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Yule is the Pagan Sabbat to acknowledge and celebrate the rebirth of the Sun. In Pagan symbolism the Year is viewed as a constantly turning Wheel. Yule is the spoke where the Oak King , representing the light half of the year, vanquishes the Holly King, representing the dark half of the year, and thus promises that the light and warmth of the sun will begin to increase each day. Known also as the Winter Solstice, this is the longest night of the year and is akin to The Dark Night of Soul. Celebrations often echo both of these sentiments, beginning in silent darkness and ending in a blaze of light, fire and laughter.

While Yule is most often juxtaposed with Christmas today, Yule and Winter Solstice celebrations far out date the Christmas celebration. December 25th, the date to celebrate Christ’s birth, was also the birthdate of Mithras, the ancient Persian Sun god of light and the guardian against evil. Christianity didn’t celebrate Christmas until the fourth century. Even as late as 1740, it was a normal workday for the Puritans in the New World of America. They viewed Christmas as a Pagan holiday, and forbid any celebrations and/or decorations of acknowledgment of the day.

One cannot erase the Pagan aspects of this holiday. Most of today’s Christmas traditions are Pagan in nature, derived from both old Yule and Solstice traditions including reindeer, lights, wreaths, decorated trees, the Yule log, kisses under the mistletoe and the jolly old man himself, Santa Claus.

Yule is a time of rebirth, new beginnings and the setting of new goals for oneself. It is a time of putting aside regrets, resentments, and that which causes us unhappiness. But before we can rid ourselves of these, we must know them intimately. The season starts in the silent darkness of the cold winter’s night.  The beginning celebrations are a time of meditation and inward thoughts. Recognize the cold sorrows of the season of barrenness as both those within the frosted panes of our souls as well as those outside the frosted window.

I basked in the harvest of my gratitude today and found it created a calm graciousness in me. There is a woman speak thought that says when we steal, it is essentially telling God/dess that there is not enough in the world for everyone. This misconception is fundamentally wrong. There is enough for everybody;  more than enough. The way the world works now, wealth is hoarded, undistributed and the masses are truly hungering for ‘their own’. We can see this hungering in the crime we see in our poverty ridden communities who’s destitute lives have lost hope & meaning.

When I was gravely ill with a serious disease, that Christmas, on Christmas eve, in fact, we got a phone call from someone we had never met or spoken to. She told us her & the 4 H group and the local church had gotten together and got us a bunch of groceries. Boy, did they ever! We had so much stuff that we couldn’t even put it all away in the cupboards! It was a fantastic surprise that came out of no where and made our holiday for we were in dire need of some help. This act of kindness from complete strangers has reverberated in me since that day. The world has tried for many years to take away my dreams, my hopes, my strength and in one fell swoop my faith in humanity had been restored. It’s gratifying to know that one small act such as sharing with those in need can really make the difference for someone. Or for someone’s whole family!

I can’t give grocery carts full of food. But I can make homemade breads and shape it into Challahs, braids, bagels, ropes, pretzels, cinnamon rolls and other delights to share. I want to make it a season of literally breaking bread with my neighbor. As I sit here a fresh loaf of bread is cooling on the kitchen counter. I long to break bread and share with those who may not only be hungry in body but also in spirit. Bread is fundamentally a symbol of transformation as ground grain is brought to rise. I hope the bread (words) I share here can help even one of us to rise above the lip of the pan that is keeping us from spilling over into the world and nourishing one another with our kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness and love. Be someone’s simple, nourishing bread today by transforming someone’s day with something simple, even if it is just your genuine smile. You never know how far it will go, whose life it will touch and how it continues to grow. I want us to break big bread, like the episode of I Love Lucy when the loaf of bread rises so huge that it pins Lucy to the wall from it’s immense size. I want us all to be sharing the best of ourselves that rises to the top and gives the most life affirming and sustaining aspects of our character. Take this as a challenge of sorts. Where are you going to bring the bread of peace & community this season? What form is that going to take for you personally? Let yourself be transformed just as the ground grain is transformed into body sustaining bread and kindness turns into the soul sustaining bread of life.

