I wrote this poem upon my brother’s passing. May it bring comfort as we remember all the saints and souls who have gone before us.
The poem tells the story of what the dogs my Brother David and his wife owned were thinking about in his absence.
Where is my Master?
Zooey looked at Sis, in that mischievous way, Where is our Master? I want to go out and play.
Our yips are a little less yippee, Our yaps a little less yappy, What happened to our Master, Who always made us happy.
He gave us kisses and never fleas. He let us do our business on his trees. What happened to him? Where did he go? And what happened to our Mom, She is moving rather slow.
Alvin pawed at Jasmine , And echoed what Zooey said. Where is our Master? who always patted our head.
He gave us snacks, And it was always a treat, When he let us wrestle, At the boots on his feet.
Where is he Jasmine? Where is he now? We got to help Mom, And find him somehow.
Then Sis looked at her siblings, And said with a sisterly grin. You can’t look for him outside, You have to look within.
For like our brother Ranger, He went to his Master above. Who entered the world one December, And showered it with love.
And he waits for us in Heaven, Again, leading the way. Where there will be no more sorrow, And all good dogs get to stay.
Then all four dogs were silent, As they turned inward and prayed, And in their souls they saw our Master, And again with their Dad David,
Last Sunday was the feast of the Epiphany, the typical ending of the Christmas season. In this context, the Epiphany is defined as the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles represented by the Maji (the Three Kings). I wonder what the Maji felt as they returned to their homeland and got further and further away from the Christ child and the Star of Bethlehem. Did they feel sorrow and sadness, or did the knowledge of the epiphany spur them to greater spiritual heights?
We Live Life Between Epiphanies
Epiphany has a second definition in the secular sense. It means a sudden revelation or insight. For example, you can imagine Thomas Edison saying, “I had an epiphany after inventing the first light bulb,” or Alexander Graham Bell’s excitement when he first heard the voice over the telephone. It is easy to be motivated while you’re having an epiphany or leading up to a new insight. But most of our lives happen in between epiphanies. What you do in between inspirations leads to a meaningful life.
Today’s blog is all about what we do in between epiphanies. How do we discern and discover our next great insight? What are the steps that we follow to reach that next epiphany? How do we remain hopeful and motivated in between the high points? Most importantly, how do we prepare for the final epiphany that occurs only in our passing? You can read related blogs here and here.
Searching for Your Next Epiphany
The wise men did not go blindly in search of the prophesized King. Instead, they read the charts to find the Star of Bethlehem, their North Star that led to the Epiphany. Similarly, ship captains look for the North Star to orient them North correctly.
Finding your next North Star is equally vital as you navigate life’s trials. The best way to determine where to go next is by reflecting on your last peak experience. What about your previous highlight made you fulfilled and on the right track? How do you build on that insight to raise yourself to a higher level?
Here is an example. In 2015, I had a clear North Star. I had to lose weight and get healthy to support my family and team. I reached my goal of losing 150 pounds, which was both exhilarating and worrisome. After achieving the goal, I could have had a letdown after the initial high.
Instead, I decided to build on what I had learned and pay it forward to others. Also, I understood that although I had improved my body, my soul still needed work. So, I made a goal to apply the lessons I learned in meeting my health targets to improve my soul. I established targets for prayer and ways to display kindness to others.
Once you have determined your North Star, you need to envision it. Develop a Vision Board, a series of pictures and text describing where you are going next, and keep it where you can see it daily.
Following Your New North Star
Identifying your purpose and next peak is step one. Now, you need to make a plan to reach it. Think of all the planning the wise men had to do to get to Bethlehem. They had to secure Camels, provisions, and equipment for the long journey. They also had to adjust to the sandstorms that knocked them off their path.
You need to practice similar intentionality, planning, and adjustment. Establish interim SMART goals to guide you on your journey. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Do not wander lost in the desert of irrelevance buffeted by the sands of discontent. Instead, like the wise men, they plan to reach the Epiphany at the appointed time. And do not get knocked off-track by the occasional sandstorm.
