Author Archives: Gillian

Merry Mainland Christmas

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Merry Christmas greetings from the Mainland.  We took the ferry over yesterday afternoon, crossing just around sunset making the Gulf Islands look absolutely spectacular.  It was quite picturesque.

Today we drove uptown to do some groceries for the meal Jen and I are making tomorrow night (we volunteered to do Christmas Eve dinner, menu will follow after the fact as it is a surprise).  I was slightly nervous driving in snow after not having done it in years, and driving only slightly more frequently, but my concern was unfounded.  The roads are fine.  Although we did hit a bit of a blockage on the way home where someone had gone into the ditch and a tow truck was pulling them out.  I was quite impressed that they even had a police officer directing traffic around it.  It wasn’t until after we passed that we realized that the police officer was there to direct traffic because it was his car in the ditch!

And now I leave you with a joke I heard at church on Sunday…

Did you hear that there will not be a creche scene in Ottawa this year?
It is because they couldn’t find three wise men or a virgin to be Mary and they had too many asses to fit in the stall…

The Word of the Lord (Advent #4)

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God’s story is true.  We know that God’s story is true because God gave us his Word – that Word who came to us as one of us, and died for us, and descended into hell for us, and rose again from the dead for us, and ascended into heaven for us.  The Word became the living truth for us, the only truth that can make us free.  Part of that freedom is mortification.  Part of that freedom is the Cross, for without the Cross there can be no Resurrection.

When was the last time anybody asked you, “Do I have your word?”  Or when was the last time anybody said to you, “I give you my word,” and you knew that you could trust that word, absolutely?  How many times in the last few decades have we watched and listened to a political figure on television and heard him say, “I give you my word. . .” and shortly thereafter that word has proven false.  In the past year alone, how many people have perjured themselves publicly?   Sworn on the Bible, given their word, and that word has been a lie?  Words of honour are broken casually today, as though they don’t matter.

Small wonder that when God tells us, “I give you my Word,” few people take him seriously.

“I give you my Word,” said God, and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

– Madeleine L’Engle, The Rock that is Higher

Christmas Carol Errata

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Little Drummer Boy
As infants rarely exhibit social response behavior until the sixth week of life, it is unlikely that Jesus was truly smiling at the little drummer boy. We now believe that the son of man was experiencing gas.

Frosty the Snowman
Due to trends in global climate change, Frosty’s vow to “be back again some day” can no longer be guaranteed

Deck the Halls
We have revised the description of your apparel to the less derogatory “whimsical”. To be fair, though, that sweatshirt you wear every December, with the kittens in Santa hats and the puffy “Meowy Christmas” lettering, really is pretty gay.

Silent Night
Just to clarify, the directive to “sleep in heavenly peace” was intended for the holy infant only. It is well-known that the parents of a newborn can expect no sleep whatsoever for a minimum of seven months, especially when people keep showing up at all hours of the night bearing myrrh.

Christmas is Coming
Since 1997 the donation amount suggested by this song has been adjusted annually for inflation. Given the recent economic meltdown however, this year the old man will again be accepting pennies and ha’pennies.

Feliz Navidad
Please disregard all previous errata for this song. Apparently it is in Spanish.

Let It Snow
This song may erroneously lead the listener to believe that snow is a enjoyable and desired meteorological phenomenon. In fact, it is a huge fucking pain in the ass. We regret the error.

From defective yeti

Its all about the shoes

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No, I haven’t bought another pair of shoes.  Of late, I have been spending the better part of my walking-around time fearing for my life wearing my black boots.  The soles of these boots are completely flat; no tread whatsoever.  They’d really make a great pair of skis, you know the mini kind that people wear to do tricks.  Except these are incorporated into the boots… I could save some serious money at ski hills without needing to rent.  I digress.

I went to meet Jen at the airport today and anticipated some walking.  Not knowing the road conditions, I decided to branch out and wear my hiking shoes.  These have serious tread.  I didn’t even fear for my life walking down the hill of death to the bus stop this morning.  Novel concept, but apparently tread works and perhaps I’ll be wearing the hikers a little more until people ice pick their sidewalks around here.

Flying

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It’s not supposed to snow any more today.  There are no wind warnings for Greater Victoria today.  Hopefully my sister’s flight lands as scheduled, although you never know with Victoria.  From the warmth of my room, the roads outside look fine however apparently some parts of bus routes are closed and the rest are possibly delayed.  Welcome to a snowy Victoria winter.

Plateau

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The excitement of the last few days of snow and wind has somewhat plateaued and I’ve settled into the routine of couch potato.  It is difficult to motivate oneself to go outside into cold and snow when it is completely frigid outside.  I know, “frigid” is relative, but for me, it is pretty darn cold.  It doesn’t help matters when everything in Victoria also shuts down as a result of the weather.  I left to go to church on Sunday evening and there was no one there.  It was disappointing.  Both staff Christmas parties I was to go to this week have been cancelled

Don’t get me wrong, however, I did leave the house today.  It was a beautiful sunshiny day with the temperature hovering just above zero.  If it wasn’t for the deathly icy roads in places, it would have been a fabulous walk.  It was a fairly productive walk.  I now have my UVic student card for next semester, complete with bus pass and gym membership.  I was able to get a new one so I no longer look 14 on my university student card.  Bonus.

Then it was home to resume my status as resident couch potato.

"Come, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come" (Advent #3)

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Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come
In your fearful innocence.
We fumble in the far-spent night
Far from lovers, friends, and home:
Come in your naked, newborn might.
Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come;
My heart withers in your absence.

Come, Lord Jesus, small, enfleshed
Like any human, helpless child.
Come once, come once again, come soon:
The stars in heaven fall, unmeshed;
The sun is dark, blood’s on the moon.

Come, word who came to us enfleshed,
Come speak in joy untamed and wild.

Come, thou wholly other, come,
Spoken before words began,
Come and judge your uttered world
Where you made our flesh your home.
Come, with bolds of lightning hurled,
Come, thou wholly other, come,
Who came to man by being man.

Come, Lord Jesus, at the end,
Time’s end, my end, forever’s start.
Come in your flaming, burning power.
Time, like the temple veil, now rend;
Come, shatter every human hour.
Come, Lord Jesus, at the end.
Break, then mend the waiting heart.

– Madeleine L’Engle, The Irrational Season.

SNOW

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The forecasted 10-15 cm of snow we are supposed to get overnight is well on its way to becoming reality.  In true Victoria fashion, drivers are taking 2 lanes and driving 15km/h with 4-way flashers, roads are shut down, tires are spinning and people are spinning out. My bet is that there will be no bus service in the morning.  I wonder if we’ll still have the Christmas Pageant at church?

I find this all very amusing and if I had a helmet for my new bicycle I would ride to church tomorrow morning.  However, as much as I trust myself, I don’t trust other drivers and I’m not going out with them without full body armour.

The snow is making me feel much more like it is Christmas.  I haven’t really seen snow for 2 years (other than a bit of ice in Beijing in February).  Victoria looks quite beautiful now.  If it lasts, I’ll get some photos in the morning when the sun is up.