What I'm Into Lately, December edition

our  family
Christmas Eve service, 2013

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From the book pile

to see the book pile from 2011, click here / from 2012, click here

42  Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey (Random House, LLC, 2013. 304 pages) 

Enlightening, fun, scannable read.  Brian and I took turn reading to each other the daily rituals of various artists who caught our attention.

Here's an excerpt from a fun review by Oliver Burkeman at The Guardian:  

"This was all in an effort to adopt the rituals of some great artists and thinkers: the rising-at-dawn bit came from Ernest Hemingway, who was up at around 5.30am, even if he'd been drinking the night before; the strong coffee was borrowed from Beethoven, who personally counted out the 60 beans his morning cup required. Benjamin Franklin swore by "air baths", which was his term for sitting around naked in the morning, whatever the weather. And the midday cocktail was a favourite of VS Pritchett (among many others). I couldn't try every trick I discovered in a new book, Daily Rituals: How Great Minds Make Time, Find Inspiration And Get To Work; oddly, my girlfriend was unwilling to play the role ofFreud's wife, who put toothpaste on his toothbrush each day to save him time. Still, I learned a lot. For example: did you know that lunchtime martinis aren't conducive to productivity?"

43 The True Saint Nicholas: Why He Matters to Christmas by William J. Bennett (Simon & Schuster, 2009. 128 pages) 

For a few years now I've been reading up on this saint each December.  His story is beautiful.  If even a few of the accounts of his ministry are true, he is a model for all of us to follow.  I'm especially touched by the account of him using gold coins from the inheritance his parents left him when they died young (leaving him an orphan) to rescue 3 unmarried daughters of a poor man.  Their father could not give them a dowry and, in that day and custom, this meant no man would marry them, forcing them to look for work that would keep them alive.  Oftentimes, this sort of work meant harsh conditions -- even prostitution.  Secretly, over time, Nicholas dropped coins through their open window during the dark of night.  Three different nights for each daughter.  Legend tells us the coins fell into socks or stockings being hung to dry.  The women were able to marry and care for their father and families.  This, of course, explains the custom of hanging stockings -- only with a much more profound outcome than warm-hearted Christmas traditions.

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Movies & TV 

Call the Midwife Holiday Special

It'd take a pretty amazing episode to better -- match, even -- last year's Christmas episode of this wonderful series.  Still, it was good to visit again with the nuns and nurses of Nonnatus house and the burgeoning families of Poplar in 1950's London's East End.

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In my ears 

The Sounding Joy: Christmas Songs In & Out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger songbook

I couldn't stop listening to this album all during Advent.

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In the kitchen

mulled cider on the grill

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Random thing making me happy 

Being home for a white Christmas in New York this year.

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On the Blog (Get This Sacramental Life delivered by email.) 

Top 5 posts in December

5.  7 quick takes: San Antonio Riverwalk, Buy More Art, winter solstice in Austin and more!

4. 12 Ways to Savor the 12 Days of Christmas

3.  Buy More Art [this Christmas]: Paul D. Smith's YA Novel "Jason & the Draconauts"

2.  Advent daybook, 1: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

--- December's top post ---

1.  Buy More Art [this Christmas]: Jason Harrod, Highliner & Christmas Hymns

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So, what about you? What's in your book pile? 

What art, film, song has captured your imagination? 

What are you pinning or cooking or planning? 

Share in the comments, won't you?

For more “What I’m Into” posts, head over to Leigh’s blog

Christmas daybook, 4: and death shall be no more

My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. Join me, won't you?

look

Slaughter of the Innocents, detail

1611-1612

Reni, Guido

source

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read 

Revelation 21:1-8: and death shall be no more

(You are welcome to read with me the Daily Devotional for Christmastide from Christ Church of Austin here.)

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pray 

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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listen

Johann Michael Haydn: Mass and Vespers for the Feast of the Holy Innocents

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do

savor food

on the fourth day of Christmas, my momma and daddy
 made breakfast for Brian and me

12 ways to savor 12 days of Christmas

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Christmas daybook, 3: we have heard, seen, touched and now tell

My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. Join me, won't you?

look

Adoration of the Shepherds from Portinari Altarpiece
Hugo van der Goes, 1440-1482
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

source

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read 

1 John 1:1-2:6: we have heard, seen, & touched and now tell 

(You are welcome to read with me the Daily Devotional for Christmastide from Christ Church of Austin here.)

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pray 

Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light, that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (source)

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listen

The Word of Life (In a Byre Near Bethlehem)

Zac Hicks 

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do

go outside

12 ways to savor 12 days of Christmas

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Merry Christmas!

look

Friedrich Ritschel

etching

source

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read 

Luke 2:1-21: the birth of Christ

(or listen to my children read to you, circa 2005)

listen to ‘Luke 2 read by the Murphy kids 2006’ on Audioboo

>

listen

Light of the Stable

Emmylou Harris

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Advent daybook, 24: the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light

My Advent daybook for these 24 days of waiting. Join me, won't you?

look & listen

Light Shower

Bruce Munro

installation in Salsbury Cathedral, UK, 2010

source

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read 

Isaiah 9:1-7: the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light

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pray 

O God, who spoke all creation into being: When you created human flesh, we betrayed you by our disobedience. Yet you chose to come among us through your Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered death on our behalf, putting an end to the power of sin and death. 

For this great gift of your steadfast love, we give you thanks. Help us, O Lord, to keep vigil this night. Help us to watch for the signs of your coming into our midst, not in the splendid palaces of power, but in hearts humbled by need. Help us to believe that the darkness of cruelty and sin will never overcome the light, and the mercy, of Christ. Help us to endure, knowing that the evil and injustice of this world cannot prevail against your Word.

