Cometsgirl

At the moment I write this, there are just over three hours left in 2017. What does that even mean? A literal take is just that. In 3 hours, 25 minutes we end one year and begin another.

So how does this feel? Is there anything to feel? Seems to me it’s more symbolic than a physical feeling. More of an unseen traversing of time.

I know it’s often tempting to say something like “I’m so glad such-and-such year is over!”  Or, “I can’t wait for 2018 because there is hope for a better year”.  How are better years measured?  What does it mean to hope for a better year?

“The time has come
To stop allowing the clutter
To clutter my mind
Like dirty snow,
Shove it off and find
Clear time, clear water.

Time for a change,
Let silence in like a cat
Who has sat at my door
Neither wild nor strange
Hoping for food from my store
And shivering on the mat.

Let silence in.
She will rarely speak or mew,
She will sleep on my bed
And all I have ever been
Either false or true
Will live again in my head.

For it is now or not
As old age silts the stream,
To shove away the clutter,
To untie every knot,
To take the time to dream,
To come back to still water.”     May Sarton

I have been with my sons and their families for eight days during this Advent. It was a blessing beyond measure.

I receive a word each day during Advent from the Virginia Theological Seminary. Saturday, a week ago, the word was AMONG. God is AMONG us. Certainly God has been among we who have been among each other for a time.

What does it mean to be among? When I am among, or in the midst, of my children (sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren) I feel surrounded in a cover of love, care, plentitude. Abundance of recognition, acceptance.  And joy.

While being in the midst of my children is infrequent, God among me is constant, in all ways, in all times.

AMONG. ALWAYS.

I am no longer in the midst of my children, and the immediate quiet is almost too quiet. Yet, it is in this quiet that I seek out AMONG.

The Advent word today is Greeting. As a member of the community of Christ’s family, I am encouraged to develop a spiritual practice of greeting a new person for my always increasing Christ’s family every day.

Most assuredly I am AMONG.

The party/passage is over…

Its time to head for the hills.

What a time this has been!

One for the road…

Traveling mercies.

This fourth day of celebrating Georgia’s graduation and related accomplishments, brought the great gathering to a close.

A slow and casual morning as we moved toward the culmination of this moment in time.

Commencement!!

Three of us arrived at the arena where graduation was to be held, TWO hours ahead of the ceremony so as to get good seats, actually an entire row of 20 seats. We scored the perfect row!

Over 1,500 USC students graduated today.

One final extraordinary meal gathering.

This passage now complete. There are passages ahead for Georgia as she moves from this time and place.

There are passages ahead for the rest of us as well. For now, the recall of smiles and laughter, of applause and whoops of joy, and the presence of family, will set each of us on our path toward our next passage.

This Sabbath day began at Starbucks, of course,

Frosty is here too.

A short, brisk walk brought us to Trinity Cathedral. We filled 3 pews. I love worshipping in cathedrals. The sights and sounds, the “echoes” during the spoken word, and the sheer size and design of the place. Awe-filled for me.

The sermon was about John the Baptist, and whether or not he, not Jesse, was Elijah. Arguments for this can be found in two references in Malachi, and in all four Gospels there is confusion about the relationship of Jesus and John, and who was Elijah. What matters this day is that as baptized Christians we are called to a ministry of proclamation.

After church, Georgia led us on a tour of the campus Horseshoe, where all the buildings that form the horseshoe are from the very early days of the university.

Then it was time for brunch. Time to eat fabulous food, once again,

A short break after brunch for lounging, walking, or, wait for it, Starbucks.

Then it was time for the Revocation ceremony. Additional family arrived just as we entered Rutledge Chapel. The Dean of the Honors College explained that Convocation is to gather at the beginning, and Revocation is a way to conclude; the status of being an active student in the Honors College is revoked and one receives a new status – alumnus.

Each graduate spoke about their experiences as Honors College students.

A reception followed at Rutledge Hall, the very first building of the University of South Carolina.

Todd summited the high point of Hall.

Another campus walk to the hotel to change clothes,…..

…..because it was BBQ time!

Another amazing day of family and friend time as we continue to celebrate and honor Georgia,

After Friday’s School of Nursing commencement, other family members arrived and joined in the joy. A short time later, an impromptu walk to Starbucks a couple of blocks away, allowed for a chance to revel in these family members while sharing stories with them of the earlier event.

This morning sons, various grandchildren, papa and I, trickled down the road to Starbucks to begin the day, and from there a tour of some the must see local art nearby.

Walking around in 29 degrees – brrrr!!, we came across Soda City Street Market, Columbia’s downtown street market – open every Saturday morning year-round, rain or shine. It was great fun. Local produce, arts and crafts sellers, food trucks and a variety of musicians.

Later we gathered for dinner, another feast of sustenance and celebration.

All these events have been laced through with accomplishments, the presence of family and friends, joy and pride.

The act or process of moving through, under, over, or past something on the way from one place to another.

I’m currently a passenger in a car headed to The University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. My first grandchild and first granddaughter is graduating over the next few days in a series of ceremonies marking her completion of her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, the revocation of her membership in the Honors College, and finally the full university degree commencement.

Move-in day 4 1/2 years ago.

There is this day a gathering of family from near and far who have come to honor and celebrate Georgia Grace.

Now continuing this blog post, the College of Nursing Convocation was held this afternoon. Candidates for a number of nursing degree program were presented. Pins were placed on each graduate as proud families and friends rejoiced. Honors all around.

And smiles.

Listening to the various speakers this afternoon, it was made clear that earning a degree from the University of South Carolina Nursing School is a rigorous undertaking. Conversations during visits with Georgia over the past four years have confirmed this.

