Saturday, December 31, 2011

Bite Size Resolutions

Hmm, I have been pondering my new year's goals/resolutions for the last week or so. Goals are something I think about, write down in my journal and try to achieve each year. Mostly for the past 26years they have revolved around savings, getting a home, winning a sales award, exercise and maintaining a regular spiritual practice. My mom, who had just read an article on the matter of goals, reminded us the more specific the goal the easier to measure and achieve. This I believe. However, I also believe, each day is a fresh start and breaking goals down into bit size pieces is helpful. Yesterday, I thought about starting a detox diet to start this week, even before the New Year and then, not feeling well, I just had a piece of toast and some canned chicken noodle soup. Then, I pondered a walk; again, not feeling well, I laid down and rested. My idea for 2012 is to just be present in every day and work on a goal for that day, such as a walk, or making a low calorie smoothie. My goals are still evolving, however, today I feel better, good enough to begin. So just for today, I will write this bite size blog.

Friday, December 30, 2011

The Christmas Eve Program

Each year, for as long as I can remember my family does a Christmas Eve program. In my young years, my mother would organize the program around our talents, including my sisters and me playing Christmas carols on the piano, my brother Patrick playing beautiful violin music, Christopher and Damien doing gospel readings and sharing other assorted "talents" her children have. One year, our brother JP demonstrated how to make luminaries or "luminaries" said with Spanish accent. That year, JP also arranged about 40 luminaries outside our house lighting up the path from driveway to front door. Each program ended with mother telling the story of the Jesse Tree, which our brother Patrick had learned about as a young student and my father leading us in our blessing before our Christmas Eve dinner. As we have gotten older, the organizing baton passed from mother to her daughters and was led by my siblings, mostly Bridget and incorporated the talents of our nieces and nephews. This 2011 Christmas, Bridget, passed the baton to James, our 13 year old nephew. James developed the program with the help of his sister Sarah and brother Matthew. James was our emcee and did an outstanding job leading and adding transitional and thoughtful commentary between each shared talent, including Sarah's amazing singing and sharing of the secret 12 days of Christmas, Matthew playing on his recorder a beautiful song, James and Matthew's joyful singing and dancing to a Chipmunk carol, our traditional gospel reading led by Christopher, "the nun", a nickname we use for our beloved Sr. Anastasia read a reflection, the Candy Cane Christ by Rebecca, the famed Jesse Tree story as told by Bridget, and dad leading us in the blessing. This year had particular reverence. Each of us deeply listening and fully engaging in the program that permeated a true Christmas peace. The depth and beauty of this Christmas Eve tradition inspired me to write this blog. I love every aspect of Christmas but most especially, my favorite, continues to be our family's Christmas Eve program. The spirit of Christmas is alive in my family and my cup overflows.