The Clock is Ticking

I looked around yesterday and realized I have 6 different UFOs in my house.

Un-Finished Objects.

I crochet and embroider. In the last year, I've finished exactly 4 objects and gifted them away. For December birthdays and Christmas gifts. That's right, December...last year.

So, my goal this Christmas was simple. Learn to knit. So that I can have other UFOs lying around.

So, I did learn to knit. I found a great little CD that had pictures and live motion directions. And then I looked around and saw the UFOs. And formed a new goal.

Finish one of them. Any of them..just one of them, before I start a new one.

I picked the socks. I figure those are relatively small and should be the easiest to finish up. Then there is prayer shawl (which is 2/3 finish), 2 afghans (each of which is 1/2 finished), a set of pillow cases to embroider, and 1 of a set of pillow cases to embroider (yes, 1, the other is already on my bed and has been for 18 months, sigh.).

Plus, I learned to knit... so I imagine I'll start something with that new skill.

This morning, I've been watching Prince Caspian. I hadn't yet seen the movie, just never had time to hit the theaters when it was there, so I'd bought the DVD during the week. I love The Chronicles of Narnia books. I re-read the whole series about once a year, beginning to end. In story order rather than the publishing order. I guess reading isn't really the right word, though. Actually, I devour them. They take me back to when I was little, listening to my 4th grade teacher read them to us a chapter at a time. But they also fill me with hope.

Last night I watched The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Regardless of whether C.S. Lewis intended to fill the books with Christian symbolism, it's there. It's really not hard to find it, and it doesn't take an active imagination to see it. It warms me to see it, reminds me that Christians, true Christians, cannot help but have Christ seep into everything they are and do.

I love the credits version of Switchfoot's song "This is Home." From those lyrics..

So everyday starts with a magic spark,
I've got my hopes high with second start,
we are miracles, every breath is magic...
So you give yourself away, with your miracle heart,
yeah, just to be alive is a magic art,
we are miracles, every breath is magic...

Aren't those beautiful? It's such a simple way of thinking about ourselves.

Recently, I was asked how I get through tough times. It's not secret, to those who know me, what my greatest pain is right now. To get through, I remind myself to breathe, and to be thankful that I can. And, frankly, it's a miracle that I can hurt, that I can cry over what upsets and scares me.

I can't really explain why, but Prince Caspian had me crying this morning. Towards the end, when I knew how the story would end, and that High King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy would be leaving Narnia again. And knowing that, as the story plays out in the books, Peter and Susan will never return there, because they will have grown up too much. What started as a trickle of tears quickly became great gulping sobs.

We do that, though, don't we? We outgrow childlike faith. Or think we do. Wouldn't be amazing if Peter and Susan could return, this time bringing their own children with them?

As an aside...

C.S Lewis's famous series of children's stories were published between 1950 and 1956, in the following order:

1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)

2. Prince Caspian(1951)

3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)

4. The Silver Chair (1953)

5. The Horse and His Boy (1954)

6. The Magicians Nephew(1955)

7. The Last Battle (1956)

All current editions of the books, however, number them in a slightly different order (this is the story order):

1. The Magicians Nephew

2. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

3. The Horse and His Boy

4. Prince Caspian

5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

6. The Silver Chair

7. The Last Battle

I found this information in the article "In What Order Should the Narnia Books Be Read?"
By Andrew Rilstone

"Imagine a complex, multi-cultural society that annually holds an elaborate winter festival, one that lasts not simply a few days, but several weeks. This great festival celebrates the birth of the Lord and Saviour of the world, the prince of peace, a man who is divine. People mark the festival with great abundance- feasting, drinking and gift giving....." (Richard Horsley- The Liberation of Christmas)

But who is that Saviour? At RevGals this morning, Sally tells us that this description from Horsley's book is of a Roman celebration during the time of the first Roman Christians. These early Christians went from celebrating the Emperor as the savior to celebrating the Risen Lord as their Savior.

I read somewhere recently that there are "Christmas Christians" and "Easter Christians." I'm of a mind to believe that there are a dozen other delineations, but I know that I am a Christmas Christian. Really, an Advent Christian.

Sally says that, regardless of what your local WalMart looks like,

"Advent on the other hand calls us into the darkness, a time of quiet preparation, a time of waiting, and re-discovering the wonder of the knowledge that God is with us. Advent's call is to simplicity and not abundance, a time when we wait for glorious light of God to come again..."

I've never really thought of it in this way, as calling me into the darkness. But, oh isn't it?

So, the Friday Five this morning suggests that we list 5 Advent longings...

1. I long to find peace. In my own heart, I struggle with one thing. Well, probably more than one thing, but one thing that takes up a lot of time in my head, too. I suspect I don't need to look far for that peace, but I think I need to find the courage to let that peace take me over.

2. I long for my students to "get it." To really get what Christmas is about, and understand that what they do for someone else is so much more valuable than what they'll find under a tree.

3. This time of year, I suddenly realize how busy my life is, and I long for the quiet the 2 weeks off work brings. Not only for the chance to sleep in and spend time with my family, but also for the renewal that I feel every year.

4. I long for family, and wish that I was closer to my extended family. We aren't on speaking terms with some of our family for some very good reasons (I think no counselor or pastor would argue those reasons with us). But I do wish it could be different. Family is so important to me and it hurts that I'm not closer to some of them.

5. A better world around me. I know world peace is the "Miss America" answer. I fear that it will only get worse before it gets better. It's always hard for me to watch the news and see so much bad stuff right now. Bombings, murders, fights, the economic situation, large scale lay-offs in my area. And at this time of year it's even worse for me. I feel like Christians should endeavor to be at their best this time of year and we should be trying to flood the news and the world with hope. And we don't. Well, we do, but it's still over-shadowed by negative.

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