BLD No. 6 (2)

Okay grab a seat and let’s play. I’m going to grab a drink too, does anyone want one? I’m going to have amber rum and coke in a tall glass with some lime.

I’m cozy, let the games begin. Ummmm; I think we should do the bible.

Questions:

How many wise men were there? (3, 4, or the bible does not say)

Did Joseph meet the wise men? (yes, no, the bible does not say)

What animal did Mary ride to Bethlehem? (donkey, small horse, llama, the bible does not say)

The Holy Family named the child ‘Jesus’ because? (an angel told Mary to use the name, an angel told Joseph to use the name, all of the above, none of the above)

What type of building was Jesus born in? (stable, cave, inn, the bible does not say)

What animals were present at the Nativity? (cattle, sheep, doves, all of the above, the bible does not say)

Who besides the wise men saw the star? (shepherds, King Herod’s astrologers, the bible does not say)

How did the star compare in brightness with the other stars? (brighter, equivalent, a faint glow over the horizon, the bible does not say)

How soon after Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem was Jesus born? (within minutes, that night, the bible does not say)

Answers:

How many wise men were there? (The bible does not say, although tradition suggests there were three wise men, as in the carol ‘We Three Kings of Orient Are’ the bible actually does not give the number of Magi.)

Did Joseph meet the wise men? (The bible does not say, Matthew writes that the magi found the Child with Mary, but makes no mention of Joseph.)

What animal did Mary ride to Bethlehem? (The bible does not say, although it would be a long walk for a pregnant woman from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the bible does not state whether Mary rode an animal or not.)

The Holy Family named the child ‘Jesus’ because? (All of the above, in Luke the Angel Gabriel tells Mary to use the name Jesus and in Matthew an angel tells Joseph to use the name Jesus.)

What type of building was Jesus born in? (The bible does not say, although Luke tells us that the baby was placed in a manger, there is no mention of where the manger was located.)

What animals were present at the Nativity? (The bible does not say, despite the line from ‘Away in a Manger that the cattle were lowing, the poor baby wakes,’ there is no mention of which animals were present.)

Who besides the wise men saw the star? (The bible does not say, there is only mention in Matthew that the wise men from the East came asking ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’)

How did the star compare in brightness with the other stars? (The bible does not say, it is mentioned in Matthew that the three wise men saw it on its rising and had followed it, there is nothing about its brightness.)

How soon after Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem was Jesus born? (The bible does not say, in Luke it mentions ‘While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.’)

http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/2008/12/b-l-d-no-6.html

*artwork D by Ruth Palmer

Soundless Saturday No. 58

*artwork by my darling friend Bella Sinclair

Go Tell It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G45ktb9JiBs&feature=related

BLD No. 5 (2)

Christmas decorations; how do I love thee, let me count the ways. I am a sucker for all things Christmas. I have a small house and over the last few years I have only put up ¼ of the decorations and it still looks crowded.

Symbolism of some things you will probably see at Christmas. I will have all displayed in my home and if not displayed wrapped up in a box in the crawlspace.

Star: a heavenly sign of prophecy fulfilled long, long ago -- symbolizing the shining hope of mankind.

Red (the colour): the first colour of Christmas -- symbolizing the Savior’s sacrifice for all.

Evergreen (the colour and tree): the second colour of Christmas -- symbolizing everlasting life, as well, the needles of the tree point up to heaven.

Bell: rings out to guide the lost sheep back to the fold -- symbolizing that all are precious in God’s eyes.

Candle: a mirror of starlight -- symbolizing the reflection of our thanks for the Star of Bethlehem.

Gift Bow: tying the present together – symbolizing that we should all be tied together in bonds of goodwill.

Candy Cane: the shape of the shepherd’s crook –symbolizing the love of the shepherd and the need to bring lost lambs back to the fold.

Wreath: having no end –symbolizing the never ending eternal value of love.

http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/2008/12/b-l-d-no-5.html

It's A Marshmallow

(When being pissed to the eyeballs was still acceptable.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDojaTFEP9k

BLD No. 4 (2)

Is your Christmas tree real or artificial and when do you put it up? Our Christmas tree is real and we put it up the weekend before Christmas. This year Wahid and Nathan will go get it on the 18th of December. They will both come through the front door and place it in the stand. There it will sit over night and get use to the temperature in the house. Just before we decorate it on the Saturday with Josephine and Domenic of course, Wahid will lie on the ground turning it over and over and I will say ‘It is too much to the right, too much to the left, too bald, too full, etc.’ We will all be there and I can play it out for you. Wahid will put the lights on and I will say ‘At least try to hide the wires better than that.’ Angelique will make us tea and sit and watch. Nadalene will help decorate. Nathan will watch and throw the odd thing on the tree. We will all stare at Josephine and Domenic with the tree lights reflecting the stars in their eyes and be transported to a place where all is right with the world.

Do you know why Christmas is celebrated around the world? No I don’t really know at all. I imagine because it is the season of goodwill and peace. Or at least that is what we want it to be. But why it would be celebrated around the world, I don’t know. Obviously we are not celebrating for the religious aspect, but maybe because all of us no matter what the religion hope for peace and so what we are celebrating is the idea of peace.

Do you see your relatives at Christmas? Yes I see relatives during Christmas, usually the same relatives I see all of the time. I am hoping that I dream of Sheldon and my Dad this Christmas season and can hold on to them again.

Did it snow last year at Christmas? Last year we had lots of snow at Christmas. We had the most gorgeous snow last year; fluffy white marshmallow snow. There is just a little bit of snow on the ground now which is the shits because it makes it very slippery. If there was more snow our feet would have something to grip on to.

Do you try to be better during the Christmas season? I do try to be better. I try to keep any anger away. I try to live in the moment the most at Christmas. I try to cherish all of the moments and can’t help but wonder if it will be my last.

http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/2008/12/b-l-d-no-4.html

DO THEY KNOW......

My darling sister, my dearest friend, my children’s confidante wrote me something too beautiful not to share.

DO THEY KNOW …..
the enchantment,
the beauty and glow,
the sharing and caring,
the peace and the fighting,
true sadness and sorrow
do they know …..

~~ by Jacquie ~~

*artwork by Nicoletta Ceccoli