From the Editor

Our 20th issue is on the theme of Advent and our preparations for the Christmas season. As you enjoy this issue, we invite you to submit your messages, recipes, memories or traditions for the Christmas issue. Please keep them between 200 to 300 words and send them to us by the 15th of November. We look forward to “reading” from you soon!

Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas and mine included midweek Advent services in church culminating in the candlelight service on Christmas Eve and attendance at or participation in Christmas programmes at church and school. I also always tried to go to a performance of “The Messiah” wherever I was.

We must try not to get so involved in the preparations that we lose sight of why we are celebrating. For the last several years, my preparations have been much simpler. My daughter's in laws and I no longer give gifts and cards to each other or our friends at Christmas time. Instead we give the money we would have spent as a donation to a needy cause. We do have a Christmas meal together as a family and we do give the little ones some simple gifts. We encourage them to make cards and crafts or baked items or give services as gifts for us.

Our contributors for this month's issue have carefully thought about Advent and you will benefit from their thoughts. Dr Jaya Earnest sets the background for us with “The Meaning of Advent”. You will enjoy learning about Advent colours and their significance. Chari Kingsbury reflects on the needs of each age group for the other for daily living and in the lead up to Christmas in her article “Generations in Advent”. Andrea Barretto tells us about Advent abroad and how she learned the importance of giving in “My First Advent”. Pamela D'Mello stresses the need to de-clutter and simplify life in “The Secret of Doing Things Before Christmas” and Irene Ryan echoes this in her “Quick Message on Advent” where she gives us some practical tips on how to make Christmas more meaningful. The theme of de-cluttering is reinforced musically with “Pollution Song” which was presented at the YWCA Good Earth Celebration in Goa on the 1st of September this year. Ingrid Paige's translation of the story “The Thistle” is an example within an example of the thoughtful non-traditional gifts our other writers have tried to encourage. The translation was a gift to her daughter-in-law and the story itself tells of unusual gifts.

We wish you all a thoughtful refreshing Advent as you make your preparations for Christmas!

(for the Editorial Team)

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Issue 20 | November 2013 | 4 Pages | For free circulation only

Advent is a season in the Christian calendar that lasts for about four weeks. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve and is a season of preparation for Christmas. The word “Advent” comes from t h e L a t i n w o r d adventus, which means “coming” or “visit.”

Many children these days have Adven t ca lendars: s turdy, d e c o r a t i v e p a p e r displays with 25 little “windows,” one of which is opened each day o f December l e a d i n g u p t o C h r i s t m a s . Sometimes Advent calendars are made of wood and feature twenty-five little boxes, each containing some little treasure.

However, the Christian observance of Advent has a much more serious purpose. It is meant to get us ready, not for a present-opening party, but for a transformational celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Many families have an Advent wreath at home. This Advent wreath combines purple and pink candles for Advent, with a white candle for Christmas, with the greenery assoc iated with Chr istmas celebrations. There are a few other things about Advent that are interest ing. Advent , features the colour purple (or dark blue) and pink. The purple/blue color signifies 'seriousness, repentance, and royalty' and the colour pink points to another theme of Advent, which

is 'joy'. For many observers of Advent, the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent are “purple/blue” Sundays. Only the third is a “pink” Sunday. The pink

colour reminds us that there i s ' joy ' , as Advent helps us get in t o u c h w i t h o u r yearning for God to come to us, in the person of Jesus.

Thus , our major-theme of waiting has a grace note of joy m i xed i n . I f you o b s e r v e a traditionally-colored Advent wreath, you wil l recognize the purple and pink colors

of this season (with the central, white candle for Christmas Eve/Day).

Why does Advent matter so much? Many people around the world have come to love this season for two reasons: first, observ ing Advent enr i ches our celebration of Christmas. Taking four weeks to focus on the hope of Christ's birth and coming makes us much more joyful when we finally celebrate Christmas.

The more we get in touch with our need for a Saviour, the more we rejoice at the miracle of Christ's birth. Second, we find in Advent a solution to the age-old problem of secular Christmas vs. spiritual Christmas. We recognize that Christmas is most of all, a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It's a season that focuses on the meaning of joy, hope, peace and birth.

Th is ar t i c le i s adapted f rom @ http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/introduction-to-advent/

by Jaya Earnest (Founder Member – Western Australia)

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THE MEANING OF ADVENT

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I was reflecting recently on the annoying aspects of working with young people. They seem to want all the glory of position, without the responsibilities that go with it. They're unpredictable, promising great things, then not delivering. They get all excited about a project, only to flee when work needs to be done. They're so immature!

