March 6th Birthdays

Yesterday was the birthday of Michaelangelo--March 6th, 1475. A look at the Sistine Chapel confirms what we know--Michaelangelo was a genius. But long before the Sistine Chapel, he was an adolescent boy. And it is believed he painted this painting, The Torment of Saint Anthony, when he was just twelve or thirteen. (By the way, this is another treasure found in the Fort Worth arts district. This one at the Kimbell Art Museum.)

But the question is - - did Michaelangelo go to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for his twelfth birthday?

Did his Mom make him a homemade Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Cake for dessert AND did his Dad let him eat it for breakfast the next morning?

And could Michaelangelo Rock the Baby on his twelfth birthday?

We all wait now--what talents will this March 12th boy unleash on the world?

march into March

March 2nd: Tomorrow is the birthday of Dr. Seuss. How will you celebrate? Green eggs and ham for breakfast? Write all of your e-mails in Seuss-style prose? Do a scrapbook page in your best Seuss impersonation?  Hop on Pop? Dig out one of your kids' favorite Seuss books and read together? All of the above?

March 4th-31st: The March March Countdown. Every weekday morning at 7:35am through the year, our local classical radio station, WRR 101.1, plays their "March of the Day." In March they play the top 20 favorite marches chosen by listeners. Even if you don't live in Dallas you can take part in the vote and listen on-line.


If marches aren't your thing, then try a little Vivaldi (March 4th) or Bach (March 21st) this month.

For the visual artists, gain some inspiration from Michelangelo (March 6th) or Van Gogh (March 30th). And to counter your artsy side, memorize an Einstein (March 14th) or Descartes (March 31st) quip.

We celebrate a few presidential birthdays this month: Andrew Jackson (March 15th), Grover Cleveland (March 18th), James Madison (March 23rd), John Tyler (March 29th).

For those of us who observe the Christian calendar, the Lenten season is upon us. For our Eastern brothers and sisters, the Great Lent begins on Clean Monday (March 7th). For those in the West, it begins on Ash Wednesday (March 9th). For all it is a period of preparation for celebrating the greatest holiday of the Christian calendar: Pascha/Easter. This year our family will be spending time during Lent going through a book by Justo González The Apostles Creed for Today.

Of course, we can't think of March without also remembering the celebration of that famous Christian missionary to Ireland, Patrick (March 17th). But there are Christian commemorations of other notable figures (Joseph-March 19th; Irenaeus-March 26th) and events (Annunciation of the Lord, March 25th).

For those of you who live near a Rita's Italian Ice, don't forget to swing by for your free Italian Ice on the First Day of Spring--March 20th. The 19th year they've been doing it!

This will certainly put you in the mood to read a little Ibsen (March 20th), Houseman or Frost (March 25th).

Adieu Februar

The last twenty-four hours of the twenty-eight day month. And a right-nice twenty-eight days it's been.

• Starting February being iced in and re-memorizing a Langston Hughes poem--ending this weekend out and about Fort Worth enjoying the warm weather.
• Watching the celebration of Ronald Reagan's 100th b-day on Feb 6th while running on a treadmill--seeing Reagan's photo on a sign at mile 21 yesterday on my marathon route with the words "Mr. Gorbachev: Tear Down this Wall!"
• Buying the rest of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series to round out our collection.
• Listening to and reading Our American Cousin, the play Lincoln was attending the night he was shot.
• Enjoying the kids' Valentine's gifts especially Calvin's DVD of West Side Story which we watched this weekend over two nights. (And hearing Lelia compare and contrast it with Romeo and Juliet which she saw at the Dallas Opera last week on a field trip. And hearing Wesley compare it to Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame.)
• Letting Winslow Homer teach us about skies and clouds on the 24th--seeing an original Winslow Homer while we were in Forth Worth this weekend at the Amon Carter Museum.
• Remembering the art of Grant Wood on the 13th--seeing an original Grant Wood Parson Weem's Fable at the Amon Carter Museum. This one was more exciting, I think, than the Homer painting they had. It had a little for everyone. The kids loved finding details they hadn't seen in the on-line viewing. For example, the cherries lining the curtains and that the face of George Washington was an adult face on a child's body. I enjoyed the hermeneutical lessons exemplified in this painting--which I'm still processing and hope to incorporate into my teaching at some point in the future. 

