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December 2013 Child of Light Prayer By Martha Smock Child of Light, I bless you! I think of you, I pray for you, Not in terms of what I think you need or what I think you should do or be or express. I lift up my thought about you I catch a new vision of you. I see you guided and directed by an inward spirit that leads you unerringly into the path that is right for you. I see you strong and whole; I see you blessed and prospered; I see you courageous and confident; I see you capable and successful. I see you free from limitation or bondage of any kind. I see you as the spiritually perfect being you truly are. Child of Light, I bless you! The Saint for December: St. Joseph So I am sure many of you are wondering why I picked St. Joseph for the month of December. It’s the month of Jesus’ birth; it’s the month of prepa- rations for the celebrations with family and friends. I chose St. Joseph for this month because he is the stepfather of Jesus. I know that many of you are parents. When your children were little, were the birthday parties for them or were they for you, a chance to show off your kids? Since this is the month that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday, I thought that we should know more about the man who raised him. There is very little in the Bible regarding the man, who had to be very im- portant to Jesus. In fact, he never utters a single word. All of stories that we know about him are his dreams with angels and Joseph following their or- ders. As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, let us remember his earthly parents, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, who helped to form Jesus into the man who saved us all. Although I do have some little, bitty footnotes of where I got my informa- tion, below is the bibliography. (The books that have asterisks are books that I bought & you are welcome to borrow them.) http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08504a.htm *“Favorite Prayers to Saint Joseph;” Compiled from Traditional Sources; Tan Books and Publications *Philippe, OP, Fr. Marie-Dominique;”The Mystery pf Joseph;” Zaccheus Press; 2010 *Healy Thompson, Edward; “The Life and Glories of Saint Joseph;” Tan Books and Publications; 1888 & 1980 WeldonOwen, Inc; “The Book of Saints: A Day-by-Day Encyclopedia;” WeldonOwen Publishers; 2012 (Editor’s Note: You can find the article on pg 4) St. Joseph’s Powerful Novena This Novena has proven to be highly effective. It seems to be pleasing to St. Joseph and helpful to souls. No particular prayers needed for this novena. Every day for nine days, turn to St. Joseph in spirit, four times during the day and honor him in the following four points. These visits may be made at any time during the day. During the first visit, consider all St. Joseph’s fidelity to grace. Reflect upon the action of the Holy Ghost in his soul. At the conclusion of this brief meditation, thank God for so honoring St. Joseph, and at, through his intersession, for a similar grace. Later in the day, consider St. Joseph’s fidelity to the interior life. Study his spirit of recollection. Think, thank God and ask. Later still, consider St. Joseph’s love for Our Lady. Think, thank God, and ask. Finally, in a fourth visit, reflect upon St. Joseph’s love for the Divine Child. Think, thank God, and ask. “Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph,” Compiled from traditional sources; Tan Books and Publishers; page 12 Act of Consecration to St. Joseph O, Dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to thy honor and give myself to thee, that thou may always be my father, my protector and my guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life. After thine example, may I do all my actions for the greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Im- maculate Heart of Mary! And do thou, O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me that I may share in the peace and joy of thy holy death. Amen. “Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph,” Compiled from traditional sources; Tan Books and Publishers; page 50

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  • December 2013 Child of Light Prayer By Martha Smock

    Child of Light, I bless you!

    I think of you,

    I pray for you,

    Not in terms of what I think you need

    or what I think you should do

    or be or express.

    I lift up my thought about you

    I catch a new vision of you.

    I see you guided and directed

    by an inward spirit that leads you unerringly

    into the path that is right for you.

    I see you strong and whole;

    I see you blessed and prospered;

    I see you courageous and confident;

    I see you capable and successful.

    I see you free from limitation

    or bondage of any kind.

    I see you as the spiritually perfect being

    you truly are.

    Child of Light, I bless you!

    The Saint for December: St. Joseph

    So I am sure many of you are wondering why I picked St. Joseph for the

    month of December. It’s the month of Jesus’ birth; it’s the month of prepa-

    rations for the celebrations with family and friends.

