Windows and Wishes

I had to do a presentation at an organization downtown and used the occasion to walk from our North Side office, across the 9th Street Bridge, and into town. The presentation went fine and as the office was across the street from "Macy's" I decided to go look at the famous "Macy's Holiday Windows" as it is one of the best things about the city of Pittsburgh during the holidays.

Each holiday season, Macy's decorates some of its storefront windows that face the busy Smithfield Street. The windows are used to tell a story. This year, however, there wasn't a moving narrative but instead, each window offered various perspectives on traditions and familiar events in this festive time.

There was a window depicting people ice-skating at the outdoor rink at PPG Place; another had a scene of a couple meeting underneath the Kaufman's clock; and one of a little child watching on t.v. the film, "Miracle on 34th Street" and in the window the real movie is actually playing! Very cool!

I was completely drawn into this presentation and came very close to pressing my nose up against the glass.

However, it was the last vignette that stopped me. The window scene was divide between a child placing a letter to Santa in a mailbox and the other part of the window had three panels of changing photos and wishes. These wishes were made by real children living with very serious, threatening illnesses. Beyond their sickness, these children had even bigger wishes. "I want to swim with the dolphins." "I want to visit a Dude Ranch." "I want to go on a safari in Africa." "I want to spend a lot of time with Thomas."

'Tis the season for making lists. May it also be the season for helping to make wishes and dreams come true.

sj;

25 Days of Christmas: 2

If you spend anytime having conversation with a child, sooner or later you will be asked the question, "What's your favorite color?"

Great question. It reveals your likes. It reveals a bit about your personality; answer black or white and watch the reaction you get from the kid. If the child thinks your cool and happening, your favorite color will soon become hers or his.

Pay attention to the colors of this season. Which ones work for you?

Of course there are the reds and greens, the gold and white, and purple makes a strong appearance this time of year --- that whole royalty thing.

For me, the color of Advent is midnight blue. Maybe it's because Mary is always portrayed wearing blue, although the shade is more royal than midnight. Yet, deep, dark, midnight blue evokes calmness, coolness, crispness, mystery that draws you in.

Make note of the colors that dominate the season. Where do you notice the colors of the season? What does green symbolize for you? Is too much gold color too much? Why red? Where do you see midnight blue?

As part of paying attention this season, watch the colors and notice how you respond.

sj;

On the "first" day of Christmas....

'Tis the holiday season and time for a blog that resembles more a daily blog than a seasonal one.

Advent is my favorite season in the church year --- I love the preparing, the anticipation, the gatherings, the music, the symbols, the silence, the good will; what better time than this to resume the blog.

This series of blogs will be my own version of the "Twenty-Five Days of Christmas." Because it's now the third of December, on some days I'm going to need to double-up.

Hope this is the foundation of the festivities we prepare for and celebrate. There is the hope of getting what one wants for Christmas.
There is the hope of a new start that the season of Advent brings as with it a new year begins in the life of the church.
There is the hope of gathering the family together.
There is the hope of finding light and life in the places and people that surprise you.

One of my favorite parts of this blog is the section called the "Hope Tracker" along with reading the post, I hope you also scroll down to read the various hope tracks.

I challenge you to look for the tracks of hope within your own life and the places where you live and move and build your being.

In this far too busy season, I encourage you to find time for lots of silent nights and quiet times for reflection. Here's a quote by Cornell West to get you started:

“Hope and optimism are different. Optimism tends to be based on the notion that there's enough evidence out there to believe things are gonna be better, much more rational, deeply secular, whereas hope looks at the evidence and says, "It doesn't look good at all. Doesn't look good at all. Gonna go beyond the evidence to create new possibilities based on visions that become contagious to allow people to engage in heroic actions always against the odds, no guarantee whatsoever." That's hope. I'm a prisoner of hope, though. Gonna die a prisoner of hope.”

Let us journey;

sj;