Living the Mountain Top Moment
When you reach a high point, relish it. Live in the moment and learn from it to carry on during the low periods.
Again, take the example of the Three Kings. They took the time to pay homage to Jesus and presented gifts of honor and thankfulness. They also used their experience to change their lives. The Bible records that they returned to their land by a different path, avoiding Herod. Also, the Epiphany and its memory sustained them on their long journey home.
It also changed their direction in life. After the Nativity visit, the three kings lived a virtuous life. Legend has it that they were instructed and baptized by St. Thomas the Apostle in his travels to the East.
The Magi’s experience after the Epiphany has important lessons for us as we savor a high point and then return to everyday life. First, celebrate your achievement and take time before moving on to the next thing. Second, distill the lessons learned from your peak and use them as fuel for the road. Lastly, when you hit a roadblock to your next destination, recall your Epiphany to provide hope and faith.
The Last Epiphany
As we travel our earthly road, one thing should guide our direction while we live between Epiphanies—the last revelation. The life we have lived and the kindnesses we have shown will be measured when we see God face to face. This final road may be long and hard for our bodies, but our souls can strengthen until we reach the everlasting Epiphany.
Christmas is meant for community. Each year, the light that comes into the world brings us together. This joy is to be shared among friends, family, and neighbors!
I remember sharing this joy and love in my hometown of Crosswicks, NJ. Here is a picture of Main Street blanketed in snow. It got me dreaming of Christmas in Crosswicks.
Picture of Main Street Crosswick by Katherine Caldwell
I am never tired of thinking of Christmas in my hometown. The snow glistens in the trees. The 100+ year old Christmas tree bursting into light! Neighbors singing Christmas Carols around a bonfire and later warming themselves with hot apple cider. The candlelight service in the 200-year-old Quaker Meeting House. There are four main reasons Christmas in Crosswicks is unique and makes the holiday shine brighter.
Christmas in Crosswicks is Historic
Crosswicks was settled by Quaker immigrants in 1677, and Christmas celebrations and worship have been ongoing ever since. The Quaker Meeting House, which still stands and holds the annual Candlelight service each Christmas, was built in 1773. It even held the ceremony during COVID, except it went virtual, keeping the tradition unbroken.
The Christmas of 1776 is particularly noteworthy. Colonial troops occupied Crosswicks under General Cadwalader in preparation for the historic Battle of Trenton, one of the turning points of the Revolutionary War.
Crosswicks celebrated the 105th lighting of the large Christmas tree in the Quaker fields near the Community House. To see the magic, look at this link for this year’s virtual ceremony.
One last Christmas moment relates to a historic building three buildings from my home. Brick’s Mincemeat Factory was built in 1879 and, until 1968, was the state’s largest producer of mincemeat. It is now a historical building but still holds special memories of the mincemeat pies we had each Christmas.
The historic nature of Christmas in Crosswicks makes it special but not necessarily unique. I encourage everyone to learn more about the history of your town related to Christmas.
Sharing of Faith and Fellowship
Crosswicks had diversity when it came to faith and denomination. I have already mentioned that Quakers founded the city, and the candlelight service at the Quaker Meeting House is a fixture of the holiday season. However, one of the things that I remember most about the holiday season is learning about Hanukkah at my elementary school each year. I still remember the dreidel song taught to us by one of my friend’s mother. Hanukkah was also the Festival of Light, represented by the menorah.
We also had the United Methodist Church, which my good friend attended. I would sing songs like “Go Tell It on the Mountain” with her father, a retired Methodist minister, that we did not usually sing in my Catholic Church.
We also had the historic Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in 1868 and located three buildings down the street from my house. I remember the Christmas hymns of joy echoing forth from the Church. We of Crosswicks were of different faiths and denominations, but we shared our beliefs and joy openly during the season.
