Celebrate Today- ceremonies and celebrations to make your days count

Last night (the night before Easter) when we normally make our resurrection cookies was quite a full night. Taylor and I went to see Anna perform in her dance performance.  After the show, I took Anna to the tail end of one of her good friend's birthday parties and then picked up a few things to make some desserts for an Easter brunch today.  All of that to say, I did not get home until about 10 p.m.  Taylor was hanging out watching a show in the basement while I was in the land of the sweets in the kitchen.  There was no way our schedule would allow it to be like old times when they would both be in the kitchen helping me out to make the meringues on the night before Easter that we have made for the past 11 years.  So, I decided to divide and conquer.  I simply asked Taylor to come up and measure out the sugar, and then when Anna got home, I asked her to tape the oven shut as we've done every year.  She came home from the party around 1...

When I went to visit my friend Heather last weekend, she had their family's Lenten wreath on the table with a little frame that says, "It is never too late to begin."  Having Ash Wednesday the same day as Valentine's Day this year along with an extended visit from her mom, sister and nephew, she reported that they had just not gotten into a rhythm.  While she was not sure if it was worth it because of the lost time, she decided she would dust off her Lenten wreath even though it was already halfway through Lent.  In some ways, this is the most honest approach we can bring to Lent. We set out to practice certain disciplines, and yet, we falter and get off track so easily.  Our intentions are good, but our distractions get the best of us. We need God's grace for each day, and this is a reminder that His forgiveness is the fresh start we are invited to embrace.  May this Lent continue to be a reminder to you that it is never ever too late to begin aga...

February calls for our annual tradition of writing letters to each other and reading them over dinner. Because Valentine's coincided with Ash Wednesday and because last week was a bit full with school activities, we decided to celebrate this week. Better late than never!  chocolates from LA given to us from our friend Jeremiah  Though it seems like pulling teeth sometimes to get everyone to write their letters, it's so worth the effort to take the time to share the love in this way each year.  little black dresses :) 

Today is the day before the official kick off of Lent tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. I have many memories of our church youth group hosting the annual pancake suppers on this night each year. It’s also known as Mardi Gras which is French for “Fat Tuesday.” A little history lesson is in order to understand how pancakes became a thing on the day before Lent.   People would clean out their cupboards of butter, eggs, milk and sugar which were restricted foods during the Lenten fast.   Putting these all together in pancakes was a great way to eat up these pantry items that would not keep until Easter when the fast was over. It was also the last chance to feast before Lent began.   Check out a broader history  here  and  here . We sure enjoyed our pancake/waffle feast this evening and a last hit of chocolate for me before the season begins. :)  my going away card to Chocolate for Lent picturing  my last hurrah at Chocolati ...

These pictures of our MLK Day Tradition over the last 6 years remind me of the incredible value of these annual rhythms and traditions. They allow us an opportunity to live into these celebrations and to soak up their meaning over time.  They become a kind of liturgy providing a foundation on which we can build a deeper understanding of life and love and community as the words sink into our thoughts and perspectives each year.  2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

"As we observe Epiphany, we celebrate the journey to the manger and the showing forth of God in unexpected places."- Transforming Center  How have you seen or experienced light?  How have you shared light with others?  Radiant Morning Star, you are both guidance and mystery,  Visit our rest with disturbing dreams,  and our journeys with strange companions.  Grace us with the hospitality  to open our hearts and homes  to visitors filled with unfamiliar wisdom  bearing profound and unusual gifts.  Amen.  Bright Morning Star,  your light has come,  and the birth of Jesus  has overwhelmed us with joy.  Like the magi of long ago,  may we be drawn to you  and offer you such gifts as we are able. Amen. O God of light and peace,  whose glory, shining in the child of Bethlehem,  still draws the nations to yourself:  ...

St. Nicholas' Day is one of my favorite smaller traditions during Advent, but it seems that this year, December 6th came and went without marking it at all on that day due to Anna's dance rehearsal, my last class at SPU for the quarter along with a meeting that Jason and Taylor had that night as well.  So, we lowered the bar this year and celebrated it in a small way by putting a care package together for some friends four days later.  Still fun to wrap up these little candy bars and pass on some secret Santa love..... Better late than never!