• And it's not quite over, if you have a chance, watch the Senate's annual reading of George Washington's Farewell address today on C-SPAN 2. Or read it together with the family tonight. 

Winslow Homer, The Sky, and the Glory of God



Breezing Up by Winslow Homer first exhibited in 1876

We have all experienced at least a few times in our lives, I hope, a sky so vibrant and stunning it nearly took our breath away. My first year at sea I found myself entranced watching the sun melt into the water on the horizon. Every day after working in the engine room it was typical for the black gang to emerge and stand on the deck just watching the sky, the water and the way that the two created unique harmonies based on the mood of each. And on more than one ocassion in the perfect stillness of the Med I would take my pillow and sheet to the bow of the ship and sleep outside under the stars just aft of the forward anchor windlass.

So stunning, in fact, were the sky-scenes that I bought a video camera just to capture these scenes before I set out for my second year. I shot hours of sunrises, sunsets, and cloud scenes. It was a rude awakening, however, as I popped in tape after tape once I got home that my efforts had been futile. In fact, based on that experience, I have always assumed that trying to capture the beauty of the sky was impossible--until this week that is. . .

I happened upon a Leo Tolstoy work this week, "The Raid," in which he starts Chapter Four this way:

"The sun was midway across the sky. Its hot rays piercing the incandescent air, beat down upon the dry earth. Overhead, the dark blue sky was completely clear, although the base of the snowy moutnains was already draped in white and lilac clouds."

Lilac clouds. Can't say my "sky-palette" had lilac. And yet--I could see it perfectly in my mind's eye. On a drive home later in the week I mentioned this to the family and Calvin said that Homer Winslow also had particular thoughts about the sky. He was referring to an article he recently stumbled onto in a back issue of National Geographic (Dec 98). Here is what he read:

"Homer painted in daylight long before it became standard practice. Others painted blue skies. "It looks like the devil," said Homer, who avoided them, filling his skies with gray, yellow, pink, white--anything but solid blue. Others depicted the horizon with a straight line. "Horrible," said Homer. He broke his horizons with dots of light, giant waves, plunging boats, and mountains."

The ancient prophet David has taught me to look at the sky and confess that the Heavens Display the Glory of God. The modern artists Tolstoy and Homer have reminded me how to look . . . frequently . . . deeply . . . and with an eye for detail at the display. In honor of artists like Winslow Homer (whose birthday is today, February 24th, 1836) take a step outdoors today. Even if its raining or snowing--especially if it's raining or snowing. Add another another color to your palette. Contrary to the cliche, the devil is not in the details--he's in the monochromatic view. God is in the details.

 

Can you Handle a little Händel?



Full-size Handel statue, 1738

A very, very good chance you have heard Georg Friedrich Händel's work if you've gone to a movie in the past twenty years. Händel was born on this date--Februrary 23rd--1685. Never a bad idea to revisit one of his more well-known works--Hallelujah chorus from Messiah, Water Music, Music for Fireworks. 

Or try a new piece like "Let the Bright Seraphim" from the Samson oratorio. (Performed in the link below by soprano Kathleen Battle and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.)

Let the bright Seraphim in burning row,
Their loud uplifted Angel-trumpets blow:
Let the Cherubic host, in tuneful choirs,
Touch their immortal harps with golden wires.



Ansel Adams



Self-Portrait, Monument Valley, Utah

 Born February 20th, 1902. The Ansel Adams Gallery,  is offering 10% off his products this weekend. Also check out the gallery of a couple of thousand of his works on the Center for Creative Photography website run by the University of Arizona.

May you Love Whom You Please . . .

 . . . And Please Whom You Love.

Hoping a few of Cupid's arrows hit their target today.

