Buffy's Salon

Advent Calendar by Rowan Williams

 
Frost-covered white birch trees

He will come like last leaf's fall.
One night when the November wind
has flayed the trees to bone, and earth
wakes choking on the mould,
the soft shroud's folding.

He will come like frost.
One morning when the shrinking earth
opens on mist, to find itself
arrested in the net
of alien, sword-set beauty.

He will come like dark.
One evening when the bursting red
December sun draws up the sheet
and penny-masks its eye to yield
the star-snowed fields of sky.

He will come, will come,
will come like crying in the night,
like blood, like breaking,
as the earth writhes to toss him free.
He will come like child.

From Light Unlocked: Christmas Card Poems

Read The Archbishop of Canterbury's reflections on Advent.

Red Roses

 
The Rose

We all know that modern children get too much these days.  Too much pressure to perform, too much exposure to unhealthy ideas, too many material goods, too much molly-coddling, too much time spent on computer games and watching TV, too much exposure to sex and so on.

We read report after report about modern children being increasingly rude, violent, depressed, suicidal, and lacking in purpose and values.  To many of them, especially in a secular, materialistic society like the UK, there is no sense of meaning to their lives or, maybe even more important, meaning that they bring to other people's lives.

In her book Embracing Uncertainty Susan Jeffers tells the story of a friend of hers who was asked by her stepson what she thought would be a romantic thing to do for his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.  The friend suggested that he buy fifty roses and take them round to the old people's home and give them out to the elderly there.  The stepson was a little surprised by this suggestion, but nonetheless went round there on Valentine's Day with his girlfriend and the roses, and they passed them out, along with a smile and friendly word.  The staff were delighted and the old people felt so cared for.  In turn the stepson was thrilled with how good he felt.

I believe, writes Susan Jeffers, that my friend Karen has come up a with cure for so many of the ills with our children in today's world.  So few young people are called upon to help those around them.  Our society focuses on the importance of winning, which is very alienating; it doesn't foucus on the importance of giving, which is very loving.  As a result, we are left with an abundance of self-absorbed brats who don't realise that their lives make a difference.  Perhaps the greatest thing we can teach our children is that they DO make a difference.  The only way they can learn this important fact is by being exposed to ways in which they can give to the world around them.  Telling children repeatedly how wonderful they are doesn't make them feel wonderful about themselves.  Showing them how to act in a way that helps the world around them does make them feel wonderful about themselves.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38) 

Guide to Natural Housekeeping

 

I love the idea of using natural products with which to clean our homes.  They are so much better for our health and the environment.  Of course, we've lost the knowledge our great-grandmothers would have had, which is why it's always a joy to find a book like A Guide to Natural Housekeeping.  (For some reasons it's called A Guide to Green Housekeeping over the pond.)

This book is full of suggestions on living a more "natural" life and being more eco-friendly.  Here's a peek at a few of the ideas:

1. Make lemon dusters.  Mix two parts water, two parts vinegar and two parts lemon oil.  Soak your dusters in this solution and squeeze out the excess, leaving them damp.  Pare the rind from several lemons and lay a couple of pieces on each smoothed out duster.  Fold or roll each one and store in a clean jamjar with another piece of lemon peel.  The jar should be airtight, with a screw lid.  When you use them to clean your furniture you won't need to use spray polish!
2. Deodorize carpets by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda on them, leaving an hour, then hoovering.  Also you can use a solution of bicarbonate of soda to swill out your bin and remove bad odours.
3. Soften your skin in the bath by making oatmeal bath bags and immersing in the water.  Cut some squares of muslin and fill with a handful of organic porridge oats and some herbs of your choice.  Gather up the corners and tie securely with ribbon or string to form a bag.  Once immersed in the water, squeeze them gently until the water turns milky.
4. Use old-fashioned greaseproof paper for wrapping food rather than clingfilm, which carries all sorts of health warnings.
5. Bind pretty left-over fabric around wire hangers.  A cheap way to improve the look of your wardrobe and a fun way to recycle.
6. A very nostalgic way to add scent to your underwear is to dry the latter draped over bushes of lavender in the warm sun.
7. Did you know cinnamon could be used as an insect repellent?  Line the entrances of your home with this aromatic spice in order to safeguard them from ants.  How much healthier than using toxic sprays!

Immune System Dos

 
Eat your veggies

Last year I wrote about the main immune system DON'Ts.  Let's assume you're not doing anything really naughty, like smoking or drinking heavily every night.  There's still plenty of things you can do to bring your immune system up to scratch.

