Sunday, December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas

It's no secret that 2016 was a really hard year for the Bug household. But we are hoping that 2017 will (at least personally) be MUCH better. As is traditional, I'm sharing our annual Christmas poem, written by Dr. M this year. What is NOT traditional is that I included a note in our cards this year. I'm sharing most of that with you as well.

This is our annual Christmas poem, from hearts broken by 2016. It is a reminder of the travails of a certain refugee family long ago, and the fears and woes of our world today. It is a Christmas lament, written for anyone who feels cast out, without shelter...anyone whose refuge, whose Zion, was shattered by 2016. Peace on Earth, good will to all is our fervent prayer.


Dear Friends and Family,


We sat down and wept

Since we sent out last year’s poem a number of things happened which made Mike write a lament for our annual poem. We lost two people in his family (Aunt Helen and Uncle Barry). We lost my dad’s wife Amy. The head of my department at work died after a very brief fight against brain cancer. Mike’s school cut several positions; his was one of them. My nephew Brandon deployed to Afghanistan. My priest is retiring next month. And Donald Trump is the new president-elect.


And remembered Zion, our refuge

In response to all of that, it feels as if our safe place, our refuge, has been shattered – we grieve, we wail, we post epic rants on Facebook. And, we decide to move back to North Carolina, possibly in late winter or early spring. I will keep my same job, and Mike will spend time with his father and replenish his emotional resources. Whatever 2017 brings, we’ll face it with feet firmly planted on the red clay of home.


The Poem

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down,
yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Upon the willows in the midst thereof
we hanged up our harps. For there they
that led us captive required of us songs,
and they that wasted us required of us mirth,
saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’ How
shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

                                    Psalm 137: 1-4


It is a season of lament—
Unwed mother, pregnant, stunned, shunned.
Older tradesman viewed with cynical suspicion
As he cares for the living vessel of Presence.
Zion shattered, they cling to each other and God.

It is a season of great worry—
New accounting, and, always, taxes to be paid.
Difficult journeys to be taken and retaken
With no clear vision of what the future holds.
Quo vadis? Where are you going? Do you know?

It is a season of homelessness—
In one fell day, secure shelters can vanish.
Cast off, adrift, wandering, we wonder…
Many of us feel mocked, displaced, rejected.
Is there room for us at the tables being set?

It is a season of faith leaps—
A weary couple seeking a new life, yet again.
Together struggling with the real, hard now,
Yet ever walking hand in hand the road
Before them, delicate steps, but walking still.

Have faith in this season of uncertainty—
By strange waters we have sat down and wept,
All of us, as we have mourned unsettling loss.
Our refuge shattered, we were unable to sing.
But in time, we each fetched our harps. Amen!

We SHALL overcome…

Mike & Dana
 Christmas 2016

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Random

To entertain you while you wait for our annual Christmas poem (you ARE waiting, right? With bated (baited?) breath? Ha!

Something I posted on Facebook: Noticed today that one pant leg was a LOT longer than the other one. Of course I became convinced that my hip surgery (from 5 years ago) had suddenly shortened my leg. Mike (not being a drama queen) measured the pants. Yep - one inseam was over an inch longer than the other one. So I guess I'll cancel that (mental) order for a shoe insert.

My most recent Facebook profile picture: (Nance, please note the mascara flake under my left eye. Do not purchase Revlon Ultimate All-in-One mascara!)



Stuff I’ve crocheted while I haven't been blogging:








I'm mostly done with blanket number two. And yesterday I crocheted through the end of November on that temperature monster. It's looking like the Year of the Blanket won't be finished until sometime in January. And even though I looked at the post about the 2017 blanket crochet along, I am NOT going to participate. Nope. Mostly because I have my eye on a totally different kind of blanket. Ha!

OK, I need to get out of here & go finish my Christmas shopping!

Monday, December 19, 2016

I am just the worst...

I haven't blogged since November, and I am SO BEHIND on reading other people's blogs. It's been all crochet, all the time around here. I think I'll perhaps put down my hook & do other stuff after Christmas (except that the Temperature Blanket Monster has also been neglected). Anyway, until I get back to it, you should check out Dr. M's blog post here. Here's a little excerpt:


2024 Project 365 – Week Eleven

This week at work was brain intensive which means I’ve spent the weekend trying to use as few brain cells as possible. That might affect the...