group that really doesnt want me there. Its just a test of my nerve my willingness to tough it out...but one gets weary of such tests....

Lord, Have mercy...

December 05, 2005

On Being "New"

I said years ago
that this was a spot
I chose not to stand on
a place never to revisit

But hear I am, new again
lost in a place that should be familiar
but is like I have landed in China
A Stranger in a stranger land

Hold my hand, at least
show me where the restroom is
and do not give me the broken desk
or the computer that wont boot up

Or stake your claim, "this is my
Space, the place where I am".
"You are the newest, and as such
deserve the least of considerations"

Remember, you were here once
for some here, not so long ago
Even so, give me the chance
to become a work companion...

It hasn't been easy this past week. Things have, all things being equal, gone well. I think that my new co workers on my team have been holding their breath, as I have been holding mine, and now we have met and the inevitable ajustments are occurring. Its always such a process. I have cried only in private, mostly because I have this let down complex. Now that we are introduced I can quit holding my breath. All will work it's self out.

Woody and I had words as he really doesn't understand that he has to help me or I wont be able to keep this up. I allowed the house in Hawaii to turn into a slime pit, after all my store was different. This job is voluntary and frankly I will quit rather than do all that I did as a not working gal .

I have another badly broken tooth so its off to the dentist and likely extraction. I am ok with this and my new boss very supportive. I expect all will go well.

December 04, 2005

Isaiah 30: 18-26 God's Mercy

the Secret Path through the Wooded Garden Crescent Hotel Eureka Springs AR



God Will Be Gracious

Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.


For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem;
You shall weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry;
When He hears it, He will answer you.
And though the Lord gives you
The bread of adversity and the water of affliction,
Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,
But your eyes shall see your teachers.
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
"This is the way, walk in it,"
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.
You will also defile the covering of your images of silver,
And the ornament of your molded images of gold.
You will throw them away as an unclean thing;
You will say to them, "Get away!"


Then He will give the rain for your seed
With which you sow the ground,
And bread of the increase of the earth;
It will be fat and plentiful.
In that day your cattle will feed
In large pastures.
Likewise the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground
Will eat cured fodder,
Which has been winnowed with the shovel and fan.
There will be on every high mountain
And on every high hill
Rivers and streams of waters,
In the day of the great slaughter,
When the towers fall.

Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,
As the light of seven days,
In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound.

December 02, 2005

Friday Update

The palms of Wailoa Wailoa State Park Hilo Hawaii

Well I have been working for a week and I am flat out bushed. A lot has been crammed into my very hard head in short order. I feel like I have returned to a foreign land and while the language seems familiar, it is not the same. I have watched people do in a moment what used to take hours with the click of a mouse. It amazes me

But some things stay the same. I heard the wail of a young woman in a cubicle nearby..."What do you mean you are in Illinois getting fuel and your truck wont start you were supposed to be in Kansas Yesterday to pick up that load!!!" I thought "Lord do I really want these headaches again?" I guess so nobody drafted me for this I am here of my own free will mostly.

Woody is not doing well as a house husband, but he trying. I feel badly as I have spoiled him somewhat. But hopefully these feelings of domestic inadequacies will result in a stronger job search. But right now there isnt much effort going on in that area. One thing I must say is that he was invited to apply here and did so. I think Woody would thrive in this group think, closly monitored, quarterly reviewed beehive of a place. Me as a Lone Ranger, Im not sure how this will work out but then as one of the folks I sat with said..."we need a few like you to keep it lively around here."

There is a good spirit about the place and I am thankful for that. Most of the places where I have worked in the past there was a meanesss and a negativity, born out of stress competition amd hard labor that was so very hard to manage. I cant tell you how many times I would go to the Ladies room get on my knees and ask for Divine intervention because there was nothing else to do and to go to someone was to open myself up to critisism for not having something handled before the disisaster struck or things got out of hand...I was a lot younger then mentally and spiritually, and the business dirtier less automated and more corrupt than it is now. The freight business will always be a bit shady I think but the computer, with the Internet, GPS and new regulations passed in the late 90's make things a bit more civilized.

I am weary to the bone and look forward to the week end. Eventually I will get used to the early mornings and not getting a nap in the afternoon. With insurance I can get some things taken care of that will allow me to sleep better. We banished the cats from the bed and that has made a world of difference.

Thank you for your prayers and support. I hope that your holidays are proceeding well if not peacefully. I was in Wal-Mart last night and the madness is upon even this quiet place....

December 01, 2005

"Symbol"- A Poem

Fields of Gold farmhouse in autumn near Butler Ohio



Symbol

The winter apples have been picked, the garden turned.
Rain and wind have picked the maple leaves and gone.
The last of them now bank the house or have been burned.
None are left upon the trees or on the lawn.

Green and tall as ever it grew in spring the grass.
Grows not too tall, will not be cut again this year.
Geraniums in bloom behind the window glass
Are safe. Fall has fallen yet winter is not yet here.

How warm the late November sun although how wan.
The white house stands a symbol of fulfillment there,
Housing one old woman, a cat, and one old man
After abundance but before the earth is bare.


Poem: "Symbol" By Robert Francis from Robert Francis: Collected Poems. © University of Massachusets Press. Reprinted with permission.