This Thanksgiving was one filled with closeness and joy. We all helped out and made the work light and lovely for us all. We feasted and got festive, and gave thanks that we are still all here and all together. We watched football and ate a beautiful meal, shared stories and laughter. The undercurrent of the emotions of the day were full of anticipations, hopes, expectations of times to come. Thanksgiving is like turning a new leaf. A time to hunker down, gather your nuts and seeds, draw close and chew the fat. That is what the harvest time is for. Getting prepared for rain & snow. Getting food stock piled to make it thru the season. Taking out coats, snow boots, mittens and other winter gear.  I have insulated winter curtains that I put up to hold the heat in. I put rugs under the doors to catch drafts. I bake lots of cookies and bread. It’s all a process. It use to be integral to our survival. Now the seasons can come & go and we only notice if they mess up our hair or rain on our plans. The seasons and their cycles have much to teach us. If we can find balance within the seasons then we can truly enjoy and appreciate all the nuances and subtleties that help us greet our day with anticipation. There is something comforting about wearing slippers to keep your feet warm and getting snuggly on the couch under soft blankets. It’s a time for hugs and snuggles and making your own heat. I have found I am much more acclimated to the cold if I take a hot sauna regularly and exercise to keep my blood flowing and keep my metabolism active. I am grateful for these things I can do in my life to help me adapt to the changes in the season. It’s the creature comforts that makes us relish our existence in this world, a truly define us from the animal world.

We had the luxury of being able to share food this year. I found a Vietnam veteran who lost both legs in a landmine explosion. He lives alone with his daily cigarette rations layed out next to him, ready for when he wants one. He was parked in front of the television, with t.v guide close by, so he didn’t miss any of his favorite shows. He had a small, electric heater that worked furiously to keep the chill out of the room. I had seen his wheelchair but didn’t realize he had no legs until I walked into the small trailer and closed the door behind me. We had never met before and I held a hot pan full of food hoping he wouldn’t fear me, a stranger, bringing him food. I asked him if he had thanksgiving yet. He replied, “Yes”. I asked him if he would like some more. He again said “Yes”. I handed him the pan full of hot food, turned to open the sliding glass door, turning, I said “Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you” and left. After I left I realized that I had walked into this noble man’s full existence. His daily cigs and his t.v are his life, in between the horrors of war he tries to keep at bay, like the cold. I felt sorry that someone could give so much to so many and still have so little. I hoped for the writer’s strike to end so he could watch some fresh & entertaining t.v. to bring something to his life. I secretly hoped he was rich and had everything he needed and only lived this way because he was a sensible man with humble needs.

He didn’t realize the gift he has given me in receiving the gift I brought to him. I’m already scheming something nice for him for Christmas. I know my small, humble gestures make a difference in people’s lives. I am so happy when I can give where needed and be received. I hope you find a place of need and help them receive this season of thanks.

Thanksgiving this year is bittersweet. We had the loss of several friends this year leaving loving spouses behind to continue on. My heart goes out to these friends and comrades in life that have lost the most significant person in their worlds. I am thankful that I have not only my memory but my husband’s & children’s memories of cherished vacations & holidays. I can’t imagine the loss it must be to lose someone who is the other half of all your struggles and triumphs in life! What a bleak place to be!

This Thanksgiving I am going to hold my kids longer and tighter and gaze into my husband’s eyes deeply, and treasure the simple pleasure of our company, our traditions and our ongoing love. It is these simple things that bring me joy, gratitude and fulfillment. I wish you and yours a day full of love, tenderness, thoughfullness, gratitude and a whole cornucopia of the things that truly fill and sustain our lives.

Ask anybody what they are thankful for and in the top 3 answers you will find ‘Family’ universally is what gives our lives most meaning and fulfillment. As a wife, I am grateful to my hardworking and loving husband. As a mother, I am grateful for my healthy, happy children. These are the things that give my life meaning & joy! I was so happy to marry my husband after a passionate four year relationship. Marriage for us was the comfort & security we wanted and needed in our relationship to let our hair down a bit, so to speak and unfold together on our journey together thru life.  We as humans are social creatures. To find ultimate happiness we have to have the equation of a partner. That is just how we are built. It’s not difficult to understand. This rings true for any level headed, even minded person.

This Thanksgiving I’d like to ask you to think about the millions of people in our own nation that don’t have the equal birthright to ‘..life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…’, that the heterosexual community enjoys without a second thought. I want you to think about this, “What do we gain in denying same sex couples who just want the same comforts life affords us?” Furthermore and more importantly, “What do we gain in supporting millions of people to have a secure and fulfilling life with a partner of their choice; such as my husband and I have the luxury to decide for ourselves? We all have more in common than not, no matter our race, culture or sexual orientation. The time for same sex marriage is now. Who are we (you) to deny these people their comfort, love, family & happiness? It is just plain anti-American to block something so fundamental to our own personal satisfaction as choosing and marrying a mate. To deny another human something so intrinsic to their satisfaction with life signifies troubling stunting in the growth of a spiritual being as an individual and is anti-harmony with the way humanity was created. To afford everyone their rights in this country is going to make us stronger as a nation as gays find personal satisfaction and acceptance in the community. This builds stronger lives, families & communities. If you cannot see this reality, you have mis-interpreted what it means to be an American and need to re-examine what motivates your desire to harm many instead of letting others seek harmony.

