Thoughts on a New Year

One should have been sleeping, but this one was lying abed between the wee hours and dawn, wide awake and no prospect of getting back to sleep.

I would not count sheep; don't like mutton, and Mary can darn well keep her little lamb.  Instead, I thought about the impending 2013 on the calendar, and I realized that I had not yet factored the number.

2013 will not be a prime year.

3 x 11 x 61 = 2013

and thus the factors of 2013 are 1,3,11,33,61,183,671, and 2013.  I don't see anything in there that bodes particular good favor.  But then I don't generally put much stock in numerology.*

Finally, the restless night passes, the sun rises and another cold day in the Midwest is in prospect.

The morning news seems to indicate only  that 2013 will begin as 2012 ends, cold.  A glance at the calendar tells us that February has lost its "extra" day and is back to its truncated truncated state.

Flipping forward we find that once again July will follow June.

Then 365 days from now we will be looking 2014 in the eye.   Should we  live so long.  It won't be prime, either.

*Arithmetic, on the other hand, I believe in.

growls and grins

Old man vanilla looked out
on the earth a-freezin'
where the snow lay round about.
He's sittin' here a-sneezin'.

Four more inches of heavy wet
white upon the world has set
 (sat? fat, rat, ratz,
ramafrazzle rackafratz).

Tannenbaum, O, Tannenbaum

 Late Christmas night just before going to bed, I removed the lights from the outdoor tree lest they be frozen there all winter.  Preparation for the storm.

And the wind came, and the snow came, and night.  In the morning, air temperature still below freezing, the sun came up and shone upon the tree.  Nature redecorated the tree, and did a marvelously artistic job, a more beautiful after-Christmas tree than the Christmas tree was with all its bright lights.

We are an artistic bunch, mankind.  Yet with all our talent, technology and creativity, we cannot match the delights of the natural wonders with which the Creator of All Things has endowed us.

Blechh!

Of course I was not going outside to photograph the "natural wonder."  Hence, you are treated to the view through my screen.

Gift Scarf and Möbius

My sister, Ilene, gave to BBBH an "Infinity Scarf."  Trade-name, I guess.  Anyway, one glance at the beautifully-made fabric item assured me that it was a Möbius strip.  I announced this information to the gift recipient at once.  She was less than interested.

So I started with my standard seventh-grade presentation of the concept.  A  Möbius strip is a geometric figure which has only one side, and possesses but one edge.  (She:  So?)  Clearly this was going to rival in difficulty the actual presentation to a seventh grade class.

It is lots of fun to make a paper model of this figure with its weird properties, for with a pencil and a pair of scissors some amazing results can be obtained. (So?)

I am now talking to myself.  I did not even get to the rudimentary math involved, and that is the real fun!  The advantage lies with the seventh graders, for they are a captive audience, and may not wander from the precinct at will.

Never mind the background.

Sugar Plums Pop, and...

Christmas! morning, sometime before daybreak.  Eldon, still in pjs, slips silently into the living room, as  kids all over the world have done for generations.

There it is!  The package is exactly right.  He knows!  This is it!  This is the Christmas! Eldon has been dreaming of for, well, ever since he can remember.

The swinging door connecting the kitchen and the living area swings into the room and Dad enters.  Mom is right behind Dad.  "Go ahead, Son," Dad says.  "Rip 'er open!"

He didn't have to be told twice.  (For once in his life.)

So as we allow Eldon to enjoy his gift, let us all reflect on the greatest gift of all, the Gift of Eternal Life.

• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men." --John 1:1-4

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

He caught her in a jewelry store.  She is happy; he is terrified.

Vanilla and BBBH wish you a Merry Christmas!

May the blessings of the Season be yours now; and the Grace of God be with you evermore.

Advent Sunday Four

On the Fourth Sunday in Advent, the first three candles are re-lighted, and the fourth candle, the Candle of Peace, is lighted. The Scripture lessons are these:

From The Prophets: Micah 5

Excerpt: But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 5:2

The Gospel: Luke 1:39-55
Excerpt: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." 1:46b

The Psalm 80:1-7
Excerpt: "Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved." 80:7

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:5-10
Excerpt: "And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. " 10:10

Anticipate the Coming of the Lord. Contemplate the Peace of the Lord.

Worship the Great God who has given us His Son, the spilling of Whose blood alone can make us fit for the Kingdom. Go in faith believing, live in peace with your fellow men. Share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Rejoice!