December 24, 2007
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MONDAY READING
Saturday was the first day of Winter, today is the eve of Christ’s birth, and tomorrow my two children and two grandchildren will be in my house, all together for a few hours for the first time in months. I wish you and them a peaceful holiday and new year. My own spirituality is a mix of insights and values found in all religions. Like our bodies are made up of cells, I believe I am one cell in the body of god and all the answers are within me if I can listen carefully enough.
Here is a quote from Fra Giovanni, a 16th century Italian monk:
I salute you! There is nothing I can give you which you have not;
but there is much, that, while I cannot give, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.
Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.
Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach, is joy.
Take Joy.
And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.
Deep Thought: “Many people do not realize that the snowshoe can be used for a great many things besides walking on snow. For instance, it can be used to carry pancakes from the stove to the breakfast table. Also, it can be used to carry uneaten pancakes from the table to the garbage. Finally, it can be used as a kind of strainer, where you force pancakes through the strings to see if a piece of gold got in a pancake somehow.”
Today I am grateful for: Ribbons
Guess the Movie: “For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph – a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting.” Answer: Patton, 1970. Winner: danielglasglow.
Pentagon Tracks ‘Santa’s Progress’
By Kyle King
Washington
24 December 2007
President Bush is spending Christmas Eve at the Camp David presidential retreat this year and most of the U.S. government has been given the day off. But one special branch of the Defense Department has been working overtime this holiday season so children around the world can follow one of the most endearing Christmas legends of all time. As VOA’s Kyle King reports from Washington, Santa Claus is being tracked on radar. (Rest of article here.)
Comments (24)
Like the 16th century quotation very much. Enjoy your family and drink in the joy and gifts of each moment. Namaste,my friend.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas! Thank you for the beautiful quote.
George C Scott.
Patton.
Merry Christmas.
May the blessings of the season rest on you.
As for tracking Santa, now I felt like Scrooge because I wanted to see our weather forcast and had to wait for him to do the Santa report. lol
Patton wins the blue ribbon!
Merry Christmas! I’ve never used snowshoes, but they do look like fun!
I am still thinking on the uses of snow shoes…. and I think you may be on to something , that being that it is OK not to eat everything cooked or served ,and that gold is totally unpredictable.merry Christmas:)
RYC, my Pluto is conjunct my Jupiter like at the very end of Leo, so I guess the Jupiter cancels out any negative from Pluto, as that part of the year always seems to be my best.
Wonderful quotation – I had read it long ago and as I read it here, it touched me again and also brought back some very welcome resonance to a contemplative aspect within my being that I far too often lose touch with in the whirlwind distractions, seductions, and more temporal pleasures of day to day living.
peace and blessings to you and all you cherish. Enjoyed your movie review of Tommy Lee’s latest film… movies are my healthies escape and we will likely go this weekend, probably to see the new Hanks/Roberts/PS Hoffman film.
D
hello.
norad can never take a day off they have to make sure we don’t get nuked.
Gorgeous sentiment. Fabulous aha on the snow shoes. And thank you for being my very deep xanga-neighbor. All the best in 2008.
I love that photo of the ornament – it is lovely.
I always enjoy your posts – a little of this and a little of that and always thought provoking.
It was a busy and a bit overwhelming holiday. Glad it is over.
Early New Year wishes for you, too. I hope it is a healthy and happy year for you!
I hope you enjoyed the time with kids and grandkids. What a treat, eh? I hope you enjoy your New Year’s celebration, and best wishes for a spectacular 2008.
omg i was grateful for ribbons today, too!
and i was thinking
everyone shld have ribbons in their homes!
lol
happy new year!
I hope this has been a great week for you. Happy New Year — let it be a terrific 2008!
Happy New Year!
*sparkle
RYC If we could just eliminate the “us” and “them “mentality that plagues us …. cats use scent to tell friend from foe so its easier to make them feel like family by petting them to spread their smell so it mixes but we have all these less easily remedied ways to separate ourselves out…but if we could refuse to acknowledge them and love as you suggested it would be quite like I try to acclimate my cats to new cats and if it worked it would be a much better way to live.I have never understood since life in general is hard why we humans make it that much harder by reducing the size of our families to those near and dear we define by family bond or other kids of affiliation.Happy New Year……:)
“No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.
Take Heaven.”
Beautiful.
Thank you for the visit. I find it a blessing that people visited me on the start of a new year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!
Happy New Year !……..
A beautiful post.
Blessings for your visit~
Hi, Thank You for stopping by my site! Its always good to see a new face in the crowd, I hope your new year is filled with good health, happiness and good memories to last a lifetime!!!
Stop by again sometime!!! ~Candy
great philosophy about religion, etc. Enjoyed the post as always and am wishing you all the best for a wonderful 2008. Take care