    I chose St. Joseph for this month because he is the stepfather of Jesus. I

    know that many of you are parents. When your children were little, were the

    birthday parties for them or were they for you, a chance to show off your

    kids? Since this is the month that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday, I thought that

    we should know more about the man who raised him.

    There is very little in the Bible regarding the man, who had to be very im-

    portant to Jesus. In fact, he never utters a single word. All of stories that we

    know about him are his dreams with angels and Joseph following their or-

    ders.

    As we prepare for the coming of Jesus, let us remember his earthly parents,

    the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, who helped to form Jesus into the man who

    saved us all.

    Although I do have some little, bitty footnotes of where I got my informa-

    tion, below is the bibliography.

    (The books that have asterisks are books that I bought & you are welcome to

    borrow them.)

    http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph

    http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08504a.htm

    *“Favorite Prayers to Saint Joseph;” Compiled from Traditional Sources;

    Tan Books and Publications

    *Philippe, OP, Fr. Marie-Dominique;”The Mystery pf Joseph;” Zaccheus

    Press; 2010

    *Healy Thompson, Edward; “The Life and Glories of Saint Joseph;” Tan

    Books and Publications; 1888 & 1980

    WeldonOwen, Inc; “The Book of Saints: A Day-by-Day Encyclopedia;”

    WeldonOwen Publishers; 2012

    (Editor’s Note: You can find the article on pg 4)

    St. Joseph’s Powerful Novena

    This Novena has proven to be highly effective. It

    seems to be pleasing to St. Joseph and helpful to souls.

    No particular prayers needed for this novena. Every

    day for nine days, turn to St. Joseph in spirit, four times

    during the day and honor him in the following four

    points. These visits may be made at any time during

    the day.

    During the first visit, consider all St. Joseph’s fidelity

    to grace. Reflect upon the action of the Holy Ghost in

    his soul. At the conclusion of this brief meditation,

    thank God for so honoring St. Joseph, and at, through

    his intersession, for a similar grace.

    Later in the day, consider St. Joseph’s fidelity to the

    interior life. Study his spirit of recollection. Think,

    thank God and ask.

    Later still, consider St. Joseph’s love for Our Lady.

    Think, thank God, and ask.

    Finally, in a fourth visit, reflect upon St. Joseph’s

    love for the Divine Child. Think, thank God, and

    ask.

    “Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph,” Compiled from

    traditional sources; Tan Books and Publishers; page

    12

    Act of Consecration to St. Joseph

    O, Dearest St. Joseph, I consecrate myself to thy honor and give myself to

    thee, that thou may always be my father, my protector and my guide in the

    way of salvation. Obtain for me a great purity of heart and a fervent love of

    the interior life. After thine example, may I do all my actions for the

    greater glory of God, in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Im-

    maculate Heart of Mary! And do thou, O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me

    that I may share in the peace and joy of thy holy death. Amen.

    “Favorite Prayers to St. Joseph,” Compiled from traditional sources;

    Tan Books and Publishers; page 50

    http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Josephhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08504a.htm

  • Social Justice

    Sunday for Malawi

    Mark your calendars for July 27, 2014.

    Social Justice will sponsor a lunch/

    picnic to raise funds for the people of

    the town of Kaseye in Northern Malawi.

    Elizabeth Hangartner has made many

    trips there and has stayed for extended

    periods of time – once for two years -

    helping with the many needs in the area.

    Lately, Thomas and Elizabeth Hangartner, with the assistance of

    Wright State University, have assisted Kaseye Community Hospi-

    tal with their equipment needs. This year, as reported in the Au-

    gust edition of the Spirit, college students under the leadership of

    Thomas and Dr. Nasser installed an x-ray machine and trained

    personnel to operate the machine.

