Joshua’s Christmas song

Christmas chat w_Joshua

After several internet fails & some quirky timing issues, we finally got to have a Christmas chat w/Joshua.  {Technically, it was our Christmas Day & Boxing Day for him.} As it turns out the Cañas family was online in Nashville, so it turned into a big fat cousin chat.

And we got our song from Joshua.  Here it is; especially for all of you who only got to go home in your heart…

I’ll Be Home For Christmas2

Verse 1:

I got sand not snow underneath my toes and my heart is full and faint.

Can someone tell me please where I’m supposed to be?

Saint Nick ain’t feeling like a saint.

Pre:

So Rudolph come and fly home before I finish up this song

There should be frost instead of heat

I hope that sleigh’s got extra seats

CHORUS:

I’ll be home for Christmas

Though I’m singing from afar

I’ll be home for Christmas

In my heart

Verse 2:

Seas away from my family. Will I make it through the day?

I need some Christmas cheer, ’cause it just ain’t fair

Too warm for Frosty to come play

CHORUS

Ho ho ho I’m wrapping presents – singing carols

Ho ho ho and the sun is shining bright

Ho ho ho I’m wearing sandals under mistletoe

Ho ho ho Hey but everything’s all right

CHORUS

By |2016-10-19T14:20:41-04:00December 26th, 2009|Uncategorized|1 Comment

Mary & Kermit: A Study in Contrasts

DSC_0004-1 Tore this stamp off of a Christmas card that arrived last week.  Originally, I intended to put it into my Christmas journal, but I was struck by the contrast it presented.   I left it out on my desk because leaving it within daily eyesight is a reminder that in a season full of paradox & contrast, I often need perspective.

The Holiday season is permeated with contradictions like:

* Time off from school and work {“down time” that is full of agendas & activity}

* The darkness of missing my Daddy when there are lights everywhere {Reminiscent of the bright and sunny day that he died…}

* Deep sadness & loneliness {often occurring in the midst of parties and crowds}

* Kermit with a Santa Hat  {next to Madonna & Child}

Contrast in art and writing is a wonderful definer.  Lights become more clear next to deep darks.   Characters reveal themselves more fully when they have a counterpart and complementary colors are brighter next to each other.

Like Commercialism in close proximity to Contemplation on a Christmas card.

As much as I love the Christmas season, I struggle every year to not step into performance and busyness over gift-giving, decorating & beautiful food.  If I don’t consciously slow down and orient to our family’s year-round values of faith, peace & giving, I’ll be caught up in responding to the blinking lights and advertisements that say I need more.

I think too, that Kermit & Mary are a visual for the societal press to make Christmas less Madonna-and-Child and more Kermit-in-a-Santa-hat.  {I suppose Kermit is easier to live with than the man that Baby Jesus would eventually become… yet more paradox.}  And then there’s the part where living out a life of love & peace is often wrapped in discomfort, martyrdom and difficult decisions.

My prayer for the season is that as we spend time behind the scenes with late nights and long lists so that home will look, feel and smell peaceful, that we create peace in a peaceful way.

By |2016-10-19T14:20:41-04:00December 21st, 2009|Art is Life is Art|8 Comments

Christmas Journal: Cheers, Mate!

Cheers, Mate! Page 3:  An ad from Outback Steakhouse reminded me of J & inspired this page about his studies in AU.  {Text reads:  Dec 7.  This is the first time that I won’t have all of my children gathered together on Christmas morning.  I’m already thinking about it… My nest is starting to empty because my children are flying.}

"My nest is starting to empty"

"part of my heart is here..."

Special Delivery

By |2016-10-19T14:20:41-04:00December 10th, 2009|Journals, Uncategorized|2 Comments

Christmas journal – new page

star stampHave started adding details & journaling to my {12.31} journal.  Using prompts from Dawn Sokol & my day to day.  These pages are happening in layers.  I’ll show them as they look complete.  {But I often go back & add little bits and pieces.}

Here are a few of things in my stash:

* tea tags * wine caps * used postage stamps * practice calligraphy * tags * 2″ cardstock circles * star stamp * coffee sleeves * bits of scrapbook paper

Movies that put me in the holiday spirit Dec 2 Prompt:  “Movies that put me in the holiday spirit”

Started out painting the left hand page with Windsor & Newton Crimson and added tea tag gifts across the bottom of the page.  Decided to make a pocket of movie posters from a torn partial page after seeing  THIS pocket page.  {Marci is another event participant working with the same prompts.}

Also added the tab on left because I didn’t like the turquoise ink showing through from the previous page.

tea tag gifts

Rudolph

The ticket stubs are from a family movie night over Thanksgiving weekend.  We went to see “A Christmas Carol”,  an animated film with Jim Carrey’s voice over talent.

hot chocolate

By |2016-10-19T14:20:41-04:00December 9th, 2009|Journals, Uncategorized|2 Comments

hello December

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