Pondering the Season

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    The month of December, in my opinion, is the busiest, happiest and in some cases the saddest month of the year.

For me it is the culmination of a very long year. It is a very busy and stressful time for me. I want to give my family everything they want, but I know that is impossible. Since all of my children are adults I think the best gift to give them is the gift of my time.

I give them the gift of my time as often as I can, but feel I need to make it a more concentrated  priority.

In pondering this season, my thoughts turned to the many traditions from around the world. I searched and found quite a bit of information about holidays around the world, below is what I learned. 

Saint Nicholas  Day (Christian)

Saint Nicholas' Day is observed on December 6 (in Western Christian countries) and 19 December (in Eastern Christian countries)\. Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/

Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican)

The Blessed Virgin Mary revealed herself to St. Juan Diego in the 16th century near Mexico City in Mexico, and this apparition became known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Juan Diego saw an apparition of the Blessed Virgin on the Hill of Tepeyac on December 9, 1531, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Empire during that time. After a request to prove her identity, Our Lady asked Juan Diego to gather roses (which were neither native to the area or in season) that were growing on the hill and take them to the archbishop. Juan Diego did so and placed the roses in his tilma (or cloak). Upon opening the tilma to reveal the miraculous roses to the archbishop, instead there was something even more miraculous present in the tilma--an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In the image Our Lady wears traditional Aztec garments of royalty and a black sash around her waist, which indicated pregnancy in the Aztec culture to which she was revealed. A mass conversion of millions of Aztecs to the Christian faith soon followed, ending the human sacrifices, especially child sacrifices, that they practiced. A church was built on the Hill of Tepeyac to mark the apparition site and today it is one of the most famous Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. In this cathedral on display is the original tilma of Juan Diego that still displays the miraculous Our Lady of Guadalupe image. The image has been subjected to scientific testing to prove its miraculous authenticity. Today there are a number of Our Lady of Guadalupe books and gifts to honor this special and unique apparition of Our Lady, including rosaries, prayer cards, crosses, and jewelry. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patron saint of the Americas, and also patroness of unborn children. The feast day of  Our Lady of Guadalupe is December 12.

https://www.catholiccompany.com/our-lady-of-guadalupe-c2857/

St. Lucia Day (Swedish)

Around Christmas time in Sweden, one of the biggest celebrations is St. Lucia's Day (or St. Lucy's Day) on December 13th. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden.

St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304. The most common story told about St Lucia is that she would secretly bring food to the persecuted Christians in Rome, who lived in hiding in the catacombs under the city. She would wear candles on her head so she had both her hands free to carry things. Lucy means 'light' so this is a very appropriate name.

December 13th was also the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, in the old 'Julian' Calendar and a pagan festival of lights in Sweden was turned into St. Lucia's Day.http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/sweden.shtml

Hanukkah (Jewish)

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights and it remembers the rededication of the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. This happened in the 160s BCE/BC (before Jesus was born). (Hanukkah is the Jewish word for 'dedication'.) Hanukkah last for eight days and starts on the 25th of Kislev, the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December. Because the Jewish calendar is lunar (it uses the moon for its dates), Kislev can happen from late November to late December.

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/hanukkah.shtml

Christmas Day (Christian)

In the Christian religion, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ by the virgin Mary, which is observed on December 25 by Roman Catholics and Protestants.

http://www.religionfacts.com/christmas

Three Kings Day/Epiphany (Christian)

Three Kings’ Day in the United States, is on January 6. It celebrates the three wise men’s visit to baby Jesus and also remembers his baptism, according to the Christian Bible’s events.

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/epiphany

Boxing day

Boxing Day takes place on December 26th and is only celebrated in a few countries; mainly ones historically connected to the UK (such as Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) and in many European countries. In Germany it is known as "Zweite Feiertag” (which means 'second celebration') and also “Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag” which translates as Boxing Day (although it doesn’t literally mean that)!

It was started in the UK about 800 years ago, during the Middle Ages. It was the day when the alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were traditionally opened so that the contents could be distributed to poor people. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day.

It was also traditional that servants got the day off to celebrate Christmas with their families on Boxing Day. Before World War II, it was common for working people (such as milkmen and butchers) to travel round their delivery places and collect their Christmas box or tip.

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/boxingday.shtml

Kwanzaa (African American)

Kwanzaa (/ˈkwɑːn.zə/) is a week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the Western African diaspora in the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving.^[1] Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba).

Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, as follows:^[8]

• Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
• Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

                                                                      Omisoka (Japanese)

Ōmisoka (大晦日^?), New Year's Eve, is the second-most important day in Japanese tradition because it is the final day of the old year and the eve of New Year's Day, which is the most important day of the year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cmisoka

Yule (Pagan)

The date varies from December 20 to December 23 depending on the year in the Gregorian calendar.  Yule is also known as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere due to the seasonal differences.
Yule, (pronounced EWE-elle) is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sun's "rebirth" was celebrated with much joy. On this night, our ancestors celebrated the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth. From this day forward, the days would become longer.
Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were "wassailed" with toasts of spiced cider.  Children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges which were laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. The apples and oranges represented the sun.  The boughs were symbolic of immortality (evergreens were sacred to the Celts because they did not "die" thereby representing the eternal aspect of the Divine). The wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour was accomplishment of triumph, light, and life. Holly and ivy not only decorated the outside, but also the inside of homes, in hopes Nature Sprites would come and join the celebration. A sprig of Holly was kept near the door all year long as a constant invitation for good fortune to visit tthe residents. Mistletoe was also hung as decoration.  It represented the seed of the Divine, and at Midwinter, the Druids would travel deep into the forest to harvest it.

The ceremonial Yule log was the highlight of the Solstice festival. In accordance to tradition, the log must either have been harvested from the householder's land, or given as a gift... it must never have been bought. Once dragged into the house and placed in the fireplace it was decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze by a piece of last years log, (held onto for just this purpose). The log would burn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days after before being ceremonially put out. Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. An herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice.

A different type of Yule log, and perhaps one more suitable for modern practitioners would be the type that is used as a base to hold three candles. Find a smaller branch of oak or pine, and flatten one side so it sets upright. Drill three holes in the top side to hold red, green, and white (season), green, gold, and black (the Sun God), or white, red, and black (the Great Goddess). Continue to decorate with greenery, red and gold bows, rosebuds, cloves, and dust with flour.
Many customs created around Yule are identified with Christmas today.  If you decorate your home with a Yule tree, holly or candles, you are following some of these old traditions.   The Yule log, (usually made from a piece of wood saved from the previous year) is burned in the fire to symbolize the Newbornhttps://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm Sun/Son.


Saturnalia (Pagan)

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the deity Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.^[1] The poet Catullus called it "the best of days".^[2]

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia}

Around the world the month of December is filled with holidays, no matter where you go you will find traditions being enjoyed. It is a time when we think about our family and plan to spend time with them. Some people concentrate their efforts in doing good for their fellowman. Others try to escape it all.

For me it is a time that I enjoy being with my children and grandchildren.

Since I am Christian I believe in Christmas as the time of Christ's birth and that is what I remember and celebrate. It is not the lights, the tree, Santa and his reindeer, or the gifts it is about Christ's Birth and the atoning sacrifice he made for all mankind. I am thankful for that and living in a free country where I am allowed to believe these things.
I found this poem and really liked it's message.

This
Christmas
end a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten
friend. Dismiss suspicion,
and replace it with trust.
Write a love letter. Share some
treasure. Give a soft answer. Keep
a promise. Find the time. Forgo a grudge.
Forgive an enemy. Listen. Apologize if you
were wrong. Try to understand. Examine your
demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be
Be kind; be gentle. Appreciate. Laugh a little. Laugh a
little more. Express your gratitude. Gladden the heart of a
child. Welcome a stranger. Take pleasure in the beauty and the
wonder of Earth.
Speak your love.
Speak it again.
Speak it yet
Once again.

Gary Hopkins, Education world

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a happy new year as well as,

Happy St. Nicolas day, Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe, St Lucia, Hanukkah, Three Kings Day/Epiphany, Boxing day, Kwanzaa, Omisoka, Yule and  Saturnalia day,

which ever of these holidays you celebrate, enjoy. Pull your family close and remember all the things you love about each other.

I watched the Ted talk from Chimamanda Adichie, The danger of a single story, and read
No, Hope Solo Is Not “Like” Ray Rice, and The State of Womans Athletics 40 years after Title IX.
All of these articles were very thought provoking.
I think we all experience stereotyping throughout our life time.
I have noticed it in my life because of my religion, ethnicity, political leanings, and my size.

 None of this matters in the big picture, so why do we do it? Why do we scorn one another because we are different. What a boring place this would be if we were all the same. Varity is the spice of life.
All of us have a story and just as Chimamanda said and it is not one story, we are like diamonds, full of facets and inclusions, these occur from our experiances in our life time.

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and could not believe the stereotyping that happened when Mitt Romney ran for president. People were throwing untruths around acting like they were the authority on the subject of my religon, I was always taught if you want to know the truth of something go to the horses mouth, people don't usually do that, they believe hearsay, that is not an acceptable choice, if you want to know truth ask a member in good standing, a person who is a member.

The article on Hope Solo is another case of people jumping on the band wagon without the complete truth, she did not get the discipline that other athelets recieve for this behavior, people need to look at both sides and recognize the level of abuse that was levied in each instance, she did not almost kill someone like the other athelete did.