    The needs in the area are great. For one thing, the hospital needs

    to upgrade its basic hospital equipment and determine a source of

    income to make it self-sustaining, as most of its patients are unable

    to pay for services. In addition, the community needs a reliable

    and safe source of water supply and cottage industries for the resi-

    dents that might take advantage of the plentiful supply of fruits

    and other resources in the area, so that they can generate income.

    The picnic in July will take the place of Haiti Picnic that had been

    temporarily discontinued.

    Upcoming Events

    Advent Giving Tree:

    The Advent Giving Tree is one alternative to traditional Christmas

    gift giving that is sponsored by Social Justice Ministry. Rather

    than buying presents for family members or friends, families can

    instead share their blessings by providing presents for the organi-

    zations that are recipients of the Advent Giving Tree program.

    The tree will be set in the vestibule at the start of the advent sea-

    son. Carol and Dan Berridge prepare the ornaments for the tree

    each year. Take as many ornaments as you want and bring the

    requested present to QAC wrapped or unwrapped. The gifts will

    be delivered to the designated organizations before Christmas.

    The Social Justice Ministry provides this sharing resource as a

    way to put faith into action. The following is a list of the various

    organizations, which you can support through the Advent Giving

    Tree this year:

    Elisabeth’s New Life Center – pregnancy and family support

    Dakota Center - inner city community center for children and

    adults

    Good Shepherd Ministries – home and job support for post in-

    carcerated men

    The Griever’s “Holiday” Bill of Rights

    1. You have the right to say TIME OUT anytime you need to let

    up; blow off a little steam and step away from the holidays to

    start over.

    2. You have the right to TELL IT LIKE IT IS. When people ask,

    “How are you…?” You have the right to tell them how you

    really feel, not just what they want to hear. P.S. You also have

    the right to smile and say you’re fine because telling them how

    you really feel isn’t worth your time—some people will never

    understand anyway.

    3. You have the right to SOME ‘LOW DOWN’ DAYS. You are

    not a bad person because you don’t feel like singing all day.

    4. You have the right to DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. There is

    no law that says you must always do the holidays the same

    way. You can shop by catalog instead of at the mall. You can

    have pizza instead of turkey. Be creative.

    5. You have the right to BE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. Be at

    home or at the relatives’. Be in any city, any state you choose.

    There is no law that says you must stay home.

    6. You have the right to SOME FUN! When you have a day and

    feel like doing something for fun, then do it. Don’t be afraid of

    what someone else will say if they see you laughing and hav-

    ing a good time. Laughter is every bit as important as tears.

    7. You have the right to CHANGE DIRECTION IN MID-

    STREAM. Holiday grief is unpredictable. You may be all

    ready to go somewhere or do something and suddenly be over-

    whelmed. When that happens, it’s ok to change your mind.

    There is plenty of time in life to be predictable, exercise your

    right to change when you need to change.

    8. You have the right to DO THINGS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

    Go to services at a different time. Open presents at a different

    time. Serve your meal at a different time. Go to bed at a differ-

    ent time. Don’t be a slave to the holiday clock.

    9. You have the right to REST, PEACE AND SOLITUDE. You

    don’t need to be busy all the time. Take a nap whenever you

    need one. Take time to pray, to meditate, to recharge your

    spirit. It will do you much more good than eating another huge

    meal.

    10. You have the right to DO IT ALL DIFFERENT AGAIN

    NEXT YEAR. Just because you change things one year and try

    something different, does not mean you have written it in

    stone. Next year, you can always change it back or do it in yet

    another new way.

  • Decem

    ber B

    irthd

    ays

    Seniors’ Corner

    Dan Nagle; thanks for putting together a

    great Veterans Day Tribute after mass

    on November 10th. For those that went to KJ's

    in Germantown for breakfast, we enjoyed Real

    Midwest Home Town cooking. It was the first

    time I went to the Veterans Memorial Mu-

    seum 123 S Main Germantown Ohio (just

    south of 725). The museum is a tribute to individual, primarily

    WWII, serviceman through letters, mementos, uniforms and per-

    sonal equipment. Please go and visit it. The museum is open Sat-

    urdays 12 to 4 and Sundays 2 to 6. If Spirit gets out in November

    remember have fun cleaning up the leaves.

