Category: Living my Life

If the second week of Advent was about the music, then this week was about food. That sounds rather shallow and not having anything to do with the birth and life of Jesus, but let me explain.

In the reading of a chapter a day from the Gospel of Luke, of course I came across the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand people who came to hear him teach. So, he was conscious and sensitive to a person’s physical needs as  well as the spiritual. His instructions in Matthew 25 to take care of the ‘least of these brothers and sisters of mine’ is foremost in everyone’s mind this time of year. There are many opportunities to follow this precept.

At my work office, we chose two families for whom to buy food for the holidays (and hopefully beyond). These families have children who will receive gifts through the angel tree program. Employees who want to participate are asked to bring $10 worth of food or household items or to donate $10 to the cause. In years past many have found it easy to throw some money at the project and leave it to the secretary in charge to do the shopping. But this year, the spirit was different somehow. The box that previously held copy paper quickly filled and another was added. Each day the bounty grew. Every single employee participated. Many obviously spent more than $10. The boxes set out for donations were in my line of vision and it was awe-inspiring for me to see the outpouring of generosity from the people I work with every day.  Folks would stop by, survey the contents of the boxes, and say, “They need more …” or “They would probably like …” and return to the store to add to the provisions. Before school dismissed for the Christmas break, the abundant supply of groceries and sundry items (8 boxes full) was sent to the children’s schools to be delivered to the families.

On Wednesday night, the United Methodist Women cooked and served at the usual meal for the church (Worship on Wednesdays). Methodist women across the world are wonderful cooks and over the years have made a ton of money for missions selling cookbooks. The UMW prepared the food, chicken spaghetti and a variety of vegetables and desserts, and those attending paid $5 to eat. The funds raised were designated for Camp Aldersgate, a camp in Little Rock for children with medical or physical conditions or developmental delays. This camp is supported in part by the United Methodist Church through our mission giving. This meal served two purposes: provide a time of fellowship for our church family and contribute funds to a worthwhile project. Also, after dinner, we were treated to a program of Christmas music by the FUMC Praise Band.

Okay – regarding secular ‘food of the season’ events, I went to parties on Monday, Tuesday and Friday that involved me making a dish to take and share. Potlucks, as they are known. This is where people bring food, eat a ton of it and still have some left to take home. No one knows how it works out this way. It’s a Southern think, I think.

Food is a part of our Christmas traditions. May your holiday treats stick to your ribs and not your thighs.

Much of this second week of Advent has been about the music of the season, my favorite part. Since I was six years old, very few Christmas seasons have passed that I did not sing or take some part in a holiday program, pageant, play or concert. I have sung with a 100-voice community chorus and with a 10-voice choir in a country church.  When I was a child, there were school programs presented for PTA (which met at 3:30, during the last hour of the school day) and Junior Choir performances at church. I never had an outstanding voice, I was just a decent choir member. (We are a musical family, but the “talent fairy” skipped the middle child and sprinkled her music dust on the sibs on each side of me.) My rather utilitarian voice is fading, and singing at Christmas is something I will give up reluctantly, when the time comes.

Every day this week I have listened/sung along with the performance CD of Journey of Faith (created by Phillip Keveren and Tony Wood), the cantata our First UMC will offer during the worship service on the Third Sunday of Advent (tomorrow). In preparation for this, we added an extra rehearsal this week.

One of the joys of singing the cantata this year (and in years past) is finding a new song or a new setting of an older piece that speaks to my heart. Journey of Faith contains a contemporary setting of John 3:16 that is truly beautiful. I still favor “God So Loved the World”, the anthem from The Crucifixion (John Stainer, 1887), that I have heard and sung so many times. But  “God Loved The World”* from this year’s cantata inspires and lifts me this Advent Season.

These days I am also enjoying KVHU radio (“The Voice of Harding University”), mostly as I drive to and fro. They have played Christmas music continually since December 1. It is quite an eclectic array of songs, from “I’m Gettin’ Nuttin’ for Christmas” to Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”

The last day of this second week was spent in a small gift exchange with some of my favorite people, the Central Arkansas Writers (at our regular monthly meeting). These women help me, inspire me and enable me to do my best writing and challenge me always to do better than my best. I am eternally grateful to them and for them.