1. Eat 9 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.  Does the amount shock you?  In the UK we are told we should eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, and lot of people are not managing this.  In fact 5 a day is the official minimum, not the actual target.  A serving is a handful, and would include a glass of fruit or vegetable juice or a helping of baked beans.  Make sure plenty of these helpings are of vegetables of various hues: the more colour on your plate the better.  Learn how to eat more vegetables painlessly.
2. Take a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement that includes Vitamins C, D and E.  All of these are key for boosting your immunity.
3. Take regular moderate exercise five times a week - nothing beats a good walk, and you can catch some sunlight which is another immune enhancer.
4. Get to bed in good time in order to allow 8 hours sleep every night.  Do not sacrifice your sleep lightly.
5. Open up to people.  If you need help, ask for it.  If you are upset about something, find someone understanding to talk to.  Or even just keep a journal you can pour your thoughts into.  Bottling things up can suppress your immune system, especially if you are going through a stressful period in life. 
6. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.  The recommended amount varies, but if your urine is dark or smelly (apart from first thing in the morning) you need to drink a lot more water.
7. Exercise the proper rules of hygiene in the kitchen.  Always wash hands before cooking or after handling raw meat.  Eat leftover food within 2 days and if reheating make sure it is hot.  Change towels regularly, especially tea towels.  And disinfect the sponge you use to wipe down by popping it in the dishwasher every day, otherwise you're probably just spreading bacteria around when you wipe.
8. Be sociable: many experiments have shown that spending time with family, friends or as part of a community such as a church has a profound effect on the immune system.  Equally, being touched, whether through being hugged, holding hands or receiving a massage, reduces stress hormones that hinder the immune system.

You can read much more about boosting your whole immune system in the comprehensive book "The Immune Advantage".

A few films to look out for...

If you're like me then films always seem especially appealing as we head into autumn, when we have all the cold, dismal weather and darker days ahead of us.  There's a lot of dross out there in the film world, of course, but in every season there's usually a film or two you can take to your heart!  Here are some hopefuls.

The King's Speech - Forced unexpectedly into the limelight after his brother Edward VIII abdicates to marry Mrs Wallis, King George VI struggles with his stutter.  The reluctant king seeks the help of an unconventional speech therapist, as the Second World War looms.  Starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter and a host of other luminaries.  Set for release from 26 November.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the third of the film adaptations of the well-loved children's books by C.S. Lewis, and it sees Edmund and Lucy, joined by their obnoxious cousin Eustace, sailing beyond Narnia in the Dawn Treader.  This was one of my favourite books from the series so I hope they have done it justice.  Read more at the Chronicles of Narnia.

Meanwhile I am looking forward to the release next year of Snow Flower & The Secret Fan, another book adaptation.  I wrote a little about the book which I read it, because I have never come across a more engrossing and moving story of what it was like being a young woman in pre-Communist China.  The story is essentially about two girls whose friendship spans decades, overcoming a number of tribulations and social differences.  Strangely (but, perhaps, unsurprisingly) it sounds as though the film-makers have made some "changes" to the story and I very much hope that by doing so they have not damaged an already fine work.

 

Resources on Spiritual Disciplines

Young Puritan Reads Her Bible But Allows Herself a Touch of Vanity in Her Dress

This is an update of a post from a couple of years ago.  A lot has changed in the blogging world since then!

First of all, we have a selection of posts about spiritual disciplines at Girl Talk.   

There is a lovely article about teaching your children about the Bible at A Merry Rose which is just as suitable for an adult who is wondering where to start.  Plus an interesting look at the difference between being God-motivated and self-and-circumstance motivated throughout the day.

There are lots of excellent Bible reading plans around but how about one that allows you to read the key events of the Bible in the order that events actually happened?  Or a reading plan which splits the Bible into the Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels and the Epistles for each day of the week, so that you never get bogged down in any one section.

Alternatively, A Merry Rose provides an intriguing overview of the Bible Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, allowing us to step back and review the overall message.

Some thoughts on how to spend prayer time at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly.  And 30 days of prayer with A Merry Rose.

Keeping God in your life every minute of the day, not just during morning devotionals at Unfolding Grace.  And then making sure you really listen in church.

Excellent advice on witnessing from the No Greater Joy website.

A homemaker meditates on what is really meant by taking up God's causes.

Daily Prayer

 
Prayer

"And he spake a parable unto them, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Luke 18:1

I've never been in any doubt about the importance of prayer, but to know the truth about something and actually make it a seamless part of your life are two different things! 

Aside from those spontaneous little conversations I have with God (usually asking for something to happen...or not happen) I find that if I don't have a set structure for prayer, it probably isn't going to happen.

However, for me putting aside half-an-hour in the morning to formally pray doesn't really work.  It may be that something happens to deflect me at that time, or that I am rushing around and don't feel properly calm.  I can start to feel I am just "going through the motions".  And even if I have a wonderful prayer experience at 7.00am, by 5.00pm my mind has been overwhelmed with other experiences, so I could be feeling stressed, fed-up, blue and of course, disconnected from God.

