Francis of Assisi and the First Creche

Many, many ages ago, in the year 1223, something wonderful happened. A very spiritual man by the name of Francis of Assisi conceived of an idea to help the poor peasants who could not read learn about the birth of Jesus on earth. He would help people remember the Christ Child and how He was born in Bethlehem. 

Francis called it a “crèche,” the French word for cradle. Francis created the first crèche using real people, a real manger, a real ox and ass, and real shepherds. It was what is now called a “living nativity,” and there are many being created around the world at Christmastime, much as in the year 1223. (from The Life of St.Francis by Thomas of Celano)

I have always loved crèches. They bring me much ‘comfort and joy,’ whether it be a small one hanging on the Christmas tree,

                                          or sitting on a table top.  

Then two and a half years ago our very large pistachio tree in front of the Yuba City house fell down in the early morning of Pentecost. Miraculously the only damage was one small chip off a brick in the sidewalk. It took our dear friends, Deacon Brad and his brother, Jeff, about five days to cut up the giant tree and haul it away. I was so sad as we had planted the tree and enjoyed it for many years! Before they left I went around and picked up twigs and wedges of the cut limbs that were left on the ground. I planned even then to make a twig crèche with the little pieces. 

A number of years ago I had purchased a very small bag of tiny plastic nativity figures that I had tucked away for a project like this. A few days ago my husband, David, and I got them out with our hot glue gun and started to build a very small nativity scene. We used tiny pieces of bark for Baby Jesus’ cradle. I think Deacon Brad would be pleased!

                             

This is one way I keep my eyes on Jesus, by looking down upon the crèches of the Christ child as I walk through the house. May you be blessed as well with ‘comfort and joy’ in this Advent season, and all throughout the year. Amen.

   

                                 

Angels We Have Heard on High!

This is a photo a friend sent me of the beeswax angel I made for her this Christmas. Actually I made 45 of them to give one to every family at our church, Trinity Anglican Church in Marysville, CA. I wanted to thank everyone for serving as prayer warriors on our Trinity Prayer Team!

Every single person in our church who has an email address serves on our team, answering the call for healing prayers for those sick or injured. We have witnessed miracles...

The reason I chose beeswax angels is because last year we spent Christmas up in Portland with our son, Grady, and his lovely wife, Marianne. She was expecting a baby in February, so it was a really special time! My favorite ornament hanging on their tree was a beeswax angel made by Marianne's mother, Judy. I couldn't take my eyes off of it, how the light from the window shone through the angel's translucent body. I made up my mind right then and there that I was going to make some beeswax angels!

You start by procuring some beeswax. We live in a small community in the Sacramento Valley and I couldn't find any blocks of beeswax, so I bought some white blocks of wax from Michael's. They turned out very well, but the stark white did not appeal to me. I then ordered some blocks of beeswax from Amazon which also worked very well, but the angels were a little dark! So, I threw the white angels into the pot of beeswax, and I got pretty much the color I wanted, that the light would shine through.

I had looked around on the internet and found some ceramic angel molds from the Brown Bag Company. I don't believe they are still in business, but I saw lots of the molds available on ebay and ordered three different angels. They have little recipe books and direction books that you can get also, to make cookies or chocolates as well.

The first thing you need to do is brush a little bit of oil around inside each mold. Periodically you will need to brush a little bit of oil again when the angels become a little harder to get out.

Put a large pot on the stove with several inches of water on it. Take a smaller pot and set it in the water (double boiler style) and add a block of beeswax and a block of white wax to the smaller pot if you want lighter colored angels. It will take quite a long time to melt the wax, so start that early and keep an eye on the water so it doesn't go dry. Cover your stove with aluminum foil because you will get some splatters and spills of wax around. I put the burner on low for that reason. I sent for a butter warmer from ebay as well to use as a pourer. I just propped it up in the pot to keep wax from solidifying on it.

A few minutes before you start pouring angels, put the ceramic molds in the refrigerator or even in your freezer for a few minutes. It helps to get the angels loose if the molds are cold.

Then it's time to pour! Put the angel molds near the pot on a flat surface! Do this carefully and smoothly, and don't stop pouring midstream. Pour until the angel mold is full to the inside edge. Be sure to pour their little feet at the bottom. I usually start at the bottom so I won't forget!