Remembering Grant Wood

Though best known for his painting American Gothic, Iowan Grant Wood was a prolific artist in many mediums. He represents a style of art known as regionalism. 



The Iowa state quarter is based on his painting Arbor Day.



Abraham Lincoln and Our American Cousin

Calvin came up with a fun way to celebrate Lincoln's birthday. We are listening to Our American Cousin which is the play that Lincoln was watching the night he was assassinated. It's a comedy about an aristocratic English family who is visited by a cousin of the American branch of the family to collect his inheritance. The plot is quite simple and a most of the humor is just right for the kids. (When is a dog's tail not a tail? When it's a wagon!) It helps that we are reading along as we listen. After we finish listening to the play tomorrow, I think we'll read through Lincoln's first inaugural address.

POTUS 40 turns 100

I watched a bit of the celebration of Ronald Reagan's 100th b-day celebration on CNN while I was on the treadmill yesterday. Perhaps the most amusing part was the end to Gary Sinise's speech when he said: "You know being here it doesn't feel like he's gone. It doesn't feel like one hundred years." Wow! I didn't realize Gary Sinise was that old!

Ronald Reagan was the president from the time I was Lelia's age (10)until I was in college. So, of course, I am saturated with many memories of his presidency. I remember the day the Iranian hostage situation ended. I remember what I did when I found out he had been shot. I still have the photograph I took of his boyhood home in Dixon, Illinois. I remember standing in the outfield of Forest Park's little league fields with my elementary school class and watching the presidential motorcade heading down the Eisenhower Expressway into Chicago.

And since it was Reagan who was responsible for my teenage  Jelly Belly obsession (cherry, watermelon, blueberry were my favorites), we made a trip to our local Kroger yesterday afternoon to get a stash. After dinner last night we found Ronald Reagan's first inaugural speech on-line. Everytime he made reference to the United States or America we each snagged a bean. [Since we still had quite a few left over, we finished them off as we listened to the SuperBowl.]

For inquiring minds: The stamp above is being released by the US Postal Service this week in an event in Dixon, IL which you can watch live. Being an on-again-off-again stamp collector, I do intend to purchase a few. Then, I'll write letters to each of my kids and put them in envelopes with the Reagan stamp which I'll send to Dixon, IL to get a first-day cancellation. Pretty nice little momentos for them as they get older, I think.

Langston Hughes

Lelia writes: Today I memorized this poem.

Democracy

By: Langston Hughes

Democracy will not come
today, this year

nor ever through

compromise and fear

I have as much right as 

the other fellow has

to walk with my own two feet 

and own land

I tire so of hearing people say 

Let things go their course 

tomorrow is another day 

I do not need my freedom when I am dead

I cannot live on tomorrow's bread

Freedom 

is a strong seed

planted 

in a great need 

I live here, too.

I want freedom

just as you

 I think this poem means that everybody is the same. Everybody is equal. All people are supposed to have freedom. Langston Hughes wrote this poem like he was talking to a white man. All people should not be treated a certain way because of the color of their skin.

Febrero

It's here! It's here! February . . . Febrero . . . Février . . . Februar . . . Feberwary. And since we're iced in, why not take a little time to plan our month:

February 1st: Langston Hughes. Listen to a Yale lecture on him today and then read something by him. 

February 4th: Rosa Parks. Wesley's has volunteered to post something on Rosa Parks' b-day.

February 6th: Ronald Reagan. We haven't recognized a president yet this year but we've got a few in February. Reagan's birthday is fun because it gives us an excuse to eat jelly-bellies. Last year we just went to our local Kroger where they have bins full of them and let each kid get a bagful. I think we'll try something a bit diferent this year. Also, the USPS is issuing a Reagan stamp which goes on sale February 10th.

February 7th: Laura Ingalls Wilder whose Little House on the Prairie books seems to get mentioned at least once a month in our home preceded by "Well you know how they used to do it . . .?

February 11th: Thomas Edison--any bright ideas?

February 12th: Honest Abe.

