I stir the sticky rum sauce for steamed Christmas pudding. One of the last vestiges of the Christmas traditions yet to be savoured, after a generous slice of savoury meat pie with cranberry preserves. It is Boxing Day. And all too soon, it will be over. The food, festivities and family get-togethers. All good things …
“Now, we all know what kind of person Mary was. She was quiet and gentle and kind, and the little girl who plays Mary should try to be that kind of person. I know that many of you would like to be Mary in our pageant, but of course we can only have one Mary. …
In wake of the recent tragedy in Newtown, Conneticutt, U.S.A., there have been waves of anger and sorrow washing over us all. Young and old. Rich and poor. Believer and non-believer. Pain spares no one its icy grip; it holds us ransom with vice-like shackles. The world over, we are united in our grief. And …
What if there were no Christmas? There would be no catch-phrases like: Just believe!, You’d Better watch Out! and Peace on Earth- Goodwill toward Men! Why would one need to believe any more or any less on December 25th than they would any other day of the year? And why the focus on peace? On …
When tragedy strikes, we want answers. The finite being inside demands to know. Why? Why did this happen? What went wrong? Who is to blame? We want to know where to point the finger. Do we point fingers at government for lack of meaningful action and other verbose double-speak? Do we blame political structures which …
We sit, huddled tightly together in the cramped space of a corner. The blinds are darkly drawn, the door is shut. Locked. Little bodies press in close together to the wall. I place my body as a barrier along the tips of their tiny feet, all the while smiling into anxious children’s eyes and modelling …
I am driving our van toward my second Christmas concert of the day (third if you count this morning’s rehearsal), when I become aware that I don’t have Youngest Daughter on board. At the moment of realization, I am at the rink picking up Second Oldest from ice-skating junior’s, as I have just left piano …
While driving in the van towards our weekend ‘three-hour’s worth of figure skating club’, Littlest One says to one and all, “Let’s decorate the tree tonight and then hold hands and sing around the tree.” Yes, let’s. The image conjures up just about every stereotype I have regarding Christmas but which seems to ironically fail …
Here it is- confessions of a good enough mother. Because slacker is such a strong word. I admit it. I use nearly-rotten bananas in smoothies and quickly hide the skins in the compost container. Just so the kids don’t see what grossness they are actually drinking. I also own up to the fact that when …
After a busy day at church, complete with a Sunday School Christmas concert practice, accompaniment on piano during the service and a fellowship meal to prepare, eat and then clean up, the last thing I feel like doing is digging out Christmas ornaments to deck the halls. Falalala….falafel. ‘Cause I feel like the former ground-up …
Over and over again, a common theme is voiced to me about The Church. That it is a place of hypocrisy, a magnet for legalists, the anti-thesis of true godliness. And in ways I have to agree. There have been several church groups and particular people in the congregations I have attended that would certainly …
My kids occasionally ask me what it is I want for Christmas. Which completely throws me… because I place very little stock in what I receive at Christmas. Whereas I realize this is the very large part of what makes Christmas magical for them. So lately, and after reading one Mama’s very consumer-driven, grown-up Christmas …