Watch Night Service

This was another one of my ideas on New Year's Eve, but since I wrote two that day, I saved this idea for later.

I was driving around on Tuesday and listening to NPR. They mentioned that the next day there would be a program about Watch Night Services and its history going back to Puritans. (Link takes you to the program on WGBH.) I had forgotten all about that term, and it reminded me of my childhood.

We always went to church on New Year's Eve. I always thought that's what church people did. It was a family celebration. We had games, food, sometimes a Christian film. We always ended with a service that usually included the Lord's Supper, beginning the new year at the Lord's table in the Lord's house with His people. I remember at one party we played "world cities" charades, children and adults playing on teams together. Another party was a scavenger hunt for part of it. Some of those Christian films were pretty corny, now that I look back on them. But this was way before the day of home video, so it was pretty special, especially for a kid growing up without TV!

I found out that this idea is not totally lost. I did a google search and found this article. It is well worth the read.

Why do we have fewer and fewer services together as a congregation? We no longer have Sunday evening services. Our church says they don't so we will come to the Bible study time on Wednesday. But why cut one service? Why not have both? Let's celebrate the holidays of the church. Israel had all their times of celebration throughout the year, but it seems since the Reformation, we've thrown out church celebrations.

Our culture has lost community. And the church is losing community. Maybe I just don't see it as much being in an urban rather than a rural church. But I have talked to several people and read some on the subject; people are longing for community. We have new single people and new families coming to our church. Are we forming a unique community? Our celebrations are often with those outside of our church community lessening the strength of that community. How can we build the strength of our church community while maintaining friendships with those from other churches, as well as staying close to our families not in our church body? I really would like to know.

The Watch Night Service. What a great idea! Let's get together....next year! Oh, wait. This year!

New Links for 2009

Happy New Year!! I hope you all had a super time last night bringing in the New Year. We did.

I have added a couple of links both are about photography. One is my nephew's (brother of luisa and Moot Thoughts.. son of Quid Nunc... that family is really into blogging!) The other two are really one. I found the link on the Caithness website. It's North Light. The man posts photos on his blog, but we can't make any comments there, so I also linked his Flickr page. Right now he has a photo album of 366 photos for 2008 all over Caithness. Linnea, you will love it. He has some lovely photos! Lots and lots of sea and rocks, sand and sky. I could wish for a little more wildlife, but if you go to his blog, there are links to others who do take photos of wildlife. It will give those of you who have never been there a glimpse of the pace we lived for four years of our lives and where both Will and Andrew were born. (The photo here is mine.)

Rose Bowl parade is on TV and we've set up the TV to make sure we catch both the Iowa game and the Nebraska game. Happy Football Day!

Celebrating 2008

Reflections

I have ideas and ideas of things to write about this last day of 2008, but no one wants to read a long blog. Nor would what I have to say be all that profound, but I'm going to get started anyway!

I read through the ESV of the One Year Bible every year. Everything finished up today. Revelation has me contemplating the idea of eternity. 22:4 "they shall see his face" v.5 "and they will reign forever and ever." Remember Moses could not or was not allowed to see God's face, but in eternity, we will see his face. Matthew Henry's commentary sums it up:

The supreme felicity of this paradisiacal state 1. There the saints shall see the face of God, there they shall enjoy the beatific vision. 2. God will own them , as having his seal and name on their foreheads. 3. They shall reign with him for ever; their service shall be not only freedom but honour and dominion. 4. All this shall be with perfect knowledge and joy. They shall be full of wisdom and comfort, continually walking in the light of the Lord, and this not for a time, but for ever and ever. (italics his)

Contemplating eternity at the END of a year puts things into perspective for me. We are already living forever. We will never stop being. Things that bug and bother me now, puh, what are they? Nothing should bother me!

It was a winner!

See the last blog. The hat and scarf were a hit. Pink is a favorite color, which I knew, and they both fit exactly like I was hoping they would. I did go with tassels, too, by the way. Check the photo out that I've uploaded since I posted the blog. Yes, it was Stephanie. She's the perfect model, no?

Finished another

I crocheted another hat last night. This time it turned out like I wanted it to. After doing two and ripping them both out, this one turned out. I wanted to make a hat that fit close to the head and down over the forehead. The patterns I had just weren't working. So I ripped them out and followed one pattern for the first six rows, then I made it up the rest of the way. I wanted something open around the lower part anyway. I'm hoping to get a photo later on today of someone wearing it.

To change the subject. Den has a friend at work who is crazy about kids' movies. He keeps loaning them to Denny and then asking if we've watched it yet. Last night's movie was KungFu Panda. It was pretty cute. Evil guy subdued by witless warrior trained by a Yoda character. Jack Black is the voice of the "Dragon Warrior". He so fits the part.

I got started on another scarf.....

Coffee with a friend later. No other plans this week. I got the house all cleaned up yesterday. With all that gorgeous sunshine, I couldn't help but feel like spring cleaning! Then I went for a walk.

Holiday handiwork

Like I mentioned earlier, I've picked up crochet and cross-stitch again after a 20 year hiatus! Guess I was too busy homeschooling and raising kids to do it.

This is what got accomplished so far in the last week or so. To give credit where credit is due, however, I only did the outline on the cross-stitch. It took me FOREVER and it is not very clean looking! My dear daughter picked it up while watching John Adams and whipped it up perfectly! sigh. Oh, for young eyes again! I thought about giving it away as a gift, but since it has Linnea's loving touch, I'm keepin' it!!

The hat my boys have dubbed a "Gramma hat". Guess it's not too chic, but it's warm. Better keep it and hope for the Gramma part some day! The scarves were really fun. Shall I put tassels on the pink one? I think I'm giving that one to Andrew's girlfriend. It's made with a kind of soft suede wool/yarn. It was really easy to work with. The blue one is really soft, but has a thread around the yarn that catches occasionally making it a bit frustrating. I've started another scarf made of that same stuff only warm yellows, greens, browns and oranges. Maybe I'll send them to the Ukraine....

It's been really fun to sit and do this. I feel like I'm learning something new as well as making something useful while using my time better. No more just sitting and watching movies! Well, I take that back. We watched Mamma Mia the other night and the scenery and action are so fun, I couldn't take my eyes off. It's only about an hour and a half....

Boy, do I wish I had a couple of fun girlfriends like that....!!! I can think of a couple of sisters that could get into Dancin' Girl!! *smile*