February 14th: The Feast Day of Saint Valentine. I think you know what to do here.

February 22nd: Every year on George Washington's birthday in the United States Senate, his Farewell Address is read aloud. If you can, watch it it C-SPAN 2.

February 23rd: Georg Frederic Handel. Get ready for another day of music.

February 26th: Perhaps read a-chapter-a-day in February of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. They really don't make novels (or attention spans) like this anymore!

February 27th: H. W. Longfellow. Which just happens to be the Middle School that two of my children will have attended.

Happy Birthday Mozart . . . not so fast.

Long before there were one-name wonders like Madonna, Prince, and Elvis there was Mozart. Or was there?

Though we often refer to him by his last name, the baptismal record gives his full (latinized) name as Johannes Chrystomomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Wolfgang Mozart are family names. Typically we use Amadeus as his middle name which is a translation of the Greek name-- “Theophilus.” You may recognize this name from Acts 1:1 which means "lover of God." 

This first part of his name is that of a fourth century saint, John Chrysostom, known particularly for his preaching ability and for the liturgy he developed. He is remembered with a feast day in Christian churches worldwide. In many Western Churches it is celebrated in September but in the Eatern Churches and in some Lutheran Churches it is celebrated . . . .today. Which is why Mozart was given this as his baptismal name. (Although I have not yet tracked down what connection the family had to the Eastern rite or Lutheran church as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church.)

Whatever you call him . . . Johannes Chrysostomus . . . Wolfgang . . . Wolfie . . Theophilus. . .Amadeus . . or just plain Mozart . . . enjoy his music today.

Roses, Louses, and Haggis

Who said poetry had to be all that mushy-gushy stuff? Certainly not that right bard o' Scotland, Robert Burns.

So how can you enjoy Burns today? There are more traditional ways:

1. Read through one of his lesser known poems. The Louse perhaps.

3. Learn the words to Auld Lang Syne so you're not always mumbling through them.

4. Write a poem to your favorite food like Burns did.

5. Or if you must inject luv' into the day. Start your Valentine's preparation now and memorize the lovely, sixteen lines of  "O My Love's Like a Red, Red Rose." [Or if ten thousand miles is a bit long, serenade your loved one with the Proclaimers' "I'm Gonna Be (500 miles)."]

6. Listen to a poem or two read aloud and then drive your family nuts by talking in your worst highland or lowland brogue. Speakin' to friends about town, answerin' th' phone, or as y'r readin' aloud from the Holy Writ before the hearth this e'en.

And then there are alternative ways (inclined more for the adults in the family feelin' a wee bit naughty):

1. Get a babysitter and attend a Burns Night celebration in your city to partake in the traditional dram-n-fare.

2. Endure the State-o-th-Union this e'en by imagining that it is being spoke in a Scottish lilt. (A wee bit o' the dram may help get one ready for this one.)

3. Reenact your favorite Mike Myers scene. For example. . .If It's Not Scottish It's . . . Or the sensitive Scottish father.

Poe-purri

Yesterday morning as the boys and I made our pre-dawn walk to school under a full moon and with the leaves scratching along the asphalt from the eerily steady breeze, the slight chill in the air reminded us that it was indeed the birthday of that outstanding American raconteur--Edgar Allan Poe.  

Take time this weekend to read a tale or poem aloud with the family. (In the dark by the light of the candle if you dare.)  There are, of course, his well-known works. Calvin is working to memorize "The Raven." And then there is The Black Cat or The Tell-Tale Heart .  



Dan Pirarro's Bizarro

 Last night we read Descent into the Maelström. It was a bit cumbersome due to the geographical and nautical language but the kids said they enjoyed it. We did have a bit of discussion as to what causes the maelström to dissipate so quickly at the end of the tale. If you end up reading it, weigh in on this vitally important literary question.