    Friday December 13 there are two free holiday concert at the

    Loft, 10 am and 12 noon ( box lunch can be ordered for the noon

    program). Chris Sitko has more details. If I hear of other Christ-

    mas activities I will get them out through the bulletin and emails.

    Now for the activities

    Sunday Dec 8th immediately after mass:

    The Christmas Marriot Brunch has become a highlight of the early

    QAC Christmas season. Signups will be taken after mass on Nov

    24 and Dec 1, by the Weissgarber's (848-6041) and the Bauer's

    (426-7260). Come and join and enjoy the friendship, fellowship

    and food.

    Wednesday January 1, 2014

    Ohio State Rose Bowl Tail Gate Party -- Si Lounge,

    Everyone bring a little, and your beverage

    Time: 5:00 till Victory

    This may be a little tentative because I have to make sure we can

    get the game. I will keep you informed!

    ALSO -- Ohio State must win the Big 10 Championship game on

    December 8th to go to the Rose Bowl!

    BUT if they are TOO good and really trounce Michigan State;

    they may go the NCAA Championship bowl.

    Mark your calendar for Saturday January 25, 2014

    Mid Winter Revival 5:00 till 11:00 PM Si Lounge

    Pot Luck Supper

    Vacation and summer reminisces, games, cards and possibly a

    MAMA movie.

    1 JENNIFER LAURICELLA

    2 JOE ANDREWS

    2 WILLIAM GALE

    2 ANNE LOFINO

    2 ANNE STALLKAMP

    4 MICHAEL FECHER

    5 TIM FLOHRE

    6 MITCHELL HILTY

    7 EMMA MEE

    8 DAVID DiLORENZO

    9 CAROL QUINONES

    10 JERY HILLARD

    10 NATHAN NICKELL

    11 REBECCA CHERRY

    11 AMY DUELL

    12 BETSY SEITZ

    14 MARY LOU KRAMER

    15 TRUDY SEIM

    16 JACOB PENICK

    17 DREW NANDA

    18 OLIVIA HILS

    19 JEANNETTE BAUER

    19 BARRY RICE

    20 MARIANNE BACHMAN

    20 TIMOTHY BERRIDGE

    20 TODD GUILFOOS

    20 MICHAEL SCHIPKE

    21 MARY BANE

    21 JOE HAUS

    21 PAT WEISSGARBER

    22 MICHAEL SEITZ

    23 TOM HUDNELL

    23 CHRISTOPHER PENICK

    25 ROGER STALLKAMP

    27 CAROL VOLK

    28 JOY SWARTZEL

  • Saint Joseph Saint Joseph was a great and honorable man, so much so, that God chose him to raise His Son,

    while he lived on Earth. He was chosen to be the Provider and Protector of Jesus and the Virgin

    Spouse to the Virgin Mary. Although he never speaks a word in the Bible, he demonstrated his

    ability to fulfill these rolls by his actions – the fleeing to Egypt, the return to Nazareth, and the

    search for Jesus for three days before finding him at the Temple. Because of his devotion to God

    and his family, he is one of the most powerful Saints in Heaven, after Mary, the Queen of Heaven.

    So, since so little is known of him from the Bible, itself, (aside from his genealogy), what is it that

    we can infer from what we know?

    Although he was older than Mary, he wasn’t ancient (like 90 years or so). Most likely, he was in

    his 30s or 40s when they were married. Since he was a carpenter, who in those days also doubled

    as a mechanic, he had to be strong to be able to heft large pieces of wood around to fulfill the or-

    ders for his business. Since he had to make a living in such a way, he needed to be strong and

    healthy.

    It is also possible that he was married to another woman before he was married to Mary. In that

    day and age, it would have been very unusual for a man of that age to not be married. I suspect

    that Joseph was a widower when he heard about someone looking to betroth a young woman

    (about age 12) to someone who was from the tribe of Judah. Joseph responded to that call, and,

    well, we know the rest.