*”God Loved the World” words and music by Jeremy Johnson, Paul Marino, and Jennifer Shaw c2010

Today ends the first week of Advent – a period of four weeks before Christmas set aside as preparation for the Christ Child. So, while on the one hand we are “getting ready for Christmas” in a secular way, in a more spiritual vein we engage in reading, study and prayer preparing our hearts to welcome Christ.

Each year I must get my head and heart into the Advent mode early. During the month of November I compile and edit an Advent devotional booklet. So while turkeys cook and football dominates, my mind is on Christmas poems, carols and essays. Members and friends of First United Methodist Church contribute written  thoughts and memories related to the season and these are arranged into a book with one reading for each day of Advent (28 days this year). This Fall, as I was working on the project, I was also reading 25 Days 26 Ways by Ace Collins. This book is filled with activities to enhance a Christmas celebration.

One I chose this year is, beginning with December 1, to read every day a chapter of the Gospel of Luke. There are 25 chapters in that gospel, so during the days leading up to the celebration of His birth, I will be reading about the life and ministry of Jesus. Somewhere in my studies this past year, I read that scholars believe  Luke received his information about the life of Jesus from Mary, Jesus’ mother. As I was reading the first few chapters this week, I thought of this.  Twice the scriptures said, “Mary pondered these things in her heart.”  And this gospel tells of the child Jesus who said he “must be about his father’s business.”  I can just imagine a mother telling that. And so my fascination in a story I have read and heard countless times has been enhanced by the thought that Jesus’ mother is telling about his birth and childhood.  Writers call it point of view and it makes all the difference in the telling of a story.

The first week of Advent for me has also included attending the Center on the Square production of  “Miracle on 34th Street” and the ASU-Beebe performance of “A Christmas Carol.”  And a spectacular Christmas parade – a mile long with the ROTC, 15 floats and the Beebe High School Marching Band.  I live on the parade route and my yard was full of spectators.

The rest of the month will bring cantatas, parties, potlucks and angel trees.  I’ll keep you posted.

This week at First United Methodist Church, we will be taking pictures for a new church directory. It is needed because our last directory was made four years ago, and we have grown and changed (especially the members phone numbers!).

However, this is a particularly traumatic time for me because I take a terrible picture. Occasionally a photo is snapped that is acceptable to me and I will use it for a decade as my official ‘head shot’ anytime one is needed. When it becomes obvious that is is not a recent picture, I look around or hope for another. I’ve begun to notice that snapshots taken when I am having a pleasant time and only semi-aware of the camera turn out the best. What I do not do well is ‘hold it.’  You know, the photographer spends five minutes with ‘put your hand there, tilt your head this way,’ then says, ‘Hold it’ and walks back to the camera and starts making adjustments, looking through the view finder, etc. Excuse me?  My ‘held’ smile slowly melts and becomes something between a sneer and a grimace. I widen my eyes, try to keep from blinking, taking on the expression of someone who just witnessed one of those Halloween jokes that jumps out of the computer.

My oldest granddaughter, who I love very much, posted such a picture on her Face Book Page.  It was taken at one of those photo ops at a family gathering where everyone brings a camera. We keep re-organizing the groups (now the first cousins, then each family unit) We pose and flashbulbs flash – all but one whose owner yells, ‘Wait a minute, I didn’t get that. Hold it.’ Why don’t we designate one person photographer and share pictures by email? Who knows.  The results this time were classic. And my sweet grandchild, who I love more than chocolate, has put it out there for all to see.

I can only hope Olan Mills will a bit more discriminating.

Well, really yesterday.  Internet problems kept me from posting in a timely manner, but October 20 was my birthday.

Celebrations were subdued, but lasted two days. When your birthday falls in the middle of a work week, there are calls, cards, and voice mail messages from kids and grands and lots of FaceBook greetings from ‘friends’ far and wide. Staff members at work brought cake today, since they were at an out-of-town meeting yesterday.  I got the song twice.

Some observations about my life so far:

It doesn’t bother me for people to know my age as long as they don’t categorize me because of it.

I’m not planning to grow old gracefully. When the time comes, my children will have to knock me in the head and pry my car keys out of my fist.

Since becoming a senior citizen I have: retired and gone back to work, relocated to another state, bought a house, become a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church, adopted a son, had two books published, appeared in 12 plays at Center on the Square.

I had two long marriages. One ended by divorce and one by death. Neither ending was less painful than the other.

Two things I wish I had done (and now it’s too late): Become a social worker, learn to play the piano well.

If I had my life to live over, I definitely would.