SeaHeart

It's dark out. The sun trips across the sky for only a few hours every day. The earth doesn't know what it wants to do, is half cold, half warm, thoroughly confused. It is past the Solstice, and yet we have not had snow. I hear the reports that in 1889 in Buffalo, they didn't get any snow in December, too. I wonder if they worried about the end of the world, if 1900 would bring about Armageddon, or if they were just really grateful that they didn't have to put on eighteen layers of coats and mufflers to go pee.

On the Winter Solstice, I performed my first ever Unitarian service. More people came to that service than the last three combined, curious to see what I was capable of...and they said they loved it. They warmed my heart with their joy for it, they made me feel like I had done what was needed, and they affirmed that little push in my heart that's been pushing for months. I'll...tell you about it later. <3

Afterward, we were taken out to dinner, we gave Bill his present...he shed and wiped away a single tear, and his voice shook when he thanked us. I cried when he gave us our present--my voice shook, too. Sometimes, the earth turns and magnificent things happen, and you meet the people you were meant to. And you can never predict exactly when that will be, or how long you have with them. So you're simply grateful.

I keep thinking about the people who changed my life, and the people I love. 'Tis the season for it. I keep thinking about my little goddess daughter, sending her love and light every day. I keep thinking about the women and men and boys and girls that fill my heart, and it is full, so full it might burst, and I really don't have words to convey the gratitude for the card with the sparkling glitter and heartfelt message, and the little package I retrieved from the mailbox on the worst day of the year that reminded me that I was loved, or how my wife wrapped me so close and tight beneath the Solstice tree, and how my kid sister gave me something I've been wanting since I was fourteen years old, her eyes twinkling, and how I got a phone call because "I was thinking about you, and I love you." Even in the season of darkness, of cold, of gestation and waiting and sleep, we remember one another, we reach out with warm hands to hold one another in the cold, dying light.

That's family. That's love. That's the holidays.

I'm so filled with gratitude, it's hard to articulate here. There are little things I'm grateful for: with the money we got from the holidays, and my royalties, I was able to pay off a little credit card. We haven't been able to make any headway on the cards in about nine or so months, and it was fucking exhilarating to write that check. (Normal people don't get this excited about paying off a credit card, I'm sure. ;D) We have a long way to go, but I feel hopeful about it again. My depression is--knock on every piece of wood in the world--gone. We are closing Glamourkin in a few days, and the coming creation that has been held secret is ready to burst through the doors, and Jenn and I are so filled with excitement and plans and lists and lists that we don't know how we're going to contain it until opening day. We've been to so many UU services these past few weeks, multiple services a week, but we still managed to--in the middle of Pennsylvania on the drive back up to NY on Christmas day--find one at a Pittsburgh church, randomly, and go. The pastor was so funny--he read one of my favorite stories, "The Gift of the Magi," and the sermon made me cry. <3 No matter where you are or who you are or when you go, any UU church welcomes you, a stranger, with smiling people, huge hugs, talk and coffee. It's one of the most comforting things in the world, knowing that. (And my hobby of visiting different UU churches when we travel grows by one more, putting us at...twelve, I think? I want to start a blog about it. ;D *laughing*)

The year opens up, a bright shining star of possibility. And we wait, hearts warm, hands clasped...together. <3

~*~

Below is the Winter Solstice Ceremony that I wrote for the Pullman Church--I'm sharing it here so people can read it if they wish (or, heck, you could do the meditation part, if the spirit moved you). <3 It is "Pagan lite," as this was the first service that ever introduced Pagan concepts to the church--as the months progress, I will be introducing more and more Pagan ideas, rituals, concepts to the congregation.

Lee (our pastor), Laura (my kid sister, who graciously sang for us <3) and Jenn all had parts, which I've included below.

I hope you enjoy. <3


image by uberfischer

( The Winter Solstice Ceremony at Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, 2011~ )

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.

~Susan Cooper

~*~

Tonight, I am leading the first annual Winter Solstice ritual/service/celebration at Pullman Memorial Universalist Church! If you're local and can make it, we'd love to have you!

I designed the ritual expressly for a congregation of people who have no knowledge of Paganism or Pagan customs, so it's a good introduction to a very simple ritual, and yet still contains something for the seasoned Pagan. It is our intention to introduce the congregation to ritual, and then build from there with Sabbat rituals and occasional esbats! This will be the first public ritual ever held at the historical Pullman church, and we are ecstatic to be introducing it, and to such a warm and hearty welcome. <3 <3 <3 Hopefully everyone enjoys it and calls for more!

Wish us luck? :D #Sparkle #Joy #SOMUCHCOFFEE


by Raffledoocious

<3 Today, I took Jenn to a little soup cafe. It was so cold outside, but the soup was so warm and delicious--we sat in front of the great glass window, watching the snow fall down, feather soft. Jenn's laughter was like bells, and I looked across to her and had one of these...moments, like I do. Like: this is the most beautiful woman in the world, and she has this special smile just for me. I love her so, so much, the snow in her hair, melted like little stars, her leg warmers, the way she holds her pinkie up when she uses a spoon. I love her.

<3 <3 <3 <3


<3 We've decorated for the Winter Solstice, all of our trees laden with their sparkles, Solstice cookies in the cookie jar. There is something so deeply satisfying about driving home to see the tree ablaze in the front window, the colored lights around the panes of glass shining in the dark, knowing that your wife loves you so much, will have tea and dinner ready the moment you come in, the dogs greeting you with enthusiastic licks, the kitties ready to cuddle.



