REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

Our Lady of Guadalupe - A Virgin a Day Project Dec. 1-12

Artist and blogger Rebecca Brooks of recuerda mi corazon begins her Virgin a Day project tomorrow. The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is Dec. 12 and she will be posting the "sightings" of everyone participating on her blog. If you do not know the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, there are any number of links you can visit, but this one tells the story as I know it. I've been horsing around with some art of of Our Lady, or images I have taken or own. You can still sign up if you go to Rebecca's blog. 

This is the classic image that you find in the church dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Tepayec, just outside Mexico City. 

 

Letting Old Photos Unlock Memories and Stories

As you may have read earlier, my daughter and I have had house guests since last Saturday--Christy's half-sister Lisa and Lisa's 7 and 3 year-old-sons Nathan and Tyler. Since Lisa and Christy have only known each other for about 1 1/2 years, there is a lot of catching up to do. Lisa asked to see some of the old photos in my bedroom and then I pulled out my old wedding photo album from Sept. 6, 1958. We had a lot of the family for dinner last night including my ex-, Ray, and his wife Diana. Lisa is amazed by Ray's continuing youthfulness even at 76 years-old so seeing him at 24, and me at 21, seemed amazing to her. To me it seems like only yesterday, or maybe 200 years ago. I do, however, remember the wedding with incredible detail. This was all pre-video days. 

So, this afternoon I've been going through that wedding album myself and recalling that long-ago day. Here is a photo of our wedding party in front of the main doors at St. Dominic's in Eagle Rock, where we were married. 

My maid-of-honor, Claudia, passed away several years ago and I have totally lost track of Carolyn. Joyce, second from the left, recently lost her husband, Bud, who is on the right. Rose Ann, my niece on the left, is 62-years-old now. The men have not fared as well. Only Ray and his best man Joe are still with us. 

My friend Claudia's mom made the bridesmaid's forest green dresses and she made my veil. Our wedding was on an incredible shoe string. Ray's uncle was our soloist and the reception was at the Glendale Elks Club, which later burned down. I feel sad sometimes to think that Ray and I were unable to stay together for a lifetime, although 27 years isn't insignificant. And, because we have remained friends as well as family (both our families have continued to stay in touch with Ray and me), maybe, on some level, we have continued to spend the rest of our lives together--just in a different kind of way from most divorced couples. 

 

Today is the First Day of Advent 2010

I'm not ready to start decorating for Christmas, but today is the first day of Advent and I am ready for that. If you are Christian, you probably know Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.

At church today the liturgical advent wreath on the altar was lit for the first time and at home I put up my wreath, too. The history of the advent wreath varies and I was not brought up with this tradition. I went to a Baptist Church as a kid and have no recollection of this tradition until I converted to Catholicism at the age of 21. During all the years my kids were growing up we lit the advent wreath at the evening meal.

When our kids were growing up, we also celebrated the Feast of the Las Posadas with other families from our church. How I miss this tradition, although I was invited several years ago to one in Santa Monica where we all processed for a full block and had a huge feast afterwards with the pinata and enough food for an Army. The Christmas season jumps into gear on December 16, with Las Posadas nine days in a row of candlelight processions and parties. After sunset each night, in villages, towns and cities throughout the country, children gather to reenact Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem.

Did you have, or do you have, special traditions that revolve around Christmas, or one of your own religions or culture?

My Daughter's Half Sister Miraculously "Finds" Her

It's a long story, but in a nutshell, in case you have forgotten, my three children were adopted at birth in 1962, 1963 and 1967. Joe's biological mom found him when he was in his early 20s and I had the pleasure of meeting her in L.A. sometime later. She died, but finding Joe brought her great peace. 

Christy, my daughter, located both her biological parents when she was in her early 20s. She exchanged information with them and did stay in touch with her mom. About three years ago I got a phone call from a young woman in Georgia who identified herself as Christy's half-sister Lisa and she asked to be put in touch. When her mother was packing up to move, Lisa tripped across a letter from Christy to her dad that she wrote when she first located him. Though Lisa's mom knew about Christy, none of the children had been told she existed. Lisa and her three siblings share a biological father with Christy and the story just continues to unfold. There is a book here somewhere, I think. At this time the other siblings have no desire to meet Christy, although she has spoken with one of them on the phone. I imagine this will happen if and when it seems right. 

