Epiphany art projects

Yesterday was a great creativity day:  I wrote 2 blog posts and baked some gluten free communion bread.  While it cooled, I made some new elements for my windowsill altar.  Here's how it looks this morning:

Then we headed off to church.  I wasn't planning to write a poem, but one came--and then this morning, I shaped that poem beginning into something more finished.

Then yesterday, I made a sketch, inspired by the poem;  I was especially taken by these lines:  "Avoid the houses made of gingerbread / and all the traps the world will set."

I also liked this Epiphany sketch, which helped inspire the poem I wrote:

When I got home, my star word was waiting from a member of a Facebook group.  I decided to make it into a card, so that I'd remember as the year went on.

My star word is journey--it's one that was chosen blindly for me.  It's been interesting to see the words that others have gotten and to compare them to mine:  care, anoint, steadfast, care, future, prepare, spirit, inheritance.

The rest of the day was not as creative, as I had lots of work to do to get my online classes ready.  But that's O.K.  With a creative morning to undergird the day, I'm happier regardless.

Windowsill Altar Month 2, and Other Creative Activities

Today is the feast day of the Epiphany, the day the celebrates the wise men (or magi or kings or astrologers), the skies they studied, and the star they followed.  There's a shadow story, of King Herod who felt so threatened by the birth of a new king that he killed every male child under the age of 2 in Bethlehem.

For some of us it is the last day of the Christmas season; you could celebrate until Feb. 2, the feast of Candlemas, the 40th day after Christmas where Jesus would have been taken to the temple.

This morning I created the second of my weekly to-do lists.  Here's how week 2 looks:

It's very different from week 1:

I checked off the goals that I accomplished.

I also created a new windowsill altar--the evergreens were getting brown and crispy:

Here's a close up of the bowl:

I also baked the communion bread for church this morning.  We're experimenting with gluten free recipes.  Even a gluten free bread makes the house smell wonderful.

It's been a lovely morning.  Later I will think about getting my online classes ready; they open at midnight, but I still have plenty of time.  It was important to me to have creative time this morning.  Few things make me happier.

Ash Wednesday New Year's Week

This week has been up and down for me, as the first week of January often is.  I feel the sadness of the holidays leaving us, along with the sadness of the zooming of the years.  It's an Ash Wednesday kind of mood:  we are dust and to dust we shall return, and faster than many of us are aware.

I no longer castigate myself for all I have not accomplished.  Making it through the day to day grinding aspects of the past 2 years has seemed accomplishment enough:  the larger perilous times we seem to have tumbled into, coupled with hurricane repairs, and some family health issues.

So, let me make a list, as I often do on one of the week-end days, of moments of the week that I want to capture:

--Last night I went out to socialize with a group from work.  I think it's the first time that I've done that in this new job, which is no longer a new job, since I've had it for 2 years.  We went out to celebrate one of our colleagues who is moving to the Ft. Lauderdale campus.  It was very pleasant, which doesn't surprise me.  My campus colleagues are very pleasant, which is a good thing, since we spend so much time together.

--I got home to find my spouse in the process of killing a roof rat that had gotten in the house.  Yes, we have a house that is more sealed up than it ever has been, and this is the time we get a rat in the house?  Insert a heavy sigh here.

--I think of all those pop songs where a lover declares something along the lines of "I would catch a grenade for you"--that's all well and good, but would you do the dishes for me?  Would you vacuum so that I didn't have to do it?  Last night--would you kill a rat in the house for me?  My spouse did.  And he cleaned up the mess from having to do it.

--I have a variety of ways that I evaluate humanity.  Last night was a shining moment for my spouse.  I have no idea what I'd have done if he hadn't been here to take care of it--leave the house and spend the night with a friend?  He showed me how to work the pellet gun, but I'm pretty sure I'm not a good enough shot to hit a small critter.

--After the rat killing we transformed the Christmas wreath:

Now it's a Valentine's wreath:

--It's been a week where I've seen more friends than usual.  That's both a plus and a minus.  It's great to catch up, of course.  It makes me sad to see/feel how far flung we all are, even though we still live in the same county.  It was much easier to maintain that closeness when we all worked at the same school, where we could eat our lunches together or take time for a cup of tea or coffee.

--My new approach to weekly goals (see this blog post for details) is working well. Hurrah!  I have written 2 new poems and sent out two packets--that might not seem significant, but those weekly goals were on my list, and I did them.  Having the log/list above my writing desk helps me stay focused each day.

