Old Father Time Lives On

Winter Solstice is only 9 days away. I realized I'd better wish you all "Io Saturnalia!" That's Latin for Merry Christmas, except that it was pre-Christ's birth, so Christmas didn't really exist yet.

 Saturn was the "grandfather" of the Gods, having been the father of Jupiter (Zeus in Greek) who was, in turn, father of most of the rest of the gods in mythology. I find it interesting that old Saturn still shows up this time of year, as Father Time, portraying the Old Year who is going out when we welcome in the Baby New Year. So perhaps I'd better amend my post to say Io Saturnalia and Happy New Year! The count off to that is 16 days!

Looking Forward

Only 12 more days until the days start getting longer again! Right now we're losing about a minute of daylight each day. 

On the even better side, I have been having fewer migraines since mid-November. Come to think of it, that's about when I started this countdown to the Solstice. Must be some kind of benefit in having something to look forward to.

I find it strange that some of the benefits of the holiday season and also the detriments.  We enjoy the hustle and bustle and the idea of getting ready for something special.  But at the same time, those things can get us stressed out, too.  I don't have any sage answers about this, though.

Winter's Clouds and Chill

The following verse from one of the many hymns written my John Newton, seems to strike a 'chord' (sorry for the music joke) in me.  Newton is best known for his hymn 'Amazing Grace', and for the story of his conversion from slave-trader ship captain to preacher of the Word.

There are times when the winter of our souls is a reflection of the cold weather we see in northern climes this time of year.  Well, to be more truthful, the chill in our soul can be much worse that any blizzard that is howling  outside our windows.  But Newton has an answer for that, too. As St. Paul put it, It's between staying and keeping our friends happy, or going to be with the Lord, which is far better.  Yet, Paul did stay, until the Lord called him home--in his good time.  And I know the same was true for Newton.

Dear Lord, if indeed I am thine, if thou art my sun and my song,

          Say, why do I languish and pine, and why are my winters so long?

          Oh, drive these dark clouds from my sky,

          Thy soul-cheering presence restore:

          Or take me unto thee on high,

          Where winters and clouds are no more.

                                      John Newton, 1725-1807

Giving Thanks

Ebooks are the best bargain, especially for independent authors like me. But if you don't have an e-reader, don't despair. My books are also available in paperback, either from Amazon.com or directly from me. By the way, sorry I haven't been on the blog much. Have been having trouble with an inflamed eye.

With Thanksgiving coming up on me really soon, I want to say I'm most thankful for family and friends who have been especially precious to me in the past year.  Sometimes, though, I get so caught up in the food preparation, and (I'll admit it) the Black Friday shopping, that I forget to truly give thanks to the Lord for all his many blessings.  Hope that each of you finds time to truly give thanks this season. 

Summer Flies

So here we are in the deep freeze and according to the calendar there's still a month of autumn left.  But we all know (or should remind ourselves) that in these northern climes four four seasons are June, July, August and Winter!  So I have decided to post a poem I wrote about summer about 40 + years ago.

SUMMER FLIGHT

          It only happened once –

                             In a warm summer,

                   A new place where I’d always dreamed of being:

                             With sky and stars

                             Mountains and trees

                   And that glowing person

-      the embodiment of all my dreams.

                   And so, with wings of clouds

                             And sparkling sun on water,

                   I took flight toward heaven -

                             And the embodiment of all my dreams.

                   But all this faded and disappeared –

                                      As grey clouds of flatland closed in.

                             Never has it come again.

                   Perhaps that childish, dream-colored,

                                      dancing part of me

                             just continued its flight on

                                      above the mornings and the mountains—

                             For the rest of me wonders where it went.

                                                                             MFE, 1971

 

Countdown continues...

Only Zero this morning. That's moving the right direction...Like what my neurologist said when I went from 10 migraines a month down to "only" 8. Unfortunately the total has gone back up to 10, and he didn't seem to have much to say...

Okay on to the Countdown: 38 Days until the Winter Solstice. And here's a good quote from St. Augustine that I came across this morning:
"Beware of despairing about yourself. You are commanded to put your trust in God, and not in yourself."

I can't add anything more profound to that at this point in time.

The Unofficial Countdown to the Winter Solstice

 I guess I need to start the countdown to the Winter Solstice...40 days today!--Nov.11 - 7 degrees this morning.
Nov. 12:
Temperature this morning was one Below! Yes 39 days...
In case you're wondering, it was just by chance that I started the countdown at 40 -- or was it? A Biblical number is 40-- Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, after his baptism in the Jordan.
 ISRAEL spent 40 years in the desert. after their escape from Egypt.
Lent has 40 days. Sounds like 40 is the number for times of testing and trial. I think that really fits this time of year in northern climes!
But hope is on the horizon, even if it is distant right now.