Today is the fourth day of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, the day of Joy.
music
Brrr
It was brutal out there this morning.
It had actually warmed up a bit, by the time I took this screen shot. There was no wind that I could tell, yet it takes next to no breeze at all to drive the wind chill down.
That cats outside seem to be okay. I spotted one of the more feral mamas inside the cat house, alone, while the crowd was in the sun room and isolation shelter, when I first started putting the food out. I start out with two gallon jugs of hot water, but it’s just warm by the time I fill the water bowls.
I changed out the litter boxes in the sun room today. They were frozen solid. As soon as they were done, I turned around and there were too kittens using them! One ran off when I came too close. I’m glad they figured out the litter boxes, though some clearly are just going on the concrete. Something to clean up in the spring, when the mess is no longer frozen. Beats trying to go in the snow, so I can’t fault them for doing it!
Ha! No thanks, Bing. I’ll stay inside, where it’s warm.
The Re-Farmer
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By the king, for the King
I’ve never heard this cover before!
My first memory of Elvis was actually the day he died. I was watching the news with my dad. I don’t even remember the announcement, but I remember asking my dad who he was. My dad was clearly deeply saddened while telling me, he was a very good singer.
They don’t make ’em like this, anymore, that’s for sure.
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Musical interlude
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Peace
I missed posting on the first Sunday of Advent, the day for Hope. The second Sunday of Advent is the day for peace, and I thought this rendition of Oh Come, Oh Come Emanual suites very well.
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A musical break while planning posts
I’ve started on my 2025 garden analysis posts, which means I’ve got way too many tabs open as I review things to plan and organize my analysis.
Which is a good time for some Christmas music as a distraction! I’ve never heard this old cover of Good Kind Wenceslas before.
Bing sure had a smooth and unique voice.
Enjoy!
The Re-Farmer
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Feast of the Epiphany
Today is January 6 which, in our family, is our official last day of Christmas.
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day. When the girls were little, they would have put their shoes out last night, filled with “hay” for the three kings’ camels, which would be replaced with a few treats and small toys for them to find in the morning.
The Bible doesn’t actually say there were three kings. Rather, it speaks of the Magi – wise men – from the East, who came bearing gifts for the newborn king of the Jews, and doesn’t say how many there were. It mentions three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:9-11
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
While nativity scenes often have the wise men at the stable with a newborn Jesus in the manger (the “inn” referred to in English translations would more accurately have been translated as “upper room”, and the stable would have been in the lower room of an extended family household, overcrowded by other family members come to Bethlehem for the census). By the time the magi arrived, Joseph and Mary would have been properly married and, as described in the verses above, living in their own house. By the time Herod realized the magi were not returning, enough time had passed that he ordered all males under 2 yrs old in Bethlehem slaughtered. I’ve read estimates, based on what is know of the region and likely population of Bethlehem at the time, that the number of children killed might have been about 17, though of course, no one really knows.
Joseph, Mary and Jesus were safely in Egypt by then. Egypt was also under Roman rule, so this was akin to moving to another province or state.
At this, we have a close to our Christmas season. I hope you and yours have had a blessed time, and that the new year will be one of peace and good health, and may all your needs be met.
The Re-Farmer
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The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Today, January 5, is the twelfth day of Christmas, and the memorial day for another more modern saint; St. John Neumann, a Bohemian born American.
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The 10th Day of Christmas
Today, January 3, is the tenth day of Christmas. Rather than honoring a saint, today honours a name. The Most Holy Name of Jesus.
Jesus, of course, is the name we know in the English language. I grew up in a Polish household and, while spelled the same, we pronounced is YEH-sus (the J in Polish has the same sound as the English Y).
In Hebrew, 2000 years ago, it was Yeshua (Joshua), which means Yahweh Saves. It was actually a common name in the period. The Greek translation is Iesous. He was also Emmanuel, which means “God with Us”. There were other names and titles attributed to Him as well, but the most important one is the one He used for himself, in John 8:58. I Am. That is the name of God himself, from Exodus, and is an example of when Jesus directly identified Himself as being God incarnate, which ultimately got Him executed.
Which didn’t quite go the way the Pharisees planned, now, did it? 😁
The Re-Farmer 