I suppose this is why we are told to "pray without ceasing" 1 Thess 5:17.  I rather envy the Jewish tradition of having set prayers during the day, and of course I can tell from my reading of the Old Testament that the Israelites were very good at finding practical ways of reminding themselves that God was their absolute priority within their daily life.

So, I was delighted to find an answer when I stumbled upon a little booklet called "The Pocket Guide to the Anglican Church".  (Possibly a providential find!)  This booklet (a guide for a new Christian, I think) makes a very helpful suggestion for making prayer a part of daily life, by spreading it throughout the day.  I don't know if this booklet is still available, but I'm sure the author would not mind if I reproduced the prayer schedule here.

Early Morning:    Thanksgiving for sleep, for another day, for family, for friends, for the beauty of the earth etc.

Middle of the Day:    Intercession for others, especially those in need or distress.

Afternoon:    Petition for own needs and problems.

Evening:    Confession of our sins, and in true penitence, asking for God's forgiveness

Late Evening:    Meditation on a short passage of the Bible, letting God speak to us

Any Moment:    Adoration of God in loving response to his presence

I like the idea of spreading the prayer throughout the day, giving each section due attention.  You are never going to too long between sessions and, because each time you are focusing on a different area, it should also feel more refreshing, and less rote-like.

I'm looking forward to my new daily prayer structure!

 

History of Christianity in England: King Alfred

 
By the eighth century England had become a beacon of Christianity.  A man from York called Alcuin was the spiritual guide to the most powerful man in the world: Charlemagne creator of the Holy Roman Empire, whose rule over Europe extended over a thousand years.  For the first time people were united because of their faith: whether they lived in Northumberland or Naples, they were all part of a Christian Kingdom.

Then a disaster of immense proportions struck: the Vikings started to invade.  In wave after wave thousands of Vikings arrived on England's shores, massacring people and destroying property.  Even Lindisfarne, one of Christianity's holiest sites, was pillaged.  In fact, monasteries and churches were particularly targeted because of their relative wealth and lack of military protection.

"they miserably ravaged and pillaged everything; they trod the holy things under their polluted feet, they dug down the altars, and plundered all the treasures of the church. Some of the brethren they slew, some they carried off with them in chains"  Simeon of Durham, A History of the Church of Durham

"Lo, it is nearly 350 years that we and our fathers have inhabited this most lovely land, and never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race, nor was it thought that such an inroad from the sea could be made. Behold the church of St Cuthbert spattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments; a place more venerable than all in Britain is given as a prey to pagan peoples" Letter from Alcuin to Ethelred, King of Northumbria

By the late 870s, only the Kingdom of Wessex survived as the last pocket of Christianity in a land that had turned savage, pagan and barbarian.  It's king was Alfred, and at his lowest point he was on the run, hiding in the marshes of Somerset. 

In an apocalyptic world his last remaining weapon was his faith, but it was enough to fortify him and rally the people of southern England against the Danish hordes, bringing them to battle at Ethandune in Wiltshire.  The battle resulted in an amazing Christian victory against the pagan Vikings, which was to decide the whole future of England.  Defeated, the Vikings readily converted to what they now saw as the superior faith.  Over time, Alfred's descendants took over the Danish-held parts of the country, creating a single kingdom.  Alfred was Great, not only because he defeated the Vikings and the pagan menace, but because he began the unification of England as a Christian nation under one law, regardless of race, culture or nation of origin.

King Alfred forms a code of law 

Did you know that King Alfred introduced our legal system, our juries, our monarchy and even our counties?  It is because of Alfred that our laws can be traced back to a profound Old Testament influence, combined with Christain mercy.  His great dream was to unite everyone under a Christian government and his legacy remains with us today.

A day in the English countryside

I've discovered a lovely on-line tool called Smilebox (link below) for displaying photographs on blogs, as well as in a variety of other forms.  It's great fun to play about with and create different collages and slide shows.

This is my first attempt so be kind!  There are only 15 photographs from a day my mother and I spent in the countryside in May, visiting the country house of Hinton Ampner and the old town of Alresford.  I love looking at photos of the places other bloggers live in all round the world, and hope you find this brief taste interesting!

Free digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

Let it snow

A little reminder about the magic of Christmas, even if it is August!

This is one of the 10 minute tales we were treated to last Christmas, by a variety of writers and directors, showing that actions speak louder than words. Here's one of my favourites. 

The whole film is without speech, but the expressions on the faces of this family speak volumes! 

Trouble loading the film?  See it on Youtube.