If you’d like to support Let California Ring or read more information on this important and fundamental issue please visit  http://www.letcaliforniaring.org/

Preserving nature is an integral part of being a spiritual person. Nature has so much to share and gifts to teach us if we will only take the time to stop, look and listen (or ask the right questions!) Be it as simple as letting a daddy long legs spider live in the corner of your laundry room, to feeding and watering the birds, your service to animals will bring you joy. One year we made a Christmas tree for the birds from a tree in our landscaping. We hung pine cones smeared with peanut butter and rolled in wild bird seed. We strung popcorn, suet blocks and apple cores. It was a thrill to see the birds all come and feast in the cold of the season. We felt peace knowing that they would be sustained throughout the cold winter. Not that nature can’t provide, but if we can supplement nature then wildlife can really thrive and do well amid the stresses of modern life.

To nurture nature is sacred. To stop and reflect upon nature is truly divine.

Father, Mother, God,
Thank you for your presence
during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.
Thank you for your presence
during the bright and sunny days,
for then we can share that which we have
with those who have less.
And thank you for your presence
during the Holy Days, for then we are able
to celebrate you and our families
and our friends.
For those who have no voice,
we ask you to speak.
For those who feel unworthy,
we ask you to pour your love out
in waterfalls of tenderness.
For those who live in pain,
we ask you to bathe them
in the river of your healing.
For those who are lonely, we ask
you to keep them company.
For those who are depressed,
we ask you to shower upon them
the light of hope.
Dear Creator, You, the borderless
sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the
world that which we need most—Peace.

prayer - maya angelou

The greatest gifts we can give is our time, attention and love. When we are in this space of giving both giver & recipient are gifted. The moments a mother takes to tie her toddler’s shoes and give a wink and a smile. Spouses hug & kiss goodbye. A thoughtful phone call to brighten somebody else’s day. A sincere smile. It’s these simple moments that shape how we approach life. When we take the time to go to task for someone, and do so joyfully, you instill deep worth and self respect. When our day has began with a spring board of blessing we cannot help but pass that blessing on to the world we touch. This is how we truly change the world.  No matter how the day batters & bruises us, when we have that base of support, nothing the world can do can stop us from refueling our love from our source, the touchstone of strength.

‘We do no great things. Only small things with great love.’ ~Mother Teresa

I’d just like to take a moment to wish all my Jewish readers a very Happy New Year! For those who are not Jewish, here’s a bit about the holiday:

Like the typical “new year” that takes place on Jan. 1, Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) is a day of reflection and introspection. Everyone is encouraged to look back on the past year, apologize where needed, let by-gones be by-gones, and set goals for the new year.

No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah, and Jews are encouraged to spend the day in a synagogue, where one of the most important traditions is the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn that sound kind of like a trumpet. “Tashlikh” is another common tradition. In this “casting off” ceremony, Jews walk to a body of water and throw bread to symbolize the casting off of sins.

If you meet someone Jewish today, wish them “L’shanah tovah”, which means “for a good year” and is the shortened version of a long Hebrew phrase meaning “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

To all who are Jewish - I admit that I don’t know much about this holiday. If you have info to add or correct, please let me know! In any case, have a Happy Rosh Hashanah, everyone!!

Mother’s Day isn’t exactly a religious holiday, but I did want to include some tips for mother’s day gifts on my site. I’m sure your mother will appreciate just spending time with your, but here are a three great ideas for under $50 that will show mom that you appreciate her.

1. Hanging Flower Baskets. Of course, I have to make this #1 on my list because it’s what I got mymom for mother’s day. Hanging flower baskets, or really potted plants in general, are the way to go if you like the idea of bringing your mom flowers. While bouquets of roses can be nice, they die in about a week’s time, while potted flowers will bloom all summer, and if you get flowers that grow from bulbs, they’ll come back again next year. I opt for the hanging basket simply because it’s like a garden in the air, and without all that gardening work, and if you really want to splurge, buy her the wrought-iron plant hanger as well.

2. Strawberry Smidgens.Ok, I confess–I bought these for my mama too! If your mom likes strawberries as much as mine does, pick up a pack of these smidgens from Gertrude Hawk. They’re better than the typical box of chocolates because you don’t have to guess what’s inside, and if you buy two boxes you get a chocolate-covered strawberry for free! It strawberries aren’t your thing, don’t worry–you can pick up some original PB smidgens instead, and they even carry sugar free brands for anyone who is diabetic or otherwise concerned about sugar intake.