The Grahams and MLK

in August

at his famous speech

coming together as one

tryign to stop the segregation

hand in hand

                                                                                             Lelia

One of our challenges as students of history is to understand more deeply how both the world in which we live and the way in which we view that world has been shaped. As our family has taken time to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend, I (Christopher) am reminded of this challenge--the challenge to try and understand how certain events and individuals have changed the very way in which a live or think.

Lelia certainly understands that MLK, Jr. is an important historical figure. And she does her best to find out the data that makes him so--she knows about the important words he said, the important goals he had, the important events which he led and attended, the people he met and influenced. But Lelia does not understand the extent to which the world which she enjoys and takes as "normal" is due to the actions of MLK, Jr. and those who worked alongside him.

That last year she represented her class at the school's oratorical contest reciting Maya Angelou's Woman Works is no more significant to her than the fact that she came home in 2nd grade proudly announcing the poem she had selected to memorize: I Am Black. It was Reverend King's commitment to the ideals of justice and righteousness that allows her to appreciate the poetry regardless of the author's race. That all of her BFFs and BFFLs are Hispanic or African American is insignificant to her. This was only a dream for Dr. King. 

                                

Today, I am thankful with and for Lelia--that she can enjoy the world more fully because of the pioneers like Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dear Jack London

January 14, 2011

Dear Mr. London,

Thank you for submiting a copy of your book White Fang. Although it seems as though it may have taken you a while to write it and I personally enjoyed it very much, I'm not very sorry to tell you that I wouldn't give “two whoops in hell” (to paraphrase your own words) to publish this book about how a wild fiend turns domestic.

Speaking of your choice of language. On one hand, phrases like “The darned cuss” or “Poor devil” would certainly offend some of the more civilized readers and there is no way we could market this to the home-school audience. On the other hand, it's not strong enough to make into a good hip-hop or rap book like Decoded.

Speaking of civility. Another aspect of the book that makes it unpublishable is the animal cruelty. The dog-fighting scenes are reckless and unnecessarily detailed. PETA and the SPCA would drag us by the scruffs of our necks into court. And you must know that many of our readers (myself included) do not accept your notion that nature is the creator of living things and we are left alone to mold ourselves into what we will become.

his character was developing along the lines laid down by his heredity and his environment.  His heredity was a life-stuff that may be likened to clay.  It possessed many possibilities, was capable of being moulded into many different forms.  Environment served to model the clay, to give it a particular form. . . . And so, according to the clay of his nature and the pressure of his surroundings, his character was being moulded into a certain particular shape.  There was no escaping it. 

Once again, the amount of time you have spent is admirable but we believe that the offensive and questionable elements would drive away readers. Perhaps you could submit it to a movie studio. Many Americans who would be offended by these scenes in a book would be more than willing to watch them on the screen. With lines like, “Don’t break them teeth, stranger," perhaps a movie of the Old American West genre.

Sincerely,
Editorial staff
The CurTaled Press

P. S. Happy Belated B-day. Woof!

WG:cg (Idea from Writer's Digest "Reject a Hit" column. See an example here.)

Jack London and White Fang

 

Reynaldo models a frequent scene in White Fang

 January 12th is Jack London's birthday.  In 2010 we read Call of the Wild together as a family and really enjoyed it. This year Wesley said he wanted to read and blog about White Fang. Below are the first of several postings he'll do this week:

White Fang is comprised of three parts. The first part is the introduction to the whole book, especially the orgins of Whtie Fang. The second part is about White Fang's mother, father and siblings, his birth, and the beginning part of his cubhood. The third part of the book is the rest of White Fang's Life and his first encounter with man.

Jack London writes White Fang and as if he, Jack London, was another dog looking on--almost as if he were a ghost. What I find fascinating in the works of London that I've read is that he mainly expresses what he thinks dogs think and why they act the way they do, and he always hints of the wild side all dogs have in them. White Fang first encounters man--Indians--when he is a puppy. As he lives with them he starts to look up to them as "man-gods" who can make the world move at their will and is the administers of justice and the adminsters of punishment. As White Fang grows up he is constantly bullied by another puppy and his "pack." This turns White Fang into a mean ruthless fighting machine who wishes just to stay alone but will fight if not respected. White Fang learns how to fight very cunningly cutting out all of the circling and growling or preliminaries of a fight and making his move catching the dog unawares going directly for the vein in which life bubbles in the throat. He learns how to kill with few strokes. London paints this picture so well; he has an amazing talent for using imagery to take you into the book and living with the characters.