We ask this in the name of your Word made flesh, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. (source)

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do

Wait and Wonder

Advent calendar via Ambrosium

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Advent daybook, 23: Word became flesh and dwelt among us

My Advent daybook for these 24 days of waiting. Join me, won't you?

look

At the Margins

William Kurelek

source

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read 

John 1:1-14: The Word Became Flesh 

2 Corinthians 8:9

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pray 

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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listen

Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendour

Ordinary Time

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do

forgo electricity for part of a day or evening; pray for light to shine in darkness

Advent calendar via Ambrosium

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Advent daybook, 22: Joseph discovers Mary is pregnant

My Advent daybook for these 24 days of waiting. Join me, won't you?

look

The Angel Visiting Joseph in a Dream.

 La Tour, Georges du Mesnil de, 1593-1652

source

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read 

Matthew 1:18-25: Joseph discovers Mary is pregnant

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pray 

O Wisdom, O holy word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation. Amen.

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listen

Joseph and Mary (the Cherry Tree Carol)

Elizabeth Mitchell

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do

leave a thank you gift for the mail carrier

Advent calendar via Ambrosium

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12 ways to savor the 12 days of Christmas

These final days of Advent I know well the tension of the soon, but not-yet.  Christmas is coming.  We have the calendar to tell us what the people of ancient times only knew by faith.  Not only that, but we live in the already came and surely will come again just as He said.  We didn't get to see Him with our own eyes, but we hope for the next sighting to be soon.  

For now, may I share a few of our celebration practices for the 12 day feast of Christmastide? (an excerpt from Parenting Unrehearsed: Family liturgies for Christmastide to Epiphany, 2012)

I find it takes almost more attention, more discipline to celebrate well.  Probably because the feeling of longing is more familiar than contentment and shalom.  I'm grateful for the countless "good-enough" celebrations in my lifetime that whet my appetite for the great festival of Home we look forward to enjoying forever.  

1.  Savor gifts.  Make opening gifts last as long as possible on Christmas morning. Choose other times during the 12 days to give gifts.  Perhaps you could save one gift per person to open on Epiphany?  This year we ate a special meal together on Epiphany and chose gifts for a global mission.

2.  Make time to stay home.  Read, watch movies, play games, take naps, take walks in the neighborhood.  In our house, we're especially fond of the tradition of wearing pajamas all day as often as possible during Christmas.

3.  Get outside.  Take a road trip.  Hike a nearby trail. Go skiing, sled-riding, ice-skating.  This year we piled together in the van for the hour and a half trip to enjoy San Antonio's river walk.  We were rewarded with a crisp, clear Texas night and a round yellow moon.

4.  Savor food.  In our house we don't do any Christmas baking until Christmas Eve day.  This started out of necessity when my kids were little and it was easier to bake all in one day when Daddy was home, but I've kept the tradition as a way to build anticipation.  When December 25 arrives we've only just begun to enjoy the sweet and savory treats of the season.

5.  Extend your family.  The last two years we've missed our extended family something terrible at Christmas.  We're hoping that will change in 2013; at the same time we're glad we've had the opportunity to experience Christmas without family nearby.  With twelve whole days to celebrate, we enjoyed spending a few of them with other people who were alone. 

6.  Sing Christmas carols.  The Anglican worship service sings only Advent hymns during the month of December.  We try to follow suit at home. Although -- I'm not gonna lie -- long about December 2 this year I caught Brian singing "Santa, Baby" in the kitchen one morning!  The Sunday after Christmas our worship pastor plans a Lessons and Carols service leading us, in his words, in a last gasp of Christmas.  With the frenetic pace of December, don't you love the idea of Christmas caroling at a nursing home or around an elderly friend's old upright piano during the last week of Christmas?

7.  Throw a New  Year's bash.  More friends, more feasting, more game-playing, more music.  Savor the excess.

8.  Go shopping. Really.  I'm serious.  Retailers aren't trying to pull your heartstrings, they're trying to sell you stuff cheap. Meet a girlfriend, drive to the specialty shops you always want to linger in, or send your family out to the mall with their Christmas gift cards while you stay home and take a nap.   Really. I'm not kidding.

9.  Follow light like the journeying magi.  Find every possible way to savor the beauty of light during the darkest time of the year.  Light candles, build a fire, sit in the dark and look at your lit tree, visit a holiday light show in town, take a bath by candlelight, go outside and look at the stars.

  
10. Send Christmas cards or thank-you cards.  When I was growing up my mother always sent her annual family newsletter at New Year's.  Makes sense, right?  This year I set up a card-writing station on our dining table so that throughout the week we'd all take turns writing thank you-cards.

11. Borrow the tradition of Boxing Day.  Sounds sort of like a medieval version of Undercover Boss.  Or the servant's ball at Downton Abbey.  However you choose to interpret the meaning of this tradition, find a way to notice those you take for granted, give to those who rarely receive, serve the servers.  One of the best opportunities we have for this sort of service here in Austin is to volunteer a Sunday morning at Church Under the Bridge, a ministry to Austin's homeless.  We help set up tables, serve breakfast, mingle and listen to their stories

12. Stay firmly rooted in the Incarnation story.  Keep reading after the manger, celebrate the magi's arrival, pray the words of Simeon and Anna in the temple.  Notice the characters, ask the Father of Jesus to make you worshipers like the very first who bowed in adoration to His son.  Pray a blessing over your house, pray for the fame of the Christ-child to reach every people group across the globe the same way it reached across the desert that first Christmas.

How about you? 

 What are some ways you practice celebration in your home?