3. A Fuzzy New Bathroom and Some Slippers. My whole approach to gift-giving is to buy something for the person that they would love, but that they wouldn’t buy for themselves. What better way to say “take the day off, mom” than with a fuzzy new bathrobe and slippers? You can pick up this one at Bath and Body works for only $40, or shop around for another kind–I’ve seen similar robes at Victoria’s Secrets, Charlotte Russe, and the Bon Ton.

Mother’s Day, Mother’s Day gifts, gifts, gifts for mother

This is my Easter card to all of you. Even if you are not Christian, I think you can appreciate the message in this video. God bless you all, and have a safe and happy Easter Sunday!

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Here are some fun Easter facts, just to get you in the mood for the holiday and for spring! God Bless!

In 2000, Americans spent nearly $1.9 billion on Easter candy.

As many as 4.2 million Marshmallow Peeps, bunnies, and other shapes can be made each day.

Americans consume 16 billion jellybeans at Easter, many of them hidden in baskets. If all the Easter jellybeans were lined end to end, they would circle the globe nearly three times.

Pretzels were originally associated with Easter. The twists of a pretzel were thought to resemble arms crossed in prayer.

The custom of giving eggs at Easter time has been traced back to Egyptians, Persians, Gauls, Greeks and Romans, to whom the egg was a symbol of life.

Rabbits with long floppy ears can’t hear quite as well as rabbits with erect ears.

The white lily, the symbol of the resurrection, is the special Easter flower.

Ham come to be the traditional favorite for Easter dinner because in pre-refrigeration days, hogs were slaughtered in the fall and cured for six to seven months. Just in time for Easter dinner.

It takes 24-26 hours for a hen to lay an egg.

Eggs are the most popular Easter symbol on the front of Hallmark cards. 118 million Easter cards in total are sold every year.

About 1 billion eggs are hunted every years.

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Valentine’s Day may be over for one more year, but that doesn’t mean that the love has to end. I had an interesting conversation with a friend lately, about God and Love. It came to my mind that perhaps God IS Love. I won’t go into the entire conversation, but I will say this–I feel most close to God when I am in love. Some say, love is seeing God in someone else.

If you don’t have a Valentine of your own, that’s ok. You can love family and friends just as much. I think that pets are also a great source of love…their love is unconditional.

Whomever you love, I hope that you’ll remember them, even though Valentine’s Day is over. Love God and others throughout the whole year–that’s the true goal, right?

Happy Valentine’s Day, dear readers!

Today, I hope that you and your sweetheart share your love with one another–and if you dn’t have a sweetheart, remember: Valentine’s Day is about love for everyone. Call family members you haven’t seen in a while. Send cards to old friends. If you live in the north (like I do), shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk.

Have a good day everyone!

Valentine’s Day

…to the Bible.

Ok, that might sound dumb, but because tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I wanted to bust the myth that reading the Bible is all boring, with stuffy, old stories. Tomorrow, try reading with your sweetheart the following passage for Song of Songs. If you get a more modern traslation of the Bible, they put in the speakers so that you can even read it together:

Woman: “Kiss me again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine. How fragrant your cologne, and how pleasing your name! No wonder all the young women love you! Take me with you. Come, let’s run! Bring me into your bedroom, O my king.”

Young Women of Jerusalem: “How happy we are for him! We praise his love even more than wine.”

Woman: “How right that the young women love you! I am dark and beutiful, I women of Jersalem, tanned as the dark tents of Kedar…Tell me, O my love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you rest your cheep at noon? For why should I wander like a prostitute among the flocks of your companions?”

Man: “If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock to the shepards’ tents, and there feed your young goats. What a lovely filly you are, my beloved one! How lovely are your cheeks, with your earrings setting them afire! How stately is your neck, accented with a long strong of jewels. We will make earrings of gold for you and beads of silver.”

Woman:“The King is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume. My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts. He is like a bouquet of flowers in the gardens of En-gedi”

Man: “How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful. You eyes are like doves.”

Woman: “What a lovely, pleasant sight you are, my love, as we lie here on the grass, shaded by the cedar trees and spreading firs.”

You get the idea ;-P. That’s not old or stuffy, that’d downright romantic. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Inspired by my post from Monday and the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday, I decided to see what else the Bible has to say about love, other than the first Corinthians passage. Here’s what I found!

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else.”
1 Thessalonians 3:12

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.”
Song of Solomon 1:2

“…Love comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
1 Timothy 1:5

“Above all else, guard thy heart for it is the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 4:23

“Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God.”
Philippians 1:3

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.”
Song Of Solomon 8:7

“Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:18

It is my hope, dear readers, that you each have a special person in your life to love, as I do…and if not, that you spread your love throughout the world anyway, but loving friends and family members.

Valentine’s Day, holiday, Bible, Song of Solomon, Proverbs, love