I was also reflecting on age and the limitations it brings: the creaky body that no longer keeps up with a still active mind, the tendency to get stuck in ruts that seem to get deeper with the years, the lack of energy. Really, old people are so...slow!

Middle age is living between two worlds – remembering what it was like being young, sympathizing with their struggles, while also feeling compassion for the aging, even as one feels one's own body slowing down.

Then it hit me... we so need each other! God, in His wisdom put us in families so the generations can interact, help, and enrich each other. When did this wisdom strike me? Perhaps when my son sat down at the computer with me, patiently explaining how to update our website and improve i t , whi le I struggled to understand. Or, maybe when the

retirement-aged professor rescued a disintegrating student event with his eager participation?

It could have been the time I slowly, patiently walked my mother up to the church, considering this an honour and enjoying the time it provided for an extra chat? The young benefit from the experience and accumulated wisdom of the aged. The aged also benefit from the vision, excitement, energy, and physical strength of the young. The middle-aged, in that peculiar position of still being relatively vigorous physically, yet slowing; still dreaming of the future, yet beginning to learn from experience, see the benefits and also the challenges of both extremes.

Why do we, so often, separate the generations, keeping little children away from the elderly so they won't annoy them? Is this really so wise? What about teens? Do we really want them relating only to each other? Would they not benefit from the wisdom of the aged? Would not the middle aged and elderly benefit from the vision and zeal of young adults, not to mention their technological savvy?

In light of this, I wonder, how could we take advantage of the Advent season to bring the generations together? This is the season of mingled generations: of wise

men seeking a King, of not so wise kings jealous of their position, of sages announcing a coming Saviour, of a young couple expecting a baby, of humble shepherds who heard great news, and of a baby King born to save the world. Let us encourage the children to hear the stories of old from the aged. Let us keep our elderly 'young' as they enjoy the Advent season seeing the sparkle in the children's eyes and the eagerness in their voices as they anticipate Christmas coming. Let us involve our teens in helping with holiday baking, decorating and leading family devotions.

Some of my fondest memories centre on helping my mother with Christmas preparations. I recall baking Christmas cookies, the traditional Christmas bread, the house being filled with wonderful smells. We also made an Advent log, lit candles for the Advent season as we awaited the coming of the Christ child. Of course decorat ing the home and searching for the perfect Christmas tree was always a favourite. All these traditions helped us come together, do our part and enjoy the season. No one was left out. Let us make this Advent season something that will bring the generations together, for this, I suspect is what the Baby of Bethlehem came to do.

GENERATIONS IN ADVENT

by Chari Kingsbury (Nairobi, Kenya)

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I remember the exact day I left home; it was the 22nd of November 1999. I was all of 22. Y2K and a global catastrophe were being predicted and here I was leaving everything that I knew and loved and heading out on my own to a new place, a new country and a new job. It made no sense in my heart or my head. But something inside me knew I had to do it, I had to prove to myself that I could. And if for nothing else, for that goodbye talk I had with my dad about his confidence that I could make it in the big bad world just the way he did 30 year ago right down to the very same date at the age of 22. Talk about coincidences!

Advent had just started when I arrived, and I was attending mass in this charming little church, where people stood together and held hands and recited the Our Father. It was a custom that I had never heard off before but very soon loved.

It was here that I realized advent was not just a couple of weeks to mark out in the liturgical calendar; it was far more than that. The preacher told us about a tree

that was placed at the entrance of the church. That tree was leafless (dead in a way); it was our responsibility to fill it with leaves and bring it to life. He passed out four leaf shaped pieces of paper. This was not just any paper. Each leaf represented a week in advent, and we were supposed to write about our efforts to bring peace, love, joy and hope to the world around us.

At first it seemed like a very easy childlike activity. But when I actually got down to making entries on those leaves, I realized that as an adult, life isn't always as simple as you hoped it would be. At home I would have probably been scouring magazines for the perfect outfit or planning Christmas lunch or which dance I would be going to and the gifts I would be giving and receiving. But here in this new place with no family, none of that needed to be done.

Christmas was about what I had done to deserve the Love of God, what I had done to deserve the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for each one of us. It was about thanking the Lord for all the amazing things He had done in my life,

about making the best of the situation I was in. I began to look around me, at the people he had brought into my life and at His purpose for my life. That year I filled that tree with more leaves than I can remember, and in doing so helped bring to life not only that beautiful advent tree but also a part of me that I never knew existed, that part that cared for others first just like Jesus did.

