Christmas cards have been arriving here in "paradise". The neighborhood is alive with thousands of holiday lights. Sweet strains of Christmas music can be heard throughout the region. Here in the land of the sun, folks love to share their holiday music, setting up speaker systems for all to enjoy. Every radio station alive with Christmas tunes. Along with the standard carols, I have been introduced to many new ones or at least new to my ears. Perhaps in the hustle and bustle of past holidays I never really listened, but my quiet time drives to and from the most magical place on earth allow, for just such an experience to happen.
Southern people and many of our midwestern and northerners from the mid section of the country now live here. As people theyare very outspoken about the true meaning of the Christmas season. Although they too get caught up in brouhaha of shopping, their yards and homes decorated with everything glittery, the true nature of the season, their enormous committments to spirituality and Christianity is most evident. Statues of baby animals protecting the newborn child's manger, lights depicting the journey of the three wiseman, all nestled in amongst the smaller palm trees, tastful adorned with thousands of small white lights, are all the evidence needed to understand "tis the reason for the season!" With distant strains of "Mary did you know?" or "Breath of Heaven" you quickly realize, they get it. Many small churches in are area host Chritmas plays, live Nativity scenes and open their doors for all to enjoy these annual celebrations. They are passionate in their beliefs, their willingness to act upon those beliefs and "educate", is relentless.
As a child, my devoted parents made sure the reason for Christmas celebration was known. Visiting holiday nativity scenes and attending services were always a part of my upbringing as were Sunday school and attending weekly mass. Remembering midnight mass, thoughts of Christmas snow begin to creep in. Many an early Christmas morning was greeted with a fresh sprinkling of snow. Looking up into the heavens, the world asleep, watching each tiny intricate flake float to the ground, was truly exhilarating. As the years have passed, I find, a warm clear and expansive southern sky filled with the brightest of stars, brings forth the same feelings, I am truly blessed to be able to experience both!
My decisions to send my own children to Catholic school were based on teachings from my younger years. On a recent trip to a local department store, I passed through the aisle with linens piled high. One set of sheets, decorated with bold stripes, conjured up heartwarming memories of my kids, dressed as wiseman and shepards during their holiday school play. Smiling to myself as I remembered them running through the front door all excited, wide-eyed, jackets unzipped in freezing temperatures, "Mom, Mom I am a shepard in the school play, I told Sister you could make our costumes!" Outfitting two or three children perhaps but the entire "herd," so be it! To this day Mom is thankful for: those little boys with their wholesome innocence that Mom could do anything, bold stripe sheets, uncut craggy jute cord and of course JANUARY WHITE SALES!
Southern people and many of our midwestern and northerners from the mid section of the country now live here. As people theyare very outspoken about the true meaning of the Christmas season. Although they too get caught up in brouhaha of shopping, their yards and homes decorated with everything glittery, the true nature of the season, their enormous committments to spirituality and Christianity is most evident. Statues of baby animals protecting the newborn child's manger, lights depicting the journey of the three wiseman, all nestled in amongst the smaller palm trees, tastful adorned with thousands of small white lights, are all the evidence needed to understand "tis the reason for the season!" With distant strains of "Mary did you know?" or "Breath of Heaven" you quickly realize, they get it. Many small churches in are area host Chritmas plays, live Nativity scenes and open their doors for all to enjoy these annual celebrations. They are passionate in their beliefs, their willingness to act upon those beliefs and "educate", is relentless.
As a child, my devoted parents made sure the reason for Christmas celebration was known. Visiting holiday nativity scenes and attending services were always a part of my upbringing as were Sunday school and attending weekly mass. Remembering midnight mass, thoughts of Christmas snow begin to creep in. Many an early Christmas morning was greeted with a fresh sprinkling of snow. Looking up into the heavens, the world asleep, watching each tiny intricate flake float to the ground, was truly exhilarating. As the years have passed, I find, a warm clear and expansive southern sky filled with the brightest of stars, brings forth the same feelings, I am truly blessed to be able to experience both!
My decisions to send my own children to Catholic school were based on teachings from my younger years. On a recent trip to a local department store, I passed through the aisle with linens piled high. One set of sheets, decorated with bold stripes, conjured up heartwarming memories of my kids, dressed as wiseman and shepards during their holiday school play. Smiling to myself as I remembered them running through the front door all excited, wide-eyed, jackets unzipped in freezing temperatures, "Mom, Mom I am a shepard in the school play, I told Sister you could make our costumes!" Outfitting two or three children perhaps but the entire "herd," so be it! To this day Mom is thankful for: those little boys with their wholesome innocence that Mom could do anything, bold stripe sheets, uncut craggy jute cord and of course JANUARY WHITE SALES!
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