 "So, Wesley, what does London's portrayal of the relationship between dogs and "man-gods" say about man's relationship with God?"

Well, in the book the "man-gods" are the ultimate administers of justice and punishment which sort of portrays London's view of our relationship with God.

"And what about love? Does the book portray anything about the loving side of man and God?"

In the book London talks about two sides two a dog the loving and the wild side. White Fang's first owner isn't a cruel owner but doesn't bring out the loving side in White Fang. His second owner is a really cruel owner and brings out only the wild side in White Fang, but White Fang's third owner is a really nice man and brings out what he can of White Fangs loving side.

And Yet One More King . . .

Happy Birthday to our Dear King George. From his Subjects.

You Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog Cryin' all the Time

Today our family celebrated the King Of Rock's birthday. To celebrate this we ate his favorite kind of sandwich for lunch: Fried bacon on toasted bread with bannanas fried in the bacon grease with peanut-butter. It may sound gross to you but it is actually very good.




Chocolate Dunked Bananas

 

We also had halved chunks of banana spread with peanut butter wrapped in bacon, dunked in melted milk chocolate then refrigerated for about an hour. Delicious!!



Two Hound Dogs - Me and Bones



Now, when I think of Elvis I think of a few of the songs he's written such as: "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog", "A Hunka Hunka Burnin Love", and " Love Me Tender Love Me Sweet", to name a few. What do You think of when you think of Elvis? - Wesley

Kings, Kings Everywhere!

Last night we read Psalm 72 and Matthew 2:1-9. The first issue out-of-the-box question was whether Psalm 72 was talking about Solomon or Jesus. It was great to explain to the kids how our conviction that the Bible is the Word of God kicks in at this point. What makes the Bible unique is that it has not only an author but an Author. This is as true for the Psalms as for any of the other biblical books. Consider Peter's words just after Jesus had ascended:

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters,the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
   “May his place be deserted;
   let there be no one to dwell in it,"
and,
   “May another take his place of leadership." Acts 1:15-17, 20

So for the divine Author (God) it is not an "either-or" but a "both-and." Psalm 72 was most certainly a prayer for Solomon. However, it becomes clear after the birth of Christ that many of the individuals of the Old Testaments--Adam, Moses, Joshua, David--were but pre-figures of the New Adam, the Leader, the Savior, the King. So Psalm 72 also tells us things about Jesus as King as well.

But Solomon and David are not the only kings remembered in our house on January 8th . . .

Heaven a Place on Earth

My kids have a way of confusing the mundane and the divine. Last night was no exception when, as we were discussing Isaiah 60, the kids thought of these words from that awful(ly), cheesy 80s pop song:

They say in heaven love comes first,
We'll make heaven a place on earth
Oh, Heaven is a place on earth.

Well there is indeed a connection between heaven and earth but much to Belinda Carlisle's disappointment, it has nothing to do with our. . . umm . .  . lovelife. It has everything to do with God's intention to establish his Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

The Bible paints a picture of Jerusalem's redemption in terms that are quite remarkable. As with many Old Testament prophetic passages, Isaiah 60 speaks of different future times and events within the same passage. We encounter, for example, in Isaiah 60 aspects of Jerusalem that come up again in Revelation 21. Elements that we typically assign in our minds simplistically to "heaven" as a sort of "spiritual", other-wordly place. The Bible seems to indicate frequently, however, that God intends to redeem and restore this creation and that Jerusalem will be the epicenter of God's ultimate redemption in the future. But the process has begun . . .