In 1972 President Nixon signed legislation that bans sex discrimination in any educational program recieving federal funding, this has made it possibe females to participate more in sports and not be discrimated against. Bernice Sandler who helped draft the legislation Said "Oh maybe now when a school holds its field day,there will be more activities for the girls" this was just a minor hope compared to today when women in sports are just as proficient as men in the sports arena.
This has benefited many in the way of scholorships for furthuring their education.

My hope for the future is that stereotyping will die and acceptance will take it's place, that our children in the future will blow a hole through the glass ceiling and progress to acquiescence of each other differances and celebrate them.

This age of electronic devises is a miracle.
Children born after nineteen ninety are known as born digital, they have devices available to them as infants and by the time they are three, are more computer savvy than most of the elderly.
Almost everything around them has some connection to the web, electronics or the internet.
I think it is becoming harder to satisfy their hunger for this medium.  Creating video games is a multi million dollar business.
Users conquer one game and move on to the next. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world

How will this effect them in their future life? Will it make them lazy, and non contributing to society?
There are those who say they are wasting their time while others say it is beneficial.
There are all kind of games, race games, puzzle games, war games and educational games to name a few.
Enter the picture,

a public charter school called Quest to learn, that claims to be the first school set up like a video game  all  the activities they do are just like quests that they complete to level up much like the game World of Warcraft,

which I love by the way. I have played off and on for over eight years, anyway back to the school, I think this would be the coolest school to go to if I were young. It support's learning and getting a solid foundation  as opposed to just regurgitating what a teacher wants to hear, and the child moving from one grade to the next even though they don't have the knowledge to progress. They will eventually hit a brick wall, become discouraged and quit because the don't have all of the tools to complete the task at hand. https://www.ted.com/talks/sal_khan_let_s_teach_for_mastery_not_test_scores?language=en

Having a school like this would give the child all of the tools to accomplish the desired task.

So when will they become the new standard and cover the nation? Soon I hope.
 
Source: Quest to learn-and why our schools should be more like a game.

What is citizenship?

It is defined as the state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen. ... the character of an individual viewed as a member of society; behavior in terms of the duties, obligations, and functions of a citizen.www.dictionary.com/browse/citizenship

While visiting Midwestern Medical School to have dental work done, I asked my dental student, "What comes too your mind when you think of citizenship?" She said she thinks differently about it because she has strong ties to her homeland. She is from Egypt and carries a duel citizenship. As we spoke she said that we as citizen's of this country take our citizenship for granted.

My students Mother is a doctor, and her father is a Pharmacist. Her mother won a trip to Canada through her work, and due to some really bazaar circumstances ended up in America. She became so enamored with our country that this was where she wanted her two children to grow up. I wondered why she would want to leave her homeland and I think it could be because of religious freedom.

coptic-christians  

 

The link above will take you to an article about religious freedom, one of our constitutional rights, as well as the responsibility of our citizenship, to allow all people the right to worship how, where, or what they may.

I rather enjoyed this clip from The Simpsons,

Apu Studies For His Citizenship Test

Do we as citizens of this great country take our citizenship for granted? Do we do our duties as citizens? Are we allowing all men to worship as they see fit?

In writing this blog I feel it warrants my attention and I feel the need to learn more in depth about our citizenship and then act upon it as I deem necessary. 

  On this day fifteen years ago this great nation lost it's innocence.
Looking back to that day, I ponder all that has happened. We as nation did not know of things like Isis, and the Al-Qaida, we did not understand that people who lived here and wore clothing different from ours were not the enemy, but at this time, these innocent lives were lumped into a group that we thought, through our ignorance were our enemies.
We did not know what social media was, or the power to effect change that it holds, we were just dipping our toes in that pond. Security changed forever, we now must remove our shoes, have full body scans and prove our identity.
A war was waged that we are still fighting. We have sacrificed so many of our young men and women to win this battle, will it ever end?
Our nation is coming apart at the seams, we are so separated now, when once we stood together all races, ethnicities, beliefs, religion's and genders.
Besides all the bad that we now see, there was good that came from all of this, social media exploded, and we are stronger and wiser.



 

Introduction

 Hi, I am Catherine, I am a mother of two adult daughters, and two adult sons, as well as grandmother to, three sweet little girls. I am retired and also a student, I felt after my husband passed that it was now my turn to get an education. I am working for an art degree. I love to do a lot of things crafty and artsy as well as camp, geocache and go Pokémon hunting. My favorite thing to do is spend time with my family doing fun stuff. My biggest pet peeves are the words a lot written as one word and toilet paper hung incorrectly. Here is the correct and patented way to hang it. 

I love music and my all time favorite music site is Spotify so here is a link, enjoy.https://www.spotify.com/us/