    Once he responded to God’s call, angels told him that he had to keep the secret of whom Jesus and

    Mary really were. (I don’t know about you, but I personally would only last about 5 seconds with

    a secret THAT big.) It was incredibly important that he act like a normal father would, teaching right from wrong, as well as, teaching him

    a trade, so that he could support himself on his own, when the time came. So, I suspect, that Joseph had to mettle out punishments, as

    needed, to Jesus. In other words, he had to parent Jesus.

    It was also important that he protect Mary and her secret from the world. If people found out that she was pregnant before she was married

    to Joseph, she faced the ultimate punishment – being stoned to death. So Joseph became her partner, her protector, and her supporter.

    However, due to promises that they made to the Lord (and I suspect, to each other), their marriage was never consummated. This did not

    mean that they did not love each other. They had to focus their energies on raising and protecting Jesus, until his ministry could become

    public.

    (Now, I have come to the truly tricky part of this article. So, please bear with me on this subject. I am sure that some of you will believe

    one theory and some of you will believe the other. Unfortunately, there is no proof of either theory being correct. So, I will leave it up to

    you to decide for yourself)…Since there is no mention of Joseph at the wedding at Cana, it is generally assumed that Joseph was not there,

    and was not around for Jesus’ public ministry. There are two theories as to why he was not around. One, he died, surrounded by Mary and

    Jesus, the people he loved most in this world. They mourned his passing and buried him. Opponents to this theory point out that since St.

    Joseph was of royal lineage, he would have been buried near his forefathers and a grave marker would have marked his grave. Since this

    was not done, one could assume that St. Joseph did not die. Which leads us to the other theory regarding St. Joseph’s disappearance from

    Jesus’ life. He could have been Assumed into heaven, just like the Virgin Mary was years later. Opponents to this theory state that the

    Virgin was Assumed because she was the vessel that brought Jesus into this world and it would not be right for her to suffer and die, like a

    normal human. (For me, personally, I find both arguments intriguing and both of them are plausible.) The official statement from the

    Catholic Church, actually, states that Joseph died in the arms of Mary and Jesus.

    So, to sum up St. Joseph…he is of royal decent of the House of David. He lived, provided for, and protected the Virgin Mary and Jesus,

    Our Savior. I don’t know if there is anything else we really need to know about him.

    He has two Feast Days; one is March 19 (so you can celebrate it, after your hangover from St. Patty’s Day has passed. ☺) and the other is

    May 1, which is also a feast day for the Virgin Mary.

    Joseph is the Patron Saint for families, fathers, expectant mothers (pregnant women), travelers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, crafts-

    men, engineers, orphans, married couples, carpenters,

    teachers, lawyers, laborers and working people.

    2 Healy Thompson, Edward; “The Life and Glories of Saint Joseph;” page 406-407

    1 Philippe, OP, Fr. Marie-Dominique; “The Mystery of Joseph;” page 36-37

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineerhttp://www.catholic.org/photos/

  • QAC Youthzine Welcome to our monthly section of The SPIRIT devoted to our youth. If you would

    like to write for it, just let Maggie Atkinson know or email her your article by the

    10th day of the month!

    December Spotlight

  • The Lonely Leaf

    By Pat Herman

    It was autumn, and the beautiful leaves of red and gold

    Were turning brown and falling off the trees.

    Neighbors were raking piles of leaves and children were

    Playing and scattering them around

    At last they were all down, except one lonely leaf.

    He was sad and missed his friends so much.

    He waited and waited to be with them.

    It seemed so long and finally a strong gust of wind sent him

    Swirling to the ground, the final leaf of fall was happily

    Joining his friends, knowing that winter was soon ahead.