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
   and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
   and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
   and his glory appears over you. Isaiah 60:1-2

At Christmas we celebrated that the redemption has begun in Christ's birth--Immanuel. During Epiphany we celebrate God's revelation to the world of this fact. And today we take time to recognize that the arrival of the Magi was not a surprise to God. Nor was it primarily God's clever way to justify a holiday devoted to gift-giving. The Magi were a confirmation that the King had come AND that those who were paying attention could know it! 

Nations will come to your light,
   and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:3.

And all from Sheba will come,
   bearing gold and incense
   and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. Isaiah 60:6

It had been revealed to the Magi that the King had arrived. And where you have a king . . . you have a kingdom. Yes, we await the day of its consummation. And we pray as we were taught--"Thy Kingdom Come on Earth as it is in Heaven."  But today we celebrate that the King has arrived, He has inaugurated his kingdom, He has made it known, and best of all He has invited you, me, everyone.

Eruptive Irruption

Is it Merry Epiphany or Happy Epiphany? I don’t know. I didn't grow up around the celebration on January 6th. Interesting thing the Christian holiday of Ephiphany. Whereas other Christian holidays–Christmas, Good Friday, Easter–are fairly standard in the event which they commemorate, there are two distinct events which are the object of celebration for Epiphany. To Western Christians, Epiphany is the celebration of the announcement of Christ's birth to the Magi and their arrival. Eastern Christians celebrate the baptism of Jesus. Both traditions, however, are celebrating the fact that God did not leave us to guess about the significance of the baby born in Bethlehem. In both the cases we see God proclaiming to creation just who this baby Jesus was. Neither of these were merely "Aha-moments." They were truly revelations--epiphanies. A divine in-breaking. An Eruptive Irruption. For the next few days we are going to read and discuss key Bible passages together as a family.  Read along and share the insight your family has from these passages.

Tonight: Isaiah 60:1-22
Tomorrow: Psalm 72 and Matthew 2.1-9
Saturday: John 1:19-31
Sunday: Matthew 3:13-17 and Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7

Underway . . .

January is chocked full of famous people's birthdays and holidays. We've narrowed down the list:

January 6th - Epiphany! We'll read Scripture surrounding this important Christian holiday from both an Eastern (the baptism of Christ) and Western (the arrival of the Magi) point of view.

January 8th - Elvis Presley (note to self-- buy bananas, pb, and bacon and a pair of blue suede shoes).

January 12th - Jack London. Let your inner wolf roar! Last year we read Call of the Wild together as a family. This year, Wesley agreed to read and blog on White Fang. He bought the book Sunday afternoon, had it read by Monday night, and woke up yesterday morning talking about it. He'll probably blog several times next week starting on Tuesday so if you haven't got a copy, pick it up at the library/bookstore today and follow along.

January 15th - Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Lelia's got this one.

January 19th - Edgar Allan Poe. His poems or short stories are just the right size for a family to read together. Calvin picked up a book of Poe's short stories and poems and is attempting to finish memorizing "The Raven."

January 22nd - Feast Day of Timothy and Titus (in the East). Any one of the three letters to these early Christians are short enough to read-through in one session with the family.

January 25th - Robert Burns. If you're going to memorize just one poem this month, here 'tis. And if you find a good recipe for haggis let us know!

January 27th - Mozart. Many classical radio stations will feature Mozart all day (or just 'tune' Pandora to Mozart). If you or your family needs a little incentive to "endure" a Mozart tune or two,  search your local specialty/guormet food stores for Mozart balls which can be given as a sweet reward.

January 29th - Антон Павлович Чехов. Whuuutt?!! Who let the Russkies in da' house?

January 30th - FDR.

The Apple Has Dropped

What do Mozart and Elvis, Jack London and J. R. R. Tolkein, Richard Nixon and FDR, Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Burns, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Lord Byron all have in common? January babies! January is a great way to kick off a year of tracking artists and history-makers as we discovered last year. So however you encounter an apple today--falling from a tree, crashing on your desktop, or sliced in your lunchbox--take a minute to google Isaac Newton who shares a birthday today with Aunt/Sis' Julie. And get ready for a really fun month of swimming with the sea horses.