<3 I'm almost done finalizing the preparations for my Winter Solstice ritual at the Unitarian church. It will involve glitter. You are not surprised. <3

<3 Tonight, we're going to the Fatima shrine's Festival of Lights--it's free, and is supposed to be very, very shiny--it's a drive through of different lit displays. I'm so excited~

<3 Tomorrow night, my parents, Jenn and I are going to my favorite coffee shop's dessert and dinner theater of "The Bells of St. Mary's." I'm such a sucker for that movie, it'll be so lovely to see it on the big screen! This is after the Daughters of the American Revolution's gala in the afternoon to honor our friend, Bill, who is a Historian Superhero. We are getting all dolled up, I shall wear my favorite dress with the stockings and my little shoes with the bows on them. /IAmTotallyNotTurningIntoABritishGirl

<3 In the world of WRITING, I'm writing Ragged, editing The Tea Spell, planning a book I can't tell you about (YET! SOON!) and writing an outline for an upcoming novel of me as Elora, O Mistress Mine, and reworking Twixt. The Dark Wife won Honorable Mention in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi category of the Rainbow Awards, but the thing that I adored more than biscuits were the darling awards I won at Salem's Rainbow Reader, Best of 2011 Awards. XDDDDD AND I QUOTE:

The Dark Wife won: "The hottest, most smokin' Lord of the Underworld in Lingerie" award (WHEN DOES SHE HAVE LINGERIE ON, OH GODS, I THINK I DIED, I LOVE THIS SO FREAKIN' MUCH. XDDDDDDDDD)

"Far" won: "Best use of a sketchy dystopian soul recycling machine" (THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT.)

I hope your weekends are wonderful~ <33333333333333

I could not be more happy, or feel more ecstatic. Tonight is the Second Annual Spiral Dance and Yule Celebration in Buffalo. Last year's event was one of the most fulfilling, beautiful and dynamic group magical workings I have ever had the deep pleasure to participate in. I can not *wait* for this evening, and--when dancing to the most primal of rhythms, calling back the light and partaking in the deep joy of the spiral dance, I'll be holding you in my heart. :) <3

Tomorrow, Jenn and I are having our Solstice celebration. I can not wait~

There is so much joy, so much love...I'm too excited for words. I hope your day is bright and beautiful--I hope you feel the love~ The world is spinning ever closer to the light. <3


by dragonflypath

- The Wishes, Comfort and Joy post has turned into something amazing. Courageous people are posting their wishes, and having them answered, and answering one another, and finding new friendships and little miracles in this beautiful season of light. Your kindness, unceasing generosity and compassion have left me in awe, and I am so endlessly blessed to be surrounded by people who are this good, this brilliant. :) If you haven't yet taken part in it, there is a whole lot of sparkle and love, waiting for you there. Hop in~ <3

- I cleaned up my userinfo page and added many new people that I hadn't known friended me yet (I'm an oldschool user--I've had my journal for almost nine years, and it doesn't send me an email when someone has friended me!). Sorry you were waiting so long, and welcome~! :) It'll be nice to get to know you~

- This is all very rushed, because this afternoon, Jenn and I are flying out to Chicago to spend the weekend with part of our soul family--Rachel (songtoisis), Daniel and Graeme. :) I have been looking forward to this trip for months--a bright, glowing set of moments in the normally hectic month that will rejuvenate and fill up my well with love, goodness, happiness and mirth. I have missed Rachel so much, I can't articulate it, and to be able to spend time with her in her new home, celebrating one of the most beautiful seasons nature gives us fills up my heart with joy~ I Can. Not. WAIT!!!! :)

- So, I have this amazing wife. Have I, you know, mentioned her lately? XDDDD I'm kind of ridiculously in love with her, and she's an angel, and her name is Jenn. The other day, we were making gifts at the card table together, and I was doing something tiny and painstaking, and I stopped for a moment to stretch. "You know?" I told her. "I want to tell stories that will change people's lives." It kind of came out of nowhere, this deep memory of what I so badly want to do--we hadn't been talking about it--but she smiled up at me, and said: "you will." I sat back down and looked at the VERY LONG LIST of gifts yet to make, and said sweepingly: "Oh, I can't--not yet! In January it starts back up full time again. Right now, I have gifts to make!" She stopped what she was doing and said, very quietly: "well, this is a gift to the world." Yeah. I cried. ;;;-;;; Gah, I love her...

- So this post is not TOTALLY MushMcMushershon, here is an absolutely adorable picture of My Parrot, otherwise known as Orca, and my incredibly wonderful wife. I'm training Orca how to stand on my shoulder while I walk around--he loves it, and I'm looking witchier every day~ ;D He came trained on how to give DEBILITATINGLY ADORABLE HUGS.

I've been sick since Wednesday, and have been miserable and have had nothing to say other than silly little things. Like: I wish I could stop sneezing. Or: I've been thinking a lot about zombies. Or: I've been DREAMING a lot about zombies. Or: why is everything hillarious when you're sick? In a sad, sad way? XD

So instead of me being miserable, I give you: BEH BEH PICTURES. Because there is nothing to cheer a person up more than a fuzzy person. :) <33333 Or, at least, I like to think so. Our behbehs, knowing how I felt, stuck with me like glue all weekend, as always~ My beautiful sweethearts~

I don't know if I've posted any of these before or if Jenn has. I iz fuzzy headed. XD

Orca wants to get dangerous. Shiva just wants treats.


( More fluff this way! )