The spirits of Christmas

 We haven't quite finished our Christmas shopping this year but we think we can see the end from here. The routine of parking the Jeep, putting on a face mask, putting on gloves, going into a store, etc. is less fun than other years when we didn't have to feel as guarded. People are friendly and all behind their masks but, probably because we watched to many "westerns" when we were young, seeing people in masks makes us think of outlaws, when the real outlaws these days are those not wearing masks.

Lots of folks think wearing a mask is an infringement on their rights. We wonder if they've thought about the events described in the gospel, according to Luke:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

 

Mary, Joseph, and child

Photo by J. Harrington

Now most (we hope all) of you realize that there was a census taken of US this year. We did not have to travel to our own town to register. There is no emperor to issue such a decree, although we came close this past November and December. We have much freedom, perhaps more than is good for US. Have we lost all sense of community? Are we foregoing as much as we can in the way of mutual obligations? Do we, these days, judge our actions by what we can get away with; what is legal; abandoning the concept of what is right and moral and ethical? Have we traded the Golden Rule for a world in which gold rules?

As, and if, we understand it, in the Old Testament Book of Genesis God said to Adam and Eve something like: "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it...." These days it appears that we have more than honored that mandate. Is it time for a newer testament? One in which we learn how to inhabit the earth without destroying it and ourselves? Can we find new scribes and prophets that we are willing to listen to? Is it time to drive the money-changers from the temple? Would that not be in alignment with the real spirit of Christmas? Have you watched A Charlie Brown Christmas this year?

Once the World Was Perfect

By Joy Harjo

Once the world was perfect, and we were happy in that world.

Then we took it for granted.

Discontent began a small rumble in the earthly mind.

Then Doubt pushed through with its spiked head.

And once Doubt ruptured the web,

All manner of demon thoughts

Jumped through—

We destroyed the world we had been given

For inspiration, for life—

Each stone of jealousy, each stone

Of fear, greed, envy, and hatred, put out the light.

No one was without a stone in his or her hand.

There we were,

Right back where we had started.

We were bumping into each other

In the dark.

And now we had no place to live, since we didn't know

How to live with each other.

Then one of the stumbling ones took pity on another

And shared a blanket.

A spark of kindness made a light.

The light made an opening in the darkness.

Everyone worked together to make a ladder.

A Wind Clan person climbed out first into the next world,

And then the other clans, the children of those clans, their children,

And their children, all the way through time—

To now, into this morning light to you.

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Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.

Taking Winter Count

Well, our strategy of test-starting the snowblower a week ago mostly worked. We got a little more than a dusting yesterday afternoon, definitely not enough to actually cause us to blow snow. The cold temperatures led to a drop in the tire pressure in all four tires in the Jeep. We're thinking we should wait until it's warmer than today's low to mid teens before we head off to add air. Maybe tomorrow.

amaryllis, a week before Christmas 2017

Photo by J. Harrington

This year's amaryllis appear to be developing well behind schedule, they're less than a foot tall, while the Christmas cactus bloomed ahead of schedule. We'll just pretend the season started earlier and will run later than usual this year. Last year's beach plums didn't make it through the Winter. We haven't yet killed off this year's holly bushes, although we've noticed we have a tendency to overwater them. As we move toward year's end, we're beginning to take stock of what we did and didn't undertake this year. The three sisters garden didn't get planted. We're blaming a contrary tiller for that. Next year we'll see if it starts earlier in the planting season.

artisan sourdough kernza bread

Photo by J. Harrington

Baking our artisan sourdough bread made some progress and we successfully played with a new ingredient, kernza flour. Thanks to COVID-19 we never did get to the bakery in NE Minneapolis we wanted to check out. Maybe next Summer, after we're all vaccinated. The fishing season was almost a total flop since every time we were ready to go, the wind seemed to be howling enough to make fly-casting hazardous. As Minnesota sports fans know only too well, "there's always next season."

All in all the year has had enough good points that it goes in the "W" column, especially since a new granddaughter has been added to the team. We hope your year has brought you more joy and satisfaction than trials and tribulations, and that you are and remain safe and warm and fed and healthy during this season and all next year. If you're not sure what a "Winter Count" is, you can learn about it here.

Wearing Indian Jewelery

By Heid E. Erdrich

I was wondering why that guy

wore the blanket coat, bone choker, rock

watch, woven buckle, quilled Stetson—

I was wondering why he wore

that beaded vest, like a ledger drawing

or a Winter Count, its skinny figure

forever sneaking after two bison

around belly to back,

around back to belly—

I was wondering why, when he said,

I wear these getups every day—

Every day, because these things

are sacred, these things are prayer.

Then I knew I could live this life

If I had blue horses

painted around and around me,

shells and beads like rain in my ear

praying Prairie open in me

at stoplight, hard city, last call, bank line,

coffee break, shopping cart, keycode,

Prarie open in me

Prarie open in me

every day every day every day.

 

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Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.