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Friday 3 December 2010

Friday Five: December Survival Guide Edition

Gosh, haven't played this game for a wee while.  Over at RevGals the theme has turned to surviving the December busy time... Kathrynzj asks:

Whether a RevGal or a Pal most of us in this cyber community have enhanced responsibilities during this time of year. We also have traditions - religious and secular - that mark the season for us in a more personal way.
For this Friday Five please let us know five of the things that mark the season for you.
And the bonus? Tell us one thing that does absolutely nothing for you

The strange thing for me this December is that for the first time since I can remember, I have no extra duties at all... no placement and, subsequently, am a fairly free spirit, a luxury which I'm going to very much enjoy while I can!!  However, my five things:

1/ watching that first Advent candle lit and then the weekly progression until all are finally flickering
2/ the first singing of 'O Come O Come Emmanuel' - its bare-boned, simple, pared-back beauty: a plaintive yet hope-filled cry in the darkness
3/ lighting the fireplace for the first time
4/ when the eggnog and gingerbread latte arrives in a certain large chain of coffee shops that shall be nameless
5/ reading John's Prologue and the words that never fail to stir and move and thrill me: 
In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, 
and the Word was God. 
He was in the beginning with God. 
All things came into being through him, 
and without him not one thing came into being. 
What has come into being in him was life, 
and the life was the light of all people. 
The light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness did not overcome it. 

Ahh, and the one thing that really doesn't do it for me... I almost forgot:
Seeing Christmas dec's up and hearing carols in September - people, please, no!
 

13 comments:

Processing Counselor said...

Candles have are so important to many religions during this dark seasons. Can't imagine what chain of coffee shops you're talking about, Joe's?

Nik said...

lol, no the ubiquitous Starbucks

altar ego said...

Love the John 1:1 graphic! And you're right, those seasonally flavored coffees are indeed markers of the season!

Auntie Knickers said...

Beautiful, and so succinct -- wish I could be so briefly eloquent!

Sharon said...

I love "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" too! And my #6 favorite thing would have been flavored hot holiday drinks!

RevDrKate said...

Oh so with you on the too-early store decor.

Jan said...

I echo all the above. Thank you for the wonderful image and Christmas thoughts.

kathrynzj said...

Beautiful.
I used O Come, O Come Emmanuel in our Advent liturgy so much at the last church that on my last Sunday the handbell choir rang it... in February!

Thank you for playing.

Wendy said...

Love kathrynzj's story above.
I adore the gingerbread lattes. One year I had a full week, every day, all day training in January. The coffee place across the street still had gingerbread syrup, so, to get me through the afternoon, I got a venti gingerbread latte at the end of lunchtime every day that week. Hand down best part of the training.

Rev SS said...

Beautiful post. Thank you

Sally said...

great post, sadly we don't do eggnog well in the UK!

Nik said...

lol, well it's handy that Starbucks is a multi-national Sally, as I enjoy my eggnog lattes when I head up the Royal Mile to University :)
I'm curious to know what the real eggnog stuff is actually like tho'!!

Muthah+ said...

Ahh Edinburgh--that is a Royal climb to University! You don't get eggnog in Scotland? Hmmm my Scottish family always had it but that was on the western side of the pond. It is way too thick for me.