And now this day, it is completed. Yet more awaits in this passage process, as the next steps are taken toward promise and possibility.

But first, over the next few days there are more rituals, honors, and celebrations ahead before this passage is completed.

The light snow I referenced in the previous blog, continued through last night.  The generator kicked on around 10pm and at 7pm this night is still humming along.

I awakened to this sight

Yep, the light snow kept falling all night. Close to a foot of snow.

There is something so beautiful about a heavy snow covering. Sounds are silenced and flaws hidden. Everything looks so clean. And when the sun comes out, everything glistens.

Susan Orlean says “a snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder”.

This is one of my favorite sights when winter arrives.

Glory showed up several winters ago, begging for scraps along with other critters who came each evening for dinner scraps. When I realized it was a kitty, I added cans of cat food to the critter dinner table.

She’s such a good story. It took a couple of years to get to the point where she moved inside the home for good. When I see her in front of the wood stove, I remember that she once lived outside in the midst of weather just like this cold snow, and I’m certain she is thinking, “I just can’t believe my good fortune.” Believe me, the good fortune is all mine.

A cold front is moving through tonight. The wind bringing the front created “snow-rain” a short time ago.

By the end of the day, most of the snow has blown off the trees.  Fleeting beauty.

The freezing temperatures for this night and the next few days, means I’m definitely snowed in. Well, that can’t be good. Just as I was grateful to get home in time to be snowed in, I will be grateful to be free again. What is it that makes one need to know there is a way out? Or to know just when there will be a way out?

For now, my “free-to-move-about” moment is somewhere in the next day or so. I’ll have to be content as I can about this.

I receive a daily Advent Word from the Virginia Theological Seminary.  Today’s word is FOCUS.  “Imagine the lenses in your glasses get accidentally switched – everything is out of FOCUS; blurry. Today, be still and take time to FOCUS. You will see what you can never see.”  Clearly, pun intended, I have time to do just that.  Focus. Seeing that which I can never see.

I returned home last night in time to be snowed in. A few hours later and I would have been snowed out. Whew.

It was dark when I awoke today, but as daylight broke, I could see the early covering of snow.

Although forecast to be light, and ending quickly, snow is still falling this night.

This became a day to rest after travel; to stop and gaze out.

To curl up in front of a fire with a cappuccino prepared in a new cup – a very special gift I received on my recent trip.

As the day progressed, the snow cover increased.

Snow is SO quiet. Covering seems to muffle sounds.

Even the deer kind of snuck up at feeding time.

This blanket of snow makes me think of those who are cold this night. Not the deer pictured here, because they have warm coats which give good cover and provide warmth. But what about those with little or nothing with which to be cloaked?

A quote has been rolling around in my thoughts lately. And especially this night. Dorothy Day said “if you have two coats, you stole one from the poor.” I have a closet full of coats. Some I think I might wear again one day. Instead of waiting for that day that might come, I’ll now be on a quest to distribute some of my coat stash. I’m aware I just said some. It’s a start.

Night night.

After the April 2016 tax-day flood, Beth found herself living in the home of parishioners while her home, the church rectory, was being rebuilt. The family was living overseas for a number of years, and had left behind many of their belongings.

One of the left-behind items was a 4′ tall, frosty-the-snowman. Made of wire and strung with lights, and perched high atop stuff in the garage, we set about getting Frosty down from the heap. Adding blue Advent touches in the form of winter attire, Frosty took his place at the front door. He was both a symbolic and physical entity. His presence at the front door came to symbolize resilience.

On Christmas Day, his blue hat was removed so the red hat he was wearing could be seen and rejoiced.

This year there has been a second flood – Hurricane Harvey – and Beth has been displaced once again. Now temporarily housed in a townhouse, it’s the Advent/Christmas season once again. And just as last year, I’m here during Advent.

Yesterday we were out and about shopping for necessities and found ourselves in the Holiday section of a large box store. Seeing all the frostys on display, we knew one of them had to come home with us.

We settled on a moving and singing frosty who sings “the weather outside is frightful…”, while spinning around. I’ve been singing and spinning along with him. It’s provided a good deal of amusement and laughter.

Last night I tagged along to a gathering at a parishioner’s home. It was an auction fundraising effort for P.E.O. The P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education, is a need based grant program providing one-time financial assistance to women whose education has been interrupted and who find it necessary to return to school to complete a degree or certification. Doing so will improve their marketable skills for employment to support themselves and their families.

The auctioneer, the dad of one one the hosts, began the proceedings by telling us to think of what amount you wanted to give, and bid to that level. There was one thing I had my eye on. You guessed it. Frosty!

The bidding started at $40. I bid. Someone upped it to $45. Then $50. Then I called out the amount I had determined I wanted to give…”one hundred bucks!” SOLD!

Double joy. Support a women’s education opportunity AND bring Frosty to a place where his wave will give a smile. Now about that red scarf….

I recently was forwarded a piece written by a mental health counselor about a Joy Scavenger Hunt. It was about trying to find the joy in every day, especially while one is in a place or period of difficulty; to make an intentional effort to discover and hunt for glimmers of joy.

Advent a year ago, while not purposely seeking a glimmer of joy, it appeared in the face and form of Frosty.

This Advent was, on the other hand, a joy scavenger hunt – with great success!

While writing this blog today, I’ve been on a ride-along with Beth as she visited a newborn who was born a few days ago and is seriously ill. She held the baby to calm her, while praying and anointing her with oil. Our second stop was to visit a gentleman who has been in the process of dying. And during Beth’s visit he did just that.

Bookends. Life and death.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13

This frosty in the hospital waiting room.