Happy Epiphany!

Today we moved the wise men into the Nativity scene and read about their remarkable journey and humble adoration of the Christ Child. We decorated and ate star cookies. (Jon just couldn't resist making one last batch of his holiday specialty, "Sour Cream Cookies.") We made sparkly stars to hang in the windows and over the table. We sang more carols and continued to savor the Christmas Season.


Now we will look forward to Sunday's celebration of the Baptism of Jesus. I guess after that we really will need to take down the decorations and settle into Ordinary Time. However, I did recently hear that some families have the tradition of keeping up the decorations until Candlemas (February 2nd). We'll see. As Ray notices more and more of the holiday decorations disappearing around town, he keeps saying, "Wow, they must not be Catholic!" Today I explained to him that even the Catholics are finishing up the Christmas season now. :)

I recently read a great post about finding ways to really celebrate the Christmas Season for twelve full days. This homeschooling mom notes that she has developed many special traditions and devotions for Advent, so many that it seems they were celebrating Advent MORE than Christmas. I love her ideas for celebrating Christmas more fully. I've got the post printed and filed for next year! You can read it here:
http://pinewoodcastle.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/01/on-the-twelfth-day-.html


Finally, a favorite prayer and blessing for this holy Feast:


When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoners,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
(by Howard Thurman)



Blessing
On this Feast of Epiphany,
May the Light that guided the magi to the Christ Child
guide you in all your journeys.
And may that same Light of God shine within you,
that others may see its brilliance as you go about the
work of Christmas in the coming year.
(by Debbie Payden)