Some Things My Mother Didn't Tell Me

I think about things my mother told me a lot. Mother's have a profound effect on their children, and I am no different. But sometimes I have thoughts and ideas that feel unique and new and belong to me alone. I guess this could be called an epiphany. At least it feels like it's a sudden revelation or some new understanding of a life truth. When this happens, I want to share it with somebody, especially my mother. I want to say, "Guess what I learned, Mama."

Several years ago I studied statistics.  I learned the meaning of the standard deviation. I had been terrified of math when I was 9 clear through algebra in high school, but now I had found a real insight into the meaning of this rather advanced and technical discipline. I felt elated. I was pretty sure my children didn't want to hear about my discovery, and the teacher was not terribly impressed with my new knowledge, but if I could have shared it with my mother, she might have been thrilled for me. At least perhaps it  would have taken away the sting of the D I got in math in the fourth grade.

Winter Is a Time for Planning

Winter has characteristics that elicit predictable behaviors from me. After the tendency to hibernate passes or is satisfied, I slip into planning mode. When my grew a garden, that was a biggie for planning. He decided on what to plant where, bought a supply of seed and fertilizer, and put oil in his tiller. That's where I find myself now.

I need to lay out what I want to do this year. One big thing I have in mind is women's ministry in my church. I want to see it take off. I hope to see a more organized effort from the women in supporting the children and youth. I hope we can do a few things that foster friendships and stronger connections. And I want to do a few things that are fun for the women. I have plans to teach a class on making bread. I've done this before, and I want to do it here. I want to see a picnic or event where we fly kites--well, I really mean where the kids fly kites.

Of course, Bible study is always a biggie in church, and ministry to the sick, and support for missionaries. It is so easy to plan big exciting events when I'm sitting here watching the rain fall and the icicles form, but bringing them to fruition means a lot of work and commitment. In addition to plans, maybe I need some prayer. 

Winter Is a Time for Rest

Winter is not what it used to be when I was young. Of course, the way I remember it is fouled by the span of time and the memory is distorted by other factors. Global warming makes me believe that there was a time when winters were solid ice and lasted from November to March without a break. In actual fact, winters were never like that in the East Texas of my youth. We did have cold spells and ice. We occasionally got snow, but we never got enough for people to learn to drive in it. We sometimes got ice that would freeze the stock tanks and water troughs. It was good for a story about trying to feed the cows or hang the clothes to dry--this was before everybody had a dryer.

The "Dick and Jane" stories always showed mounds of snow and ice skating on the river. My mother and father never owned a car, so I walked to school daily in all seasons.  It was not the proverbial five miles uphill both ways, but three blocks did acquaint me with the pain of life in the cold zones. It was still cold, and we still soldiered on, but we didn't have the joy of fighting through winter like the pioneers. Our most difficult challenge was lighting a fire in the morning. We had a wood burning stove that took some effort to get going, and the inside of the house was as cold as the outside was. 

The prevailing mood of winter to me is still hibernation. I like to stay warm and enjoy scenery through the window. The penguins are fun if you watch them on TV and I remember times of braving the wind and ice when we had cows to feed. I think I felt some measure of invincibility in those episodes-I was stronger than I thought. But when the work or crisis was over, I just wanted to retreat to the warmth and comfort of the house away from the cold and strain. 

The land, grass, and trees vote for hibernation. Some of the animals do and, as far as possible, I do. I like to wrap up in a warm blanket and read poetry on cold days, but there are times when I enjoy the snow on the roof, or the icicles on the power lines, but just the sight is sufficient;I don't need to feel the sting of the wind on my face. I remember what it was like and resting until spring is appropriate. 

New Year 2013

When I began this blog, I intended to share memories and observations about my life and the society I live in. It has been a learning experience. This year I will try to improve and elevate my writing and blogging experience to a higher level. I read the writing of bloggers that I admire. I'm afraid I don't have the talent to aspire to those heights, but I really want to improve. I invite the people who read my stuff to comment, criticize, or encourage.