--I am participating in this month's spin class challenge--the one who attends the most classes gets a free spot in the Feb. spinathon.  I have a real shot at winning, so I'm going to press that advantage now, before the traveling that comes later in the month takes over.  After the eating galas of December, I can use the opportunity to burn some extra calories.  I've only gained a pound or 2, but I need to reverse that trend.

--I've been exhilarated by all of the pictures of the women House members arriving and taking oaths and holding children and comforting each other.  We've got considerably more women now than when Nancy Pelosi was last Speaker of the House (same number of women in the Senate, however).  We still don't have parity.  But we have a transgender member now, and a bisexual member.  Those firsts feel VERY important to me.  I know that previously marginalized populations bring a very important perspective when they gain some power--it doesn't always work out perfectly, but it helps society lurch towards the arcing of history towards justice that MLK talked about.

Wise Ones and Modern Borders

Yesterday, as I drove to a very early morning spin class, I had a vision of a poem.  What would happen if the 3 wise men had come to a border situation like the ones we have in the southern parts of the U.S.  I had planned to write a poem, but I also had a vision of a wall and border guards and wise men.

Yesterday during my sketching time, I decided to try to attempt the picture that was in my head.  This sketch emerged:

And later I added color:

Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me that I combined the idea of the 3 wise men and the modern news cycle.  I have been greatly intrigued, and at times highly amused, by the Internet meme of the 3 plastic wise men and a camel who make their way across modern landscapes.  The wise men look like children's toys, and upon doing some "research," I've found that they're made by Playmobil or Fisher Price.  I have no idea how many people are doing this.  I haven't participated this year, but perhaps in later years.

Here's an example:

Each post has a written tag too.  Here's the one for this picture:  "Day 21: Hezekiah’s desire to bring baked goods to the infant king was met with enthusiastic support from his companions."

Until this morning, I didn't realize how many people were doing this project as a reaction to the Elf on a Shelf--a way to have a daily practice that's whimsical but doesn't involve Santa.

This morning I attempted the poem that started to glimmer at me yesterday.  It did not turn out to be the poem I first thought about.  This morning's poem begins, "I am the border agent who looks / the other way.  . . . "  The poem goes on to reference the East German soldiers who didn't shoot as people assembled at the Berlin Wall in 1989, but the wise men do make an appearance later in the poem.

Back to the idea of the wandering wisemen.  I like the daily practice and the whimsy--I like the entries that show some glimmer of the underlying theology of the whole story or other parts of the Bible.  Here's an example:

The post reads:  "Gaspar and Melchior were firmly opposed to any involvement with golden cows, citing disastrous outcomes for Old Testament travelers."

I wonder what could be done with other parts of the year?  Hmmm.  Something to ponder.

Regular Life and Our Various Communities

I've been writing about returning to regular life, as if any part of life stays regular for very long.  I'm thinking of all the federal workers who remain without money because of the partial shut down.  Let us now offer up a quick prayer for all the governments that re-open today--and the federal agencies that remain closed because of the shutdown.  I cannot imagine being a brand new U.S. senator or representative arriving to Congress today--so much that needs to be done and so little will to do it.  I want to believe that people run for office because they have a vision of improving the world, not because they want to stonewall any movement at all.

I am about to head to a spin class that is a special option for January.  My wellness center is having a contest; the person who attends the most spin classes in January gets a spot at the spinathon in February, which is at least a $25 value.  I'll play along, even if it means going to a 5:30 a.m. spin class.

My friend posted on my Facebook timeline:  "It's 4:22 and I've made it to the last episode of Wolf Hall. You up? I'm guessing you're either baking or writing!"

I wrote back:  "I have been writing! Baking is much harder--I have a stove, but not much work space. Some day, it would be lovely to have small cottages/dwelling spaces near each other. We could devise a system of lights in the window. Twinkly lights would mean we're working/watching/not wanting to be disturbed. A solid shining light would mean the kettle is on and the scones are baking. Ahhhh, dreams of the future!"

I love that vision of a community close by, but not living under the same roof.  I still have this vision of a plot of land with little cottages and several communal spaces.

But as I've been writing and Internet zipping, I've been thinking about how Facebook/online life gives me a foretaste of the feast that may or may not come.  I love that my friends can reach out if we're both awake/free to communicate at the same time.  If I'm immersed in something else, I can wait before I answer.  Or we can have a discussion.

It's not as good as a pot of tea and fresh baked scones, but it's better than the more solitary life I once had as an artist back in the 90's.

Return to Regular Life

New Year's has never been my favorite holiday--it's a holiday designed to remind us how we haven't met our goals as we make new goals and new resolutions, which will be what we use to criticize ourselves next year.

