Christmas Day: Something Beautiful, Something Good from Joy

Pink Turks Cap, December 2025

 

                    May joy be born in you.

                    May joy take root in you.

                    May joy be scattered along your path.

                    May joy be the light in your eyes.

                    May joy become a dear friend. 

                    May joy be the gift you bring.

Christmas Eve: Something Beautiful, Something Good from the Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus, December 2025

 My Christmas cactus is bursting into bloom. She's right on time. 

When I was growing up, I heard the advice to place your Christmas cactus in a closet for several weeks. The idea is that the extended time in uninterrupted darkness is supposed to send the signal that it's time to bloom. A quick search of online plant groups give this method mixed reviews. It works for some, not for others. 

I wonder about that. Sometimes darkness just feels like darkness, not any kind of signal or encouragement towards new growth and blooming. Here we are on Christmas Eve - a night to welcome Emmanuel, God with us - right on time. 

I am remembering the words of Isaiah 9:2,
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." May it be so for each and every one of us. 

Fourth Tuesday of Advent: Something Beautiful, Something Good from What We Keep

 Prayer Card, December 2025

 

The antique French prayer card reads: "Je suis l'Immaculée Conception." In English,  "I am the Immaculate Conception."

A Catholic prayer card falls out of an old family Bible that belonged to my husband's grandmother. A surprising find considering she was Methodist. Maybe it was a gift or something from an earlier time in her life.  All the same, lovely. It sits on my prayer altar now with other tokens that have found their way to me. 

That's how it seems to go. Special objects and tokens find their way to us - carrying messages of divine presence and encouragement - pointing us to a view of life more beautiful and expansive. The prayer card reminds me that I treasure Mary as part of my extended family of faith. I see the card and connect to her story once again. 

Look around. What tokens or reminders have found their way to you? What have you discovered or chosen to keep? What makes them special? And what messages do they carry?

Our treasures old and new. They are something beautiful, something good.

Fourth Monday of Advent: Something Beautiful, Something Good from the Duck Pond

Lake Tomahawk, Fall 2025
Black Mountain, North Carolina

 

Yesterday was the winter solstice. People I love walked a labyrinth or spiral path to mark the day. A sign of our inward and outward journey. 

On a visit to North Carolina in the fall, I remember watching this duck at sunset and the beautiful ripples that encircled him on the water. His own spiral path. As he glided across the lake, he stirred the sunset colors all around. As above, so below. 

Bless us as we follow the path that is ours.

Bless us as we stir all the colors of life.

Bless us as we create ripples that go where they will.

Bless the Lord, who encircles us in love.