My Christy is on the left and Lisa is on the right. We looked at lots of photos of their dad on the Internet last night and Christy has a strong resemblance to her birth family. Can you see the resemblance between the sisters? 

Lisa and her two boys arrived today for a three day visit from Atlanta, GA and they are staying at my house--and so is Christy. They will go to Knotts Berry Farm today and have other touristy things planned. 

Nathan and Tyler at the beach by the Redondo Beach Pier near sunset. 

We sat for a while last night trying to put all the pieces together from what I know from the adoption agency and Christy's growing up years and what Lisa knows from her mother's report. 

All I know is that the twists and turns of life are absolutely amazing and I am so deeply grateful that Christy and Lisa have found each other. I can't imagine my life without Christy in it so the choices her birth parents made 47 years ago, which were hard I'm sure, made such a difference in my husband's and my life. I'm still trying to digest all this, but on some level I feel like I've gained another daughter. 

In the Ira Progoff National Intensive Journal work there is a section called Intersections where you have the opportunity to explore paths taken and not taken. What a perfect way to explore the story of Christy's birth and life--and my own. 

Art Journal Page: Wake Up

The past few days I've played some in my art journals--and I'm very much looking forward to taking Kelly Kilmer's class at Stampin' From the Heart in Culver City on Dec. 10. The workshop is "Made by Hand: The Fundamentals of Collage." 

A Day of Being Alone, Awareness and Reflection

This photo was taken in Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia about four years ago. 

Today is Thanksgiving Day 2010, a day of being, observation, gratitude and reflection. According to Wikipedia, the precise historical origin of the holiday is disputed. Although Americans commonly believe that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, there is some evidence for an earlier harvest celebration by Spanish explorers in Florida during 1565. There was also a celebration two years before Plymouth (in 1619) in Virginia. There was a Thanksgiving of sorts in Newfoundland, modern-day Canada in 1578 but it was to celebrate a homecoming instead of the harvest.

In America this day has become largely a day off work, a day to gather with family, eat too much, and supposedly to give thanks for all that we have. It is a very secular holiday. This particular year it was an ordinary day for me but I did have the intention of being aware, whatever unfolded. I was in my own home, Mollie and I alone, and I was the observer. To my surprise, I slept until 10:30 a.m. and didn't really get out of my nightgown and robe until about 1 p.m. I did my morning ritual of morning papers on the patio although it was very nippy, but beautifully sunny. I washed two loads of clothes and folded them and crazily began to cook. I had bought five pounds of hamburger at Costco a few days ago--and I fried crumbled meat for use in Mexican food and Italian spaghetti. I also built a meatloaf and made a container of meatballs, all for future use. 

Then I wrote for a while, read and found myself sleeping two more hours. I had tacos and peach pie for dinner and then watched "Whatever Works," the Woody Allen film starring Larry David--which cracked me up and made me very nostalgic for New York City. I read an article about Marilyn Monroe in the new Vanity Fair, launched into a new book "The Hundred-Foot Journey" by Richard Morais, and spent more time writing in my journal. This time I did write about gratitude and expressed amazement that my life turned out so well considering what I had been programmed for it to be. Mollie and I did manage to get one healthy, brisk and crispy walk in, too. Incidentally, I made no phone calls today nor did I receive any. I never got into my car, which is highly unusual. 

Now it's bedtime again and Black Friday looms. The stores, they say, are opening at 3 a.m. I am glad I have absolutely no desire to fight the crowds--nor do I have anything I even want to buy. (I did note there is a big estate sale in the neighborhood, however.) So, now it's bedtime again and I spent Thanksgiving alone, for the first time in my life that I can recall. Heaven knows I celebrated the holiday enough in advance to make up for this particular solitary day. 

I hope all of you had a beautiful Thanksgiving and that you are also going to bed filled with gratitude. 

Two Thanksgiving Groaning Boards So Far

So far there have been two thanksgivings. One part of the family celebrated this past Sunday night and tonight my daughter, Lorenzo and his family celebrated, so it has been a tale of two Thanksgivings so far. Tomorrow will be a quiet day for Mollie and me--art, reading, writing, and probably watching movies. 

Thank you for the abundance that is ours today. At tonight's celebration, we all brought something making a plateful of good stuff. I made Dutch apple sauce and my cranberry recipe. 

Filo dough, chocolate, custard, fresh berries made by Chelsea tonight. She just graduated from culinary school. Yum!

