What was it like that very first Christmas? Cold, dark, ***** and smelly, but through all of that, the shining light, the fire of the Holy Spirit and the one who would reach through our dirtiness and smelliness to cleanse the world was born. There was peace, there was joy, there was love and most of all there was hope. Shepherds came from the fields nearby who, upon seeing the star and hearing the heaven's proclaim the good news of great joy, came swiftly to pay homage to the baby king. Born so low so to connect with us and our humanity and in order that he might one day be raised so as to raise us up to more than we can be. The journey to Bethlehem was long and hard. Did you know, did you have any idea what was going to happen to your baby boy? All that he was to do and all that he had to suffer? All of this happened so quickly. There wasn't any time to process any of it. Thinking about t, I am so overwhelmed and I didn't even go through it. But you, a young simple girl, kept all these things and silently reflected on the in your heart. How often do we hear news of something good or bad and simply react without thinking? Or how many of us take the time after a retreat, after being on the mountaintop with God, take the time to keep all these wonderful powerful moments and reflect on them in order to bring them with us back to the valley of our everyday lives? How many of us take the time to reflect on what we learned and try to apply that to our lives and help us to mature and grow as your son did at the home in Nazareth in stature and favor with both God and man? Mary, mother of God, help us to imitate your example and pause for a few moments to take in all that is around us and reflect on these things in our hearts and in our lives. Be with us, pray for us, and hold us in your arms and close to you always. We love you Mary. Thank you for your "Yes" and your incredible faith. May we have the grace and strength and courage to do the same. We ask this and all things through Christ our Lord, AMEN.

A new year is upon us, another time around the sun
A year full of faith and fellowship and fun
A year of family and friends and joy and dreams
Laughter and tears, hopes and fears.
Every year there is a cause for hope for things to come and things to change
Some things we do differently, but most just stay the same.
This year is  a year of Hope! A year to believe in miracles and dreams
A time to walk by faith and not by sight; to quest for the unseen.
It is a year of big things happening, changes great and small
The year may not reveal all the answers, but leads us all to hope.
Hope for families, hope for peace, hope for jobs, for freedom and release
If we come together in love and unity
We can make this world a little better and a little brighter than when it first arrived
Come to the water, let it wash over you and take the dive.
The spirit is moving swiftly and roaring like a lion
Stirring our hearts and starting fires in our souls
Breathing the spark of life back into these flickering coals.
Dry bones will come alive and the earth itself shall cry out
And God's people will have no doubt:
He is Risen, He is Alive, we have been set free
And that knowledge alone is Hope enough for me!

Amen!

New Year's Eve
is it really a new start?
same antique feelings,
same broken heart,

same spinning head,
same lost soul -
is there much point
of holding on at all?

but this year will be better,
my hanging head will rise.
I will not let this fool
of my sorrow lead to my demise.

and so new year please
bring on the challenge.
with it i will grow,
create a new life to follow.

This year:*

(for those with brave hearts)
I hope you find the strength to make your choices and fight for the life that you want.
I hope you look up from all your hard work and realize how much you've grown.
I hope you find yourself saved sometimes.
I hope you find time to get lost, in your head, in the wilderness, to explore forests, and gaze into rivers.
I hope you find your best self looking back at you. I hope you know you're always growing.
I hope you feel challenged.
I hope you never stop believing in the view from the top of the mountain.
I hope you get there. I hope you find it was worth it.

(for the softhearted)
I hope you find more time to laugh.
With your friends, at yourself, or at the world for ever thinking it could hurt you.
I hope you can take the pain and say "thank you."
i hope you realize it has only made you all the more good, all the more beautiful.
I hope you start looking less at the mirror, start believing more in who you are in other people's eyes, what you know you are in your heart.
I hope life gets sweeter, hope you wake up with your head in the clouds, your soul flying.
I hope you finally find what you're looking for.
I hope you find yourself smiling.

(for those with big hearts)
i hope you realize how important you are, how you make people feel appreciated and loved.
i hope you realize that the world wouldn't be the same if you weren't trying so hard to make it a better place.
i hope the world tucks you into bed, proud of its little soldier.
i hope you appreciate yourself for your efforts.
i hope you never get tired of being a champion of the things people say no longer exist - so much kindness, goodness, love, peace.
i hope that you find fulfillment in the little things because sometimes, that's all we get.
little things like knowing you made someone smile, or that the people you love are doing fine, doing better.
i hope you realize that's all you need.
i hope your heart is proud of itself.
i hope the love that burns in you always keeps you warm.

(for the fainthearted)*
I hope you realize there's so much more to your life than you thought there was.
I hope you find moments that make your breath catch, a million things to marvel at.
I hope life surprises you. I hope you surprise yourself.
I hope you find your horizons expanding, and see that it's not as bad as you thought.
I hope your dreams take you places; I hope you travel paths that you never knew existed, but where you feel you belong.
I hope you discover your longings, what your heart would sing for, what you didn't know you wanted all along.
I hope you get up and chase it.

And there never was a girl I loved quite like you,
but I'm sitting here thinking that we are through,
because how I can get back to how things used to be,
when I looked at you, and you smiled me,
and there we were kissing on that New Years eve,
didn't think one day you'd up and leave,
still, if you looked at me and smiled and said
"I love you boy get it into your head"
then I'd open my arms and I'd open my heart
because you my dear are a work of art.

The hug that felt like everything, would really be alright.
The kiss that without a doubt, had easily made my night.
The girl that I am falling for, without a single fear.
The relationship I'm wishing for, is drawing ever near.

My darling,
For 2016:

1.)  I hope you know you have nothing to prove.
2.)  Please stop wanting to end life early. Every sunrise is made for you. Realize that every night the moon kisses you good night and the stars ask that you choose to stay.
3.)  I hope you find time to be more grateful.
4.)  I hope the world surprises you with beautiful things in return. I hope what is normal never becomes boring to you, and you always see things with a sense of wonder. I hope you still believe in magic.
5.)  If it’s past midnight and you’re still awake for no reason, go to sleep. Rest. Clear your head. You will have more strength tomorrow.
6.)  Stop hiding behind your sadness. Wipe your tears, let it go. Learn how to be alone without hurting.
7.)  Learn to actually be there for people. You will be amazed how good real companionship feels. Believe me, you don’t appreciate your friends enough. Show them. Share your life with them. Be happy together.
8.)  Cherish that guy. He loves you; stop doubting it. Be there for him, not because he needs you, but because that’s where you want to be. Protect each other.
9.)  I think you already know who you are, deep inside. And it’s not how you think of yourself on a bad day; it’s not how greatly others think of you. You’re confused now but you’re trying. One day you will be greater than all of this, and you won’t even realize it.
10.)  I hope this is the year you become everything you want to be, but with a heart like yours, you will always want more: to do more good in the world; to be better, kinder; love deeper, love truly. Despite your struggle, I hope you realize you’re already all you must be.
11.)  Continue to live in the best way you know how.