There will be some spills as you learn how to do it. The nice thing is after your spills harden you can peel them off and drop them back into the pot!

The other thing you will need is some medium weight wire to cut about three inches long, then twist them with the ends going out to the sides. As soon as you pour an angel, take the wire loop and gently place it down into the top of the angel, and prop it against the top of the mold. Or you can wait a couple of minutes and put the loop down into partially solidified wax a little lower than the top of the angel so the loop won't show.

Let the angels set for a couple of minutes before you move them. You don't want the hot wax to spill out of the mold when you pick them up. Then you can carefully set the molds into your refrigerator to cool them faster. After a few minutes when you look in you will see that the angels are hardened and pulling away from the edges. That is when it's time to take them out of the molds.

You may need to go around the top side of the molds and remove any little pieces or strips of wax before you try to remove them. Throw them back in the pot as well! To remove the angels, you can gently insert a table knife along the side between the angel and the mold and apply a little pressure to lift it out. It should come out easily. If it doesn't, put the mold back in the fridge for a few more minutes and then try.

These three angels are ready to fly! After taking them out, look each of them over, and if necessary you can take a paring knife and go around any edges, very carefully, and trim off any this that doesn't belong there. When the molds are empty pop them back into the fridge or freezer to get cold again. I don't know for sure what the name of these molds are, but I call them...

The Lute Angel!

The Candle Angel...

And the Star Angel!

You could hang them with a pretty ribbon just as they are, but I wanted to get some gold paint at Michael's and paint on highlights. It really adds a lot and is so relaxing and fun to paint.

I set up a painting station on my kitchen table and just sat down to paint between other activities. I ended up painting 45 angels! I handed them out to the women at church on Sunday. The looks on their faces were priceless! What fun, what fun...

May you all have a Blessed and Merry Christmas and the Best Year Ever!!

Christmas Is Coming

Two Survivors Embrace Life and Each Other

Pete DiMartino and Rebekah Gregory were both seriously injured in the April 15 attack on the Boston Marathon that killed three people and wounded 275 others. They survived, but this year has been a trying one. Their love, however, could not be destroyed.

"You’re my best friend and I love you." Pete only started dating Rebekah a year ago, but he knew she was the one.

Pete lost 90 percent of his right Achilles' tendon and suffered multiple broken bones in his ankles. He spent months in physical therapy, learning to walk again. He has also had surgery on a ruptured eardrum.

Rebekah has undergone 14 surgeries as she still battles to keep her left leg. She can't put weight on it, has faced the idea of amputation multiple times and struggles with her situation every day.

This couple went through an incredible amount of hardship together, but even before that they knew they were meant to be together. 

"Going through an experience like the marathon makes you realize how short life really is and how we don’t really know how much time we have left. And I know that with my time there is nobody else I would want to spend it with," Rebekah said of her fiancé, who she met while on a work trip to Rochester. "It made me realize how much I cared about him and how much he was the only person for me."

So Pete got down on one knee beside Rebekah's wheelchair and asked her to share the rest of her life with him. True love cannot be stopped.

From GodVine.com

---

hands

-- Author Unknown

A football in my hands is worth about $20.
A football in Peyton Mannings hands is worth about $15 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A basketball in my hands is worth about $25.
A basketball in Shaquille O'Neal's hands is worth about $30 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Alex Rodriguez's hands is worth more than $20 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Venus Williams' hands is a championship winning racket.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A sling shot in my hands is just a kid's toy.
A sling shot in David's hand was a mighty weapon.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

As you see now... it depends on whose hands it's in.

So, put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands. Because... It depends on whose hands it's in.

This message is now in your hands. What will YOU do with it?
It Depends on WHOSE Hands it's in!!

From www.inspire21.com

"How Great is Our God"

God's greatness is limitless. It destroys barriers. It crosses cultures, races, creeds and religions. Whether sung in Spanish, English, German or Swahili, "How Great is Our God" is the anthem of every Christian!

Chris Tomlin and worship leaders from around the world sing
"How Great is Our God"
http://www.faithit.com/?p=1378

From faithit on Facebook

Love & Faithfulness

Let love and faithfulness never leave you: bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and Man.  Proverbs 3:3-4

From www.Heartlight.org