    A Quiet Christmas Eve By Steve Guilfoos

    Driving down an inner city street

    I noticed a strange quietness

    The snow was falling lightly

    And as the traffic lights blinked red and green

    The white street lights twinkled like stars

    The only thing moving was this man

    In clothing tattered and torn

    Shuffling down the street in another man’s shoes

    His beard was an unkempt straggly mess

    Was he looking to simply score another hit

    Or for a place to sleep it off

    Not being my problem, I continued on home

    As I entered my warm and cozy house

    I wondered if he could be, as the Sunday book says,

    “the least of my brothers”

    I wondered if I had missed my chance

    To make this silent night

    . . . A holy night

  • Upcoming LIFE Events!

    The Funny Bone I

    Dec.

    1 CrossRoads: 9:00-10:20am: Was Rudolph the Red-

    nosed Reindeer in Bethlehem?

    6 Bake DayPrep: 6-8pm in Si-Lounge

    7 Bake Day! 8am to 4pm in Si-Lounge

    8 Bake Sale! 10:00am to set up, sell after Mass

    Christmas Dinner: 5pm in Si-Lounge

    15 Christmas Party with local LIFE Community at St.

    Henry’s 5:30-8:30pm

    22 Pancakes and Christmas with CrossRoads - Holiday

    Breakfast party for preschool through 8th grade RE

    Jan

    5 CrossRoads: 9:00-10:20am

    6 Marianist LIFE - Ella and Jackie

    12 Marianist LIFE - Pizza, Games, Planning - Lee and

    Emmy

    18 Family Fun Night - 6-9pm

    19 CrossRoads: 9:00-10:20am: The Dating Game - Parent

    Meeting

    26 Marianist LIFE

    Annual Marianist L.I.F.E. Bake Sale!! December 8th After Mass!

    Orders will be taken on Sunday November 24th and December 1st

    before and after mass. Or email your order to

    [email protected] by December 4th.

    Our annual bake sale will go towards our Christmas Service Project

    and sending our kids to Marianist L.I.F.E. Week this summer.

    For our annual service project we are participating in Hannah’s

    Treasure Chest Adopt-a-family program. We will purchase Christ-

    mas gifts for a family of 4, along with grocery gift cards for the

    family.

    The National Marianist L.I.F.E. Week program is a weeklong re-

    treat for high school juniors and seniors seeking to learn more

    about themselves, a closer relationship with God, and an opportu-

    nity to be a leader in their faith community. Please help support

    this amazing group of teens with the purchase of some sweets for

    your holiday table!

    We have lots of your favorites this year with some new items as

    well! So take a look to see what you would like! Order slips will be

    available beginning in November.

    Marianist L.I.F.E. Bake Sale Menu

    Tea Ring $20

    Eggnog Bread with Rum Glaze $7

    Pineapple Cherry Bread $7

    Apple Cinnamon Bread $7

    Pumpkin Bread $7

    Cranberry Bread $7

    Sour Cream Ganache Fudge Cake $15

    Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies $5

    Chocolate Cookies with Candy Cane Buttercream $5

    White Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Cookies $5

    Pumpkin Pie Bars $10

    Sugar free items and allergy-free items available on request Items to be picked-up and paid for in the vestibule on December

    8th after Mass

    Is there a special event about to happen in your life? Is

    there a big competition coming up, or have you won an

    award, or are you really proud of something going on in

    your life? Would you like us to know about it? Just find

    Maggie Atkinson after church or email her at

    [email protected] and I will post it in our

    section of the SPIRIT!

    The Funny Bone II

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

  • QAC STEWARDSHIP - Will you Mail back the Postcard? “so that one who belongs to God

    may be competent, equipped for

    every good work” (2 Timothy

    3:17)

    As we enter the Season of Ad-

    vent, we should realize that this

    isn’t just a time of expectant waiting for the celebra-

    tion of the Birth of Jesus, but it is also a time of prepa-

    ration to continue the work that was started over 2000

    years ago. In today’s world we order many things on-

    line and December is the month when we receive

    many gifts delivered right to the house. Imagine that

    you wake up one morning to find a package on your

    front doorstep. Since you didn’t order anything, you

    get excited and wonder what special gift you received.