Joining in Civil Community
We also joined each holiday season in the civil community. Our family joined our fellow “Crosswicksians” each year in the annual bonfire and Christmas Tree lighting. We would all circle the tree at the Community Center and sing Christmas Carols, both secular and religious. Voices rose together as one community, and we sang of hope and love! Later, we drank hot apple cider, ate donuts, and shared fellowship about the encroaching holiday season. To close the day, Santa Claus would ride on the back of the firetruck and toss candy to all of us. It was all a kid could want!
Exploring the Wonders of Winter with Friends
After all that candy, cider, and donuts, we needed an outlet to burn off the calories. Our rural town (imagine that in Jersey) offered many options in the winter months.
No Netflix for us! We grabbed our skates and went skating on the Frog Pond behind the library, or better yet, we sled down “the Hill” behind the old Firehouse. I remember leaving the house at 8 a.m. some days and not returning until 9 p.m. The only breaks were a grape soda and candy at Applegate’s Market.
We even exercised when getting our Christmas Trees. There was no Papa Noel’s or Walmart for us. We went with our Dad to cut down a tree at Nicholson’s Tree Farm. I am envious of my cousin since she still lives down the street.
In closing, Christmas in Crosswicks was full of faith, fellowship, and fun. That is why, some forty years later, I still dream of Christmas in the Crosswicks. You may be dreaming of Christmas in your hometown. Christmas in recent years, especially during Covid, feels different from the past. We may congregate again but sometimes stand apart from our fellow citizens. And even when in proximity, we sometimes rip each other apart with cutting remarks.
For some, the light of Christmas may seem a bit dimmer in recent years. And, despite our best efforts to set our homes alight like the Griswolds, we cannot capture the brightness of a smile or the warmth of a human touch. Light does not come from a bulb! Instead, it comes from hearts joined by the joy of Christmas!
Say a prayer for someone in need. Donate to a charity. Most of all, we should honor the light that has come into the world with worship and kindness for all. Until next year, I have been dreaming of Christmas in Crosswicks. Let me close with a song.
Christmas in Crosswicks
I am dreaming of Christmas in Crosswicks, Just like the ones I used to know, Where people got together, In all kinds of weather, To watch the Christmas tree aglow!
I am dreaming of Christmas in Crosswicks, And the bonfires in the night, May all your memories be bright, And when we cross the wicks with neighbors, we bring more light!
This Christmas Eve, we wait expectantly for God’s Love Incarnate. Not the gooey-eyed love we experience on a porch swing and a first kiss, but rather the long, hard-fought, victorious love that endures past a last kiss at the cross. The love of a God who so loved the world that he gave his only Son. The Love of our Lord who in the dungeons of Caiaphas, the agony of the Garden, and nailed to the Cross loves us, dies for our sins to be resurrected and gain us a path to Heaven.
The Love of Mary agrees to bring God into this world and stands there at the foot of the cross. She takes that hard-won love with her to the house of John, where she leads the apostles until she is assumed into Heaven and crowned its Queen. The love of a God that endures in the church and the sacrifice of the Saints. Despite our faults and sins, the Love is returning to the Mount of Olives!
This Christmas Eve, we wait expectantly for the incarnation. St. Paul in Philippians 2:5-11 speaks to the emptying of God, which in Greek is called Kenosis. For more insight on Kenosis and poetry on the topic, click this link to read Kenosis by Lucy Shaw with insights from Malcolm Guite.
In closing, the poem I wrote a few years back on the passing of a loved one is appropriate today. My brother went on to the next life today during this last week of Advent. I look forward to meeting again and holding him in my heart.
Love’s Everlasting Kiss by Don Grier
Love does not come easy, it’s built-in trials, minute by minute, day by day. It is built on sorrow, As much as hope, Tears and hardship, As much as laughter. It does not flit, It does not float, It is SOLID, and it ENDURES! Why love then? It is our purpose and mission, What we were built for, What God designed! Because love does not last, for a minute or an hour. It lasts a lifetime, and through eternity. So, drive on through the pain, And strive through the sorrow And with one last kiss, Reach for the tomorrow. And, remember in waiting, Not the words left spoken or tears, But the smile and loving eyes, That resound through the years.
Be Good Not Great! 