How Do We Celebrate Christmas?

English Traditions

I have been doing a little research on Christmas traditions from other countries.I found one in England called the Christmas Cracker. It is a noise maker designed to make the party festive with a loud pop and confetti or streamers. I have always associated them with New Year's instead of Christmas, but next Year I'm going to look into it. Of course I'll have to clean for a month. The tradition includes a crown for the participants and a token gift. 

The trick is for one person to hold one end of the wrapper and a friend or neighbor to hold the other. When both yank on the handle the, the noise maker pops. Sounds like a plan to me.

Russian Traditions

I really enjoyed reading about the Russian custom that marks Advent. During the days leading to Christmas meat is not eaten, and on Christmas eve they enjoy a feast of twelve dishes. The meat is saved for Christmas Dinner, but the Christmas Eve dinner is fabulous too.

Peruvian Traditions

In Peru early pioneers quickly adapted the rural setting of Christmas story to local conditions. The early settlers were devoted to the church.  Native artisans created art to celebrate the season.

There are other traditions from other countries I would like to pursue and incorporate so that I can understand other people and cultures better as well as understand Christmas better 

Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree at home was always one Daddy bought at the grocery store. It was usually 4 or 5 feet tall, well, maybe 6. He would come home from work with it on Momma's instructions, I'm sure. He would put a base on it with wood strips and set it up to satisfy her sense of balance in front of the living room window.

She loved to decorate and make it better than the year before. In those days decorations were simpler than they are now and the ornaments were delicate and treasured since we used them for years. The really nice ones were fragile and I was heart-broken if I broke one. The tree was usually put up no more than two weeks before Christmas because it would begin to shed when it got dry.

For Christmas morning we always went to Auntie's house. She was Momma's step-mother. My Aunt Tom and Uncle Jimmie lived with her. They were Mama's sister and brother and neither one of them ever married. It made a nice group of family members to exchange gifts and tell stories and cook for. On Christmas Day other family members sometimes joined us. I always wanted my cousin Ann to come. I loved her mother and she had sisters to add to the fun.

One year my Uncle Ed and his wife Ana were there with my cousin Eddie. Auntie and Tom took the tree out as soon as we opened the gifts and Eddie cried and cried. The year I was nine is the last one I remember. It's the last one before Momma died. It was special. It's the  last one before I gave up my belief in Santa. Mama shared the secret with me so I wouldn't tell Eddie, but the gift Santa gave me was a frying pan I wanted so I could cook eggs. I'm sure everybody else wondered why I got a frying pan from Santa, but it remains a memory I value, a secret she and I shared.

If you like Christmas stories, this is another one I value.

Christmas Traditions

In this season of Christmas I have been reflecting on customs and traditions.  Many of them are a mystery in origin to me. Some are mentioned in carols or come from long-forgotten sources, but I am still bound to them. The Christmas Tree is the first and most obvious one to explain or investigate.

 Evergreen branches were used by ancient cultures as a symbol of the return of Spring, and as a tribute to the pagan gods those cultures worshiped long before the Christian community began commemorating Christmas. 

The actual date and even the month are lost in time, but most scholars believe it to have been in the spring or early summer when the weather had warmed enough for men and animals not be at risk in the open fields..

December 25 was first suggested as early as 273 as the date of Jesus' birth. The date was accepted in 336  in the West after Constantine proclaimed his kingdom to be Christian. In the East, January 6 was observed for many years, but it was eventually accepted as the date of Epiphany, the time of the visitation of the Wise Men. 

After the date of December 25 became universally accepted, it was still a long time before the Christmas tree became a standard in homes and city squares and businesses. The Christmas Tree decorated with lights and ornaments came to the United States from Germany about 1840 with German immigrants. 

I am amazed at the multitude of myths, traditions, and customs that have arisen around Christmas. Some carry a spiritual message and some are just fun and foolishness, but the message is one of hope and affirmation. Make your traditions meaningful and share them with your loved ones--make joyous memories.