I did not eat any special foods yesterday.  It wasn't until I was a grown up that I even knew about these traditions.  The first time I met the woman who would become my stepmom-in-law, she apologized for the meal she served, the black eyed peas, the greens, the cornbread.  She said, "It's not what I'd normally serve company, but I don't want to risk bad luck in the new year."

Of course it was delicious, as every meal she's ever made has been.

Since then I've learned about the custom of eating 12 grapes on the first day of the new year--1 grape for every month of the year, 1 grape to bring sweetness to the month.  I didn't do that yesterday either.

I fell asleep early on New Year's Eve, which means I woke up early--but then I made the mistake of trying to go back to sleep.  I tossed and turned and then fell asleep and had strange dreams.  I woke up feeling off kilter.  It's not a great way to start the new year.

My sleep has been even more wrecked than usual.  I stayed up late to pick up a friend at the train and then a few days later for Christmas Eve service.  I would like to get back to a schedule that's more workable.

Even though I was off kilter and a bit irritable, I did get some chores done:  bills paid, bank deposit made, library books returned.  I did find a smidge of time to read.  We had a good meal with friends.  I did have time to write.  If the activities that we do on the first day of the year are invitations for those activities to become part of our lives throughout the year, then I'm fine with that.

And so, the holidays come to their gentle ending (although I won't be taking down the few decorations at our house until after Epiphany on Jan. 6).  I will miss the wonderful lights.  This year seems to be one when my neighbors have had beautiful trees.  I haven't had much time to play the wealth of holiday CDs that we have.  At least there's always next year.  I haven't made festive breads or cookies.  Ah, well.

I like the sense of a new beginning, a fresh start, that comes with a new year.  Let me focus on that.

Still, today feels like a Monday.  And it will be a longer day than usual--we have new student orientation tonight.  It's a return to regular life, but not in the gentle re-entry way that would be my preference.

Here's a prayer that I wrote a few years ago for this kind of return to regular life:

Creator God, be with us on this day when so many of us leave our holidays behind and return to our regular lives. Give us extra measures of patience. Give us creative solutions that we might never have seen without our time away. Be with those looking for work. Be with those who are frustrated with the work we have. And help us all to realize that the important work may not be in our workplaces at all.

The Treasure I Hope to Find in 2019

I've been looking through my various end-of-year and beginning-of-year posts.  Should I be depressed at how my goals stay fairly similar through the years?

My spouse and I have both lost weight this year--having a kitchen ripped out and not replaced has helped us be very mindful of our eating.  We have often not snacked because it was so much effort to prepare a snack--and our meals have gotten simplified.

But this year, as with most years, I have needed to eat more fruits and veggies.  That goal remains the same.

My Fitbit has helped me too--with the calorie counting that I did through part of the year and with my efforts not to merge permanently with my desk chair.

I've been trying NOT to let this time of year be one of self-loathing and reproach.  I've met some goals, held onto some progress, while at the same time, having plenty of room for more progress.  I'm always happier when I end the year with weight loss than weight gain--but I will need to be very intentional to be successful at keeping these 12-15 pounds lost, not creeping back.

But more than that, I want to keep doing the things that will help me stay healthy as I head towards older age.  The months where I've been more successful at covering 10,000 steps each and every day have been months where I've felt less achy.  I would do better if I concentrated on 10,000 steps each and every day--but most months, I haven't done that.

I often think that I haven't sent out as many submissions as I have in the past, so this morning I counted up my submissions.  I've submitted a manuscript size work 3 times in the past year.  I've made 40 poetry packet submissions, and 22 fictions submissions.  I also wrote one piece by invitation, my piece on medieval female monastics for Gather magazine, which was published.

I've decided to keep my goals simple in terms of being easy to remember.  I want to make 100 submissions of creative work during 2019 and read 100 books.

My cataloging brain wants to know what will count as a book.  I will count chapbooks of poetry, but not long articles.  I will keep track of page numbers this year in case I want to pages read goal for 2020.

Likewise for submissions--if someone has asked me to write an article, I'll count that as a submission.

I'm making these goals because my reading lists for the past years have been similar.  Each year I read roughly 50 books.  I could do better.  Likewise, each year I make 50-75 submissions.  Long ago, I submitted more, and I got more acceptances.

I am ready for this year.  Yesterday, I made a sketch of my word for the year:

I like the word treasure as a verb even more than as a noun.  Let me remember to treasure all of this life that I have crafted.