This is a time of continuous growth - 9 months!
It is a time to observe.
A time to learn new things...for all of us.
A time to hold tightly.
A time of wonder.
A time to teach.
A time to love and smile.
It is a time of hopeful anticipation. Let us prepare, for behold, He comes!
This past Sunday marked Michael's 9th month mark. Our little baby is fast transitioning into a little boy. It amazes us at how fast he develops at this stage; his cognition and awareness of the things in his little life, of things like pushing and pulling chairs in the kitchen, swinging doors open and closed, an understanding of words like up and down, outside and home. "Mama" and "Papa" are words he has understood for some time and it makes our hearts swell to see his reaction to those words grow increasingly excited and affectionate. He knows that Papa comes home twice during the day and at the evening homecoming, it is not unusual for Michael to bestow Papa with 4 kisses in a row. He prefers to stay in whichever vicinity in the house one of us are located, and will sit and play or pull himself up on our chair for some chatting or smiles. Michael is also learning not to pull books off the shelf, not to pull on wired cords, and not to touch the wobbly leg of the piano. He is doing well on most accounts, but a corner from a book page did disappear into his mouth the other day...I say he is just trying to internalize what is to be gained by book reading, faster. ;) Michael loves being read to and turning the pages; his favorite books are the "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" books, "Trucks" by Byron Barton, and "Babies on the Go" - it is especially fun to see him recognize the pictures of his own kind in the last book. Michael loves children and babies, and tries to talk to, and reach out to them whenever he sees them. I love this, and hope that it reveals some of the loving, concerned characteristics of an older brother. Also especially timely, as I keep referring to Baby Jesus and show Michael His hiding place in the last pocket of the Jesse Tree. And Michael smiles. And I wonder what is being retained in that little head.
During this 2nd week of Advent, we are purposefully taking time for listening...for the arrival of God and to the needs of others. God gave His own Son to descend into the pit of humanity to serve and save; so must we for our neighbors in need. There are cookies to be baked for our parish's Advent mission, a dinner to make for Andrew's co-worker whose father just passed, a coffee-time treat for my RCIA candidate, something for the homeless person who always stands at our freeway exit, and little party to be planned for Andrew's catechist volunteers. We are having a very simple Christmas this year, and are finding that without the monetary preoccupations and distractions of too much gift buying, we are able to focus on simply being present for others; hopefully being that light of Christ that we are each called to be. The necessity for a simple Christmas for us is really making me dwell on the stark simplicity of the stable and the manger, the way our King entered the world. It is making me slow down and listen...for His arrival, to the needs of my family and others, and for this I am grateful. I have so so much for which to be grateful!
An excerpt from my Advent read, Donkey Bells by Catherine Doherty:
"I'm sure that, as a child, Christ rode on a donkey many times. And also as a man, of course. But 'officially' when the donkey carried Our Lady, who in turn carried God, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The other time was when the donkey carried Christ into Jerusalem as the people laid palm branches before Him, proclaiming Him king. Let us think for a moment: what kind of animal is a donkey? It is a beast of burden, the animal of the poor. Once again, the immense theme of poverty is illustrated in an animal. God chose the humblest, the smallest in status, because among the animals the donkey is considered very low. So God is teaching us a lesson here - a lesson of humility, of poverty, and of simplicity...The breath of the donkey and the ox made the stable warm. So we meditate on several things at once: the poverty and humility of the donkey, which God chose and which should be our poverty and humility; and the breath of our love, which should warm God in our neighbor constantly."
I love how Catherine tells the story of how her mother would emphasize the necessity for goodness during Advent so as to be able to hear "the donkey's bells", carrying the Virgin and Child closer and closer. A perfect image to help remind us to keep our spiritual ears and hearts awake and attentive at this time, and eager for His beautiful arrival.
"Today it is very quiet. Are you listening? If you are listening, you can hear the faint sound of tinkling bells. He who is pure of heart an childlike shall hear the bells of the donkey ringing in his life."
This past Sunday marked Michael's 9th month mark. Our little baby is fast transitioning into a little boy. It amazes us at how fast he develops at this stage; his cognition and awareness of the things in his little life, of things like pushing and pulling chairs in the kitchen, swinging doors open and closed, an understanding of words like up and down, outside and home. "Mama" and "Papa" are words he has understood for some time and it makes our hearts swell to see his reaction to those words grow increasingly excited and affectionate. He knows that Papa comes home twice during the day and at the evening homecoming, it is not unusual for Michael to bestow Papa with 4 kisses in a row. He prefers to stay in whichever vicinity in the house one of us are located, and will sit and play or pull himself up on our chair for some chatting or smiles. Michael is also learning not to pull books off the shelf, not to pull on wired cords, and not to touch the wobbly leg of the piano. He is doing well on most accounts, but a corner from a book page did disappear into his mouth the other day...I say he is just trying to internalize what is to be gained by book reading, faster. ;) Michael loves being read to and turning the pages; his favorite books are the "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" books, "Trucks" by Byron Barton, and "Babies on the Go" - it is especially fun to see him recognize the pictures of his own kind in the last book. Michael loves children and babies, and tries to talk to, and reach out to them whenever he sees them. I love this, and hope that it reveals some of the loving, concerned characteristics of an older brother. Also especially timely, as I keep referring to Baby Jesus and show Michael His hiding place in the last pocket of the Jesse Tree. And Michael smiles. And I wonder what is being retained in that little head.
During this 2nd week of Advent, we are purposefully taking time for listening...for the arrival of God and to the needs of others. God gave His own Son to descend into the pit of humanity to serve and save; so must we for our neighbors in need. There are cookies to be baked for our parish's Advent mission, a dinner to make for Andrew's co-worker whose father just passed, a coffee-time treat for my RCIA candidate, something for the homeless person who always stands at our freeway exit, and little party to be planned for Andrew's catechist volunteers. We are having a very simple Christmas this year, and are finding that without the monetary preoccupations and distractions of too much gift buying, we are able to focus on simply being present for others; hopefully being that light of Christ that we are each called to be. The necessity for a simple Christmas for us is really making me dwell on the stark simplicity of the stable and the manger, the way our King entered the world. It is making me slow down and listen...for His arrival, to the needs of my family and others, and for this I am grateful. I have so so much for which to be grateful!
An excerpt from my Advent read, Donkey Bells by Catherine Doherty:
"I'm sure that, as a child, Christ rode on a donkey many times. And also as a man, of course. But 'officially' when the donkey carried Our Lady, who in turn carried God, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The other time was when the donkey carried Christ into Jerusalem as the people laid palm branches before Him, proclaiming Him king. Let us think for a moment: what kind of animal is a donkey? It is a beast of burden, the animal of the poor. Once again, the immense theme of poverty is illustrated in an animal. God chose the humblest, the smallest in status, because among the animals the donkey is considered very low. So God is teaching us a lesson here - a lesson of humility, of poverty, and of simplicity...The breath of the donkey and the ox made the stable warm. So we meditate on several things at once: the poverty and humility of the donkey, which God chose and which should be our poverty and humility; and the breath of our love, which should warm God in our neighbor constantly."
I love how Catherine tells the story of how her mother would emphasize the necessity for goodness during Advent so as to be able to hear "the donkey's bells", carrying the Virgin and Child closer and closer. A perfect image to help remind us to keep our spiritual ears and hearts awake and attentive at this time, and eager for His beautiful arrival.
"Today it is very quiet. Are you listening? If you are listening, you can hear the faint sound of tinkling bells. He who is pure of heart an childlike shall hear the bells of the donkey ringing in his life."
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