Grandson Anthony, girlfriend Anastasia, Lorenzo at Sunday's celebration. 

Fritz and Henry at Sunday Thanksgiving playing with a Lego Bionicle. 

Granddaughter Whitney and I at tonight's Thanksgiving. 

We celebrated daughter Christy's birthday on Sunday night. 

Christy tonight with the newest member of Lorenzo's family: his great niece Sophia, 4 months old. 

Whitney and her boyfriend Bobby on Sunday night. Bobby was working tonight. 

 

 

Interested in Studying Jung's Red Book in Ojai in 2011?

I have been unable to find a local study group in the South Bay area of Los Angeles for Carl Jung's Red Book that I received as a Christmas gift last year. Imagine my delight to find that Theosophy's Krotona retreat center in Ojai will offer a Red Book weekend seminar next year. Dr. Stephan Hoeller, Bishop at the Ecclesia Gnostica Diocesan Center, Los Angeles, will be the speaker. A Google search brought multiple links on Dr. Hoeller's work. This article from the Los Angeles Times on Dr. Hoeller was also interesting. 

Stephan A Hoeller

CG Jung’s Red Book and Alchemy
April 29 – May 1
Weekend Seminar
Friday 7:30 – 9, Saturday 10 – noon, 2 – 4, Sunday 10 – noon 

As has recently come to light, after writing his Red Book, CG Jung was inspired to turn the majority of his insights from that book into the symbolic system of transformation known as alchemy. It was in this manner that the Red Book revelations, which he deemed too esoteric, were made available to the public. Dr Hoeller will give an exposition of Jung’s alchemical theories, showing their relationship to the content of Jung’s then still secret mystical book. Chinese and Western, as well as Arabic alchemy will be reviewed in the light of Jung’s now published Liber Novus(Red Book).  Weekend $35, Single session $10

Stephan A Hoeller, PhD, is a retired Professor of Comparative Religion who has been called the foremost representative of Gnosticism as a living religion today. Dr Hoeller has presented internationally for the Theosophical Society. He has published widely and authored several books, including The Gnostic Jung, Jung and the Lost Gospels, and Freedom: Alchemy for a Voluntary Society. He has presented 13 lectures in his series on the Red Book, available on line at www.gnosis.org.

 

The Hubbell Telescope Ultra Deep Field in 3D Brings Gut Reaction

I don't always read forwards but this one caught my eye tonight and really moved me tremendously. Maybe it was the music or the thoughts, or that I'm so very aware of time and space as I age. Thanks, Ray, for sharing. If you watch this, Sacred Ordinary visitor, tell me your thoughts as you saw it play out. I felt awestruck.

 

 

Father Bob and Mother Kat on the Feast of Christ the King

Today was the feast of Christ the King and this is a special day at the church I attend, Christ Episcopal Church in Redondo Beach. That is who the church is named after. This is Fr. Bob Cornner, our rector, and our associate, Mother Katherine Keyser-Mary. We call her Mother Kat. 

Mother Kat's vestment is spectacular--beautifully quilted on front and back. It was hand made for her when she retired as chaplain in Episcopal Homes. Inside of it are embroidered several names and wishes to her from the people she loved and served. Fr. Bob is announcing that he has advent calendars for all the kids. Advent starts next Sunday. Next Sunday is also the second annual taping of the Christmas story with the children playing the roles. It is shown to the parish at Christmas. This has turned out to be a very creative solution for making sure all the kids who want to participate get an opportunity to do so as many are not actually at church at Christmas but with their extended families. 

I'd like to mention another Episcopal priest friend, Ann Markle, from St. Raphael's Parish in Crossville, TN.  Ann is a wonderful preacher, as are Fr. Bob and Mother Cat, and Ann sends me a copy of her sermon each week--and today was Christ the King. Ann, how about posting your sermons on your parish's website? I bet all your parishoners would love that and probably a whole lot of other people would, too. 

So, I got the wisdom of two of my favorite priests. 

Lately I have been so deeply touched by the "simple" things in my parish and in my community. It reminds me of a simpler time when I was a child, before fancy dinners and benefits with caterers and high-end auctions. 

Two and a half years ago Christ Church's hall burned down and tomorrow it will be officially completed. We've been celebrating and meeting on the fly -- and I, for one, have far more appreciation of the ministry and our community now that we can expand what we do again. What a Thanksgiving we will have.