I still enjoy all the other preparations for Christmas, but thanks to that Christmas I now know there is more. I make it a point to teach my children, not only how to make the perfect kulkul but also to earn God's love in everything that they do.

MY FIRST ADVENT

by Andrea Barretto (Mumbai, India)

After a four year work career in India and Singapore, Andrea is now a stay-at-home mom living in Mumbai. Mother of two adorable children Samuel 9 and Sarah 5, she spends most of her time shuffling between school, a new home, football practice and trying to help a 5 year old decide which one of her talents she wants to enhance. Custom made birthday parties are her forte and she dreams of turning this into a full time job.

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It is hard to believe we are approaching the Festive Season again. Where has the year gone? Our shops are starting to fill with a variety of gifts, cards, wrapping paper and tempting foods.

Several years ago a friend of mine came up with the idea of making her own Advent calendar in which her two children were able to take part. Behind each door there were no chocolates or pictures but things to do, for example:

· Go and visit an elderly person who lives alone.

· Write that letter you have been meaning to, imagine the delight at

making hats, gloves and scarves for our local homeless.

One of our members goes out with others in the evening giving out hot soup and sandwiches and passes on the knitted items to them. It also gives our elderly and widowed members a sense of purpose as well as the company of the group.

I just wanted to share this with you as it may give some of you ideas for Advent or other festival times according to your faith. I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and Happy Healthy 2014.

***

QUICK IDEAS FOR ADVENT

Irene Ryan (Plymouth, UK)

the person receiving it.

· Sort out any clothes and shoes you no longer wear and donate them to a charity shop, someone will be glad of them.

And so that's how it was for 24 days. The reason she did this was, at Lent we give up special things and fast so, why not do it for Christmas? It made it more special instead of eating drinking and merry-making.

I always thought this was a good idea of hers and all the ladies at the knitting and crochet groups I belong have now adopted the same approach and are now busy

THE SECRET OF DOING THINGS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Pamela D'Mello (Goa, India)

Pamela D'Mello is a freelance writer, journalist and editor who lives in Goa, India with her well-known husband Frederik Noronha and her children.

It was while listening to FM radio one evening that I think I caught Hugh Jackman, the Hollywood actor, being interviewed. I was really struck by his words. He said the one thing he disliked about Christmas was the amount of unnecessary gifts that were handed out, things one did not need, things that added to the clutter of the house, things that one got rid of. He came on pretty strongly against the entire ̀ gifting' thing. His point was not about Christmas in particular, or even the idea of gift giving, but more about the unnecessary stuff we seem to accumulate from needless purchases that clutter our houses.

I identify with this totally and fully, since clutter is my big bugbear. I wage a constant battle to get rid of unnecessary stuff that seems to accumulate. And Jackman is right - some of it is gifts that we do not really need but hesitate to get rid of because of the sentiment attached to it, more is stuff we have picked up off the supermarket shelves and ended up not using and others are things we or our families have outgrown or have no use for anymore. Of course anyone familiar with family dynamics will tell you that it is easier to identify somebody's else's stuff as "junk" than to segregate and get rid of

our own "junk".

This is probably not a big deal in some countries, but in a newly materialistic country like India without the proper systems for waste and garbage disposal, this can become a nightmare for those of us who wish to tread lightly on the earth, reducing our carbon footprint or simply the junk we leave behind.

I have some brave friends who really `walk their talk' in these matters, who keep down consumption levels for themselves and their children to a minimum. They are "alternate lifestyle" people who proudly wear hand-me-downs and second hand clothes. I admire their choice, but admit that I take the middle path, keeping consumption patterns to as low as possible, compromising on some things.

Years ago, everyone but the rich and upper middle class wore hand me down clothes. Almost everyone wore stuff from cousins, older brothers and sisters. It was normal. The use and dispose, throw-away culture of present day India had yet to arrive. I remember in our household, excess string was judiciously rolled onto a reel and stored, as were hardware bits. Everything was used over and over as long

as it had wear in it. I've heard a lot of economists and businessmen gripe about India's controlled economy and the lack of consumer choice and quality of products, but frankly I don't think we were any worse off for not having more brands of everything to choose from, or fewer channels for the radio and television. We played outdoor games, and grew up in a community of children of all ages and backgrounds, not with ipads and Nintendo DS and play stations.