    With child-like anticipation you tear open the box and

    inside there is a note from God. It reads “My Dear

    Friend, I have a very important mission for you. Inside

    this package is everything you will need to accomplish

    it.”

    In the box is a Bible with ribbons marking passages, a

    wooden cane and a postcard with the word YES.

    When you open the Bible, the rib-

    bons highlight scripture readings of

    God’s assurance that you will be

    helped and that there is a plan for

    your life. The road will be hard and

    there will be many battles to fight,

    but God will send the people you

    will need. One final ribbon in the

    Bible explains why you need the

    cane. Even when it feels like you

    aren’t getting anywhere, you will be

    limping back and forth and pounding

    on doors. No matter what your mission is, it will re-

    quire perseverance.

    Now the hard part, do you mail back the postcard and

    say YES? Do you say “yes” to God’s mission for you,

    and use the tools and people that are put in your

    path? Will you be humble enough to say yes to the

    people God sends your way? This is not an easy an-

    swer, but one that needs prayer.

    “Lord, guide my footsteps, and strengthen me for the

    challenges that I will face in your name. Thank you for

    loving me so much that you give me the honor to do

    your will on earth.”

    A PARED-DOWN CHRISTMAS!

    The older and wiser we get, the more and more we are becoming

    aware of the “Pared-Down Christmas.” We should want to do

    away with all of the extra distractions that the world tells us we need

    in order to get the max out of celebrating the holidays. Some people

    thrive on a copious stream of holiday activities and they are able to do

    it with joyous, generous spirits that celebrate all God has done for

    us. You will not find us among these people!

    There is nothing wrong with Secret Santas, holiday parties, trips to the

    mall, decorating, gift-buying, baking treats, Christmas cards

    (involving the always-stressful family photo and writing a newsletter

    that makes it seem like we’ve got it all together!). But it becomes an

    issue when the tasks pile up and we put unrealistic expectations on

    ourselves that steal our joy, keep us running, and distract us from fo-

    cusing on the true meaning of Christmas. It’s amazing how filling

    our days with the busyness of the season can leave us feeling so

    empty.

    The Pared-Down Christmas looks different to different people and the

    key to its success is to give yourself grace and free yourself of

    guilt. You cannot do it all. No one expects you to do it all. Your

    family will not die if you do not do it all.

    For some of us it includes being ok with NOT sending out Christmas

    cards or finding a different, easier way to communicate instead. Make

    a family video message or send out a greeting at another, less busy

    time of year.

    It may mean deciding NOT to travel to faraway family gatherings

    every year, and staying home to start a new tradition. Or conversely,

    taking the money normally spent on THINGS WE DON’T NEED and

    going on a trip that bypasses the obsession with STUFF and refocuses

    on spending time with each other making memories. It could mean

    baking treats earlier in the season and freezing them. OR if your fam-

    ily has developed the expectation that you will always make ALL of

    their usual favorites, find a way to end that vicious cycle!

    It may include the mutual decision to forgo exchanging gifts with the

    other blessed adults in your life (who are just as content as you are

    with what they already have) in favor of spending time together or lim-

    iting the kids’ gifts to a very few special things and doing away with all

    the extra junk.

    It might be creating and valuing simple, inexpensive traditions like

    taking a pajama drive to look at Christmas lights or listening to a com-

    forting old Christmas album by the light of the tree. Simple is beauti-

    ful and so much better.

    “Simple” is what we should have in mind. The nativity should cele-

    brate the real reason for Christmas. Simple is beautiful and so much

    better because all of the non-essentials and distractions are gone. All

    that’s left is a clear path to celebrating what matters: the simple,

    humble and pared-down beginning of Love here on Earth.

    Excerpts from: Things with Wings by Jill Brown

    Submitted by -

    Deacon Greg

    http://thingswithwingsartjournal.blogspot.com/

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