feat of the holy family

Christmas Day we spent with family. and on this day at the family party, the Hayes Boys provided entertainment for Cousin Claire's first born, Anthony, who is 2 years old, or shall I say Anthony provided entertainment for the Big Boys. Oh ,to see life through the eyes of a 2 year old. Today is the Feast of the Holy Family.. the homilist talked about the role of the family in our lives. "The family is where our dark side has a hard time hiding." Yep, that is true. What hasn't been modeled for me is how to address that dark side in love. So, how to do it? One thing that occurs to me is that we mustn't be afraid of the dark side. I consulted Robbie on this and his wise words: "What can you do?" Pray for one another... St. Benedict has a lot to say on this matter too.... forgive one another, be patient, love one another. No mean feat! In fact, it is the meanest feat! and the most imperative.

December 24th, Christmas Eve, 2008

and the Virgin brought forth a newborn son. THANK GOD!

new life

Open my eyes Lord, help me to see your face. Open my eyes Lord, help me to see. This is a Jesse Manibusan song that we've sung.. at reconciliation services, I think. It is truly a prayer. Sometimes, if I'm at a loss for a prayer I'll invite a song to bubble up and it never fails to come. If I wait either a word or a phrase surfaces or a tune will arrive. Pete just came in and I'm gonna talk about lunch now.... but I recommend trying this method. It works for me. ...

delivery day draws near

It's December 20, 2008! that means only five days til the baby comes. I can't wait! oh, okay, I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for babies. I saw one in Target the other day.. in fact, I've seen a LOT of babies, newborns out with their moms shopping. I am drawn to them like a magnet. So fresh from heaven. I came around the shoulder of the mom holding the newborn to get a look at his face. He was crying with all of his might. He was hungry! Only mom can help with that! So I really saw mostly a gaping mouth and a really red face. His eyes were squeezed shut as if to say "I'm shut down, not available for an encounter with a lady desperate to see a baby, because I'm HUNGRY!" So, okay. I'm thinking of the parable or wise saying of Jesus about readiness. Motherhood teaches one how to be ready. Jesus talked about having oil ready for the lamp. What else did he say? I remember Pete and I, new parents, headed out with our first baby and discovered we didn't have a change of diapers with us! I also discovered that I had to eat well in order to feed the baby! Wow, one had to be conscious! and take action! What do I need to do in order to be ready to welcome the baby on December 25th? I've only got 5 days...

roses in december

There are still roses are one bush out back. They even survived the freezing temps of the past few nights. Pretty durable. Like us human beans. Thinking about the baby born and laid in a manger because he didn't have a safe home. What he had? a mother's love, a father's protection and some people who recognized him as heaven sent. ... the shepherds, the wise men, and I'll include the donkey and the cattle lowing. Some people who caught wind of his arrival recognized him for who he was. But what made him durable? He knew who he was. The son of the most high. Nothing could or would deprive him of that dignity. He knew who he was. Even born in a manger, running with his family to a foreign land to escape Herod. He knew who he was. I participated in an Advent meditation a few wks ago and I heard from one of the gospels the remark that some people recognized Him. The moment I heard that sentence it struck me: how fortunate I feel to be among them. When you look the newborn Christ child in the eye, what do you see?

oral surgery caution

One year and a half ago, Robbie had his wisdom teeth out. At the pre-op appointment I felt ill at ease. The dr. did not instill confidence, although he'd been inpractice for many yrs and had been recommended to us by our dentist. Immediately following the surgery, Robbie felt there was something "not right". He began having swelling slightly forward of the excavated area for the following nine months. Being away at college made it tough to follow up. In May, he saw the dr. again because of another flare up and was given antibiotics and told to keep an eye on it. Over the summer, he had another more severe flare up (swelling, pain) and saw a dentist on Catalina Island. He referred R to an endodontist in Torrance, who did an emergency root canal on the adjacent molar. The infection was extreme. He came home for three days in August and saw another oral surgeon who was confounded even after extra radiographics (more $$$) and scheduled an exploratory surgery for November, when R would be home for Thanksgiving. A gold crown was put on the root canal tooth by a dentist in So Cal. It is Dec. 16th, and I have now the biopsy results from the Nov. 26th surgery. A foreign body (15X8X3mm) was found .. a result of the wisdom tooth extraction, August 2007. It is finished.

hail, hail the gang's almost all here!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. The boys are coming home! Billy pulled in at noon today. John just finished classes. Tommy's in the neighborhood, so he can come home any time... and Robbie just has two more final exams and he'll be home on Friday, avec Martha! Pete and I have remembered that while they are here, we must not forget to chisel out time for the two of us. They will be having fun together and we will feel like the frat house mom and dad... or the bed and breakfast owners. Hey! We know how to have fun too! So, holding all of these truths in mind... but mostly, just heart overflowing to have them home. They have NO IDEA! That's how God feels about us and I have NO IDEA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW6Rp-tQkSc

twinkle twinkle little star

Did you see Jupiter and Venus with the moon last week? WOW! Okay, this is embarassing, but I used to wonder about that star that the shepherds followed to discover the Christ Child. No, seriously, how could anyone follow a star?They all looked the same to me. Last week's celestial show was startling and left me standing with mouth agape. Now that's a star!! So, now I've seen with my very own eyes, that yes, one could follow a star, because sometimes they are exceedingly bright. I am so grateful to have that insight. It is profoundly different to see with ones own eyes what one has heard described by another. How does one know the love of God if one hasn't experienced it? how many people have no experience of an unconditional, always- forgiving love? and therefore can not imagine what love the Father has for us?and of course, even if one has had the experience, how easy is it to forget what is divine? What can one do? I guess I could look at the stars and be reminded of that one that guided the shepherds... what do you do? to stay reminded.

the deep blue sea

Pete and John decided to take a dip in the ocean off Shell Beach at Sea Ranch. It was really cold!So it would be a challenge. They got closer to the water's edge and could see that there was a lot of sea weed. A different challenge! Ewwwwww. They hemmed and hawed for a while. They tried a different point of entry. Not any better. Then they decided to just brave it and took the plunge together. Not willing to give up. I was really proud of them. I like that tenacity... that sets out to do a good thing (?) and then finds a way. Quietly, thoughtfully, determinedly. Dja think God did that? when He decided He'd like to be one of us? and love us?

What time is it? Time to buy a new watch. I set up the nativity scene. One person is missing. I hid Him .. uh oh, where did I hide him? He's not very hidden, in fact. I think he's still in plain sight not far from His crib. The local pastor is discouraging all things Christmas UNTIL Christmas. So, far now, we are celebrating Advent, dadgumit! I have to admit that part of the thrill of Christmas (and I don't want to rob myself of that thrill) is all the preparation and anticipation and expectation leading up to the birth of the Savior. So, by not putting the baby Jesus in the manger YET, I am setting myself up for the thrill of Christmas. There have been a few Christmases where that thrill was earth shattering. I am hoping still to access that profound realization... the miracle. BUT I KNOW WHAT'S COMING! a part of me says. Yea, but maybe there's a new miracle in this Christmas. Maybe I'll pray for that. Which brings me back to the "new watch". I will keep watch and hope to see that He "makes all things new".

it's over for this season

Robbie played water polo for his college this fall. The season is over and his team won its division championship. I have to admit, it is very gratifying to win. That is a fact! At the same time, though, I am just so proud of him and his teammates (and all college athletes) for doing the hard physical work of playing the sport on top of their academic work. I'm hoping that the rewards will also include some protection from future skin cancers.