Much of that still stays with me, as I try to teach my children to value the "secret life of things" and to respect the long processes and the multiple systems that go to create/manufacture things and ship them halfway across the globe. I try to teach them to treat them less disdainfully and use them longer. There's only one antidote to consuming and cluttering less (strapped for cash is the other!) and that's doing more. I've realised it's the only way to get children to understand the joy and richness of accumulating safe and enriching experiences and memories, of 'doing' things, rather than accumulating stuff, no matter how pretty or trendy or cool.

***

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By the rich manor house, there was a well-kept garden with rare trees and flowers. Outside close to the fence stood a mighty thistle; it was tall and b r a n c h e d o u t i n a l l directions. Nobody ever looked at it except the old donkey. It tried to stretch its neck to get at the thistle, and said one day. “You are beautiful, I could eat you!” However the donkey was tied up and could not reach it!

One day there was a big party in the manor house. Among the guests, from far away came a lady from Scotland from a rich and noble family. “She would make a wonderful bride” said the young men as they walked around between the flower beds. The girls were busy choosing a flower to put into the buttonhole of a young man.

The young Scottish lady from a noble family looked around for a flower; and over the fence she saw the tall thistle bush. She smiled and asked the son of the manor house to pick one for her. “That is the flower of Scotland, and the national coat of arms. I would like to put it in your button hole.” She said, He immediately fetched the most beautiful thistle flower and in doing so he pricked his finger! The man of the manor felt very honoured and asked her to marry him. “They make a beautiful couple and that is really all my doing” said the thistle bush. It promised each little new thistle flower, that in future it would be planted in the garden, put in a vase or in a buttonhole! “

For a very long time the thistle thought about coming from Scotland and that its parents were growing inside the national coat of arms! “It is often the case when

Ingrid Page (Scotland, United Kingdom)

As a native of Denmark, I was brought up with stories and have a collection by Hans Christian Andersen. "What the Thistle experienced", was one of them. I translated this for my daughter in law, Shirley Gonsalves, as she wanted Scottish thistles in her wedding bouquet. My husband and I have been living in Scotland for the last 50 years and our 3 children were born in Scotland.

you belong to such a distinguished family you dare not think about it.” said the nettle, which grew close by.

The summer and the autumn passed, and the trees lost their leaves and the flowers faded away. “Here I still stand.” said the thistle. “It was me who brought them together!” The couple got engaged and the wedding took place. A few weeks later, the newly wedded couple were strolling through the garden and there stood the thistle with its last

flower. They walked along the fence and the young wife looked across it.

“The big thistle is still standing.” she said, “It has no more flowers left”. “Yes, there is the ghost of the last one.” he replied and pointed at the silvery remains of the flower. “It is lovely.” she said, “We should have one of these carved into the frame of our picture.” The flower came from the garden and up to the manor, into the hall where the painting of the young couple was. In the groom's buttonhole was painted a thistle flower.

There was a lot of talk about it - “Where will I get to,” asked the thistle?” The donkey at the side of the lane looked and said “Come to me my delicious.” The thistle bush did not answer. It had become more and more thoughtful. “When your children are chosen to be inside the manor house the mother can endure to stand outside the fence.”

“That is a noble thought” said the sunbeam “you will also get a good place.” “In a pot or in a frame?” asked the thistle. “In a story” replied the sunbeam.

THE POLLUTION SONG

Presented at YWCA Goa Good Earth Celebration on September 1st, 2013

A wonderful presentation to protect our environment

[sung to the tune of My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean]

WHAT THE THISTLE EXPERIENCED

Adapted from I have a Dream 2009 Poetry Competition by Young Writers

Imagine a woman's brain: a fertile yet fragile expanse teeming with ideas, aspirations, questions and emotions.

Imagine a room full of racing minds, scratching pens, writing an endless

stream of ideas and thought ...

Imagine your words in print reaching a wider audience, Imagine that maybe, just maybe, your words can make a

difference.

Strike a chord.

Touch a life.

Change the world, Imagine no more.

IMAGINE

The litter blows over the highwayThe litter blows near the park

Unless we do something to stop itThe world will be LITERALLY dark

Pick up, oh pick up, oh pick up the litter you see, you see

Pick up, oh pick up, oh pick up the litter you see,

The cars that drive over the highwayAre spewing exhaust in the air

We're leading our world to extinction,And we just don't seem to care

Bring back, bring back, bring back a clean world to me, to me

Bring back, bring back, please bring back a clean world to me

God gave us clean air for our breathingBut we just don't keep it that way,

Instead we pollute it from smoke stacksAnd breathe in the garbage each day

Bring back, bring back, bring back a clean world to me, to me

Bring back, bring back, please bring back a clean world to me

-Composer unknown