Candlemas is Coming

                                    

The days are dark but growing lighter as the sunrises I see from my bedroom window each morning -waking me with goldenrod, periwinkle and honeysuckle - come a little earlier each day.  

February 2 is Candlemas

also known as Imbolc,
                                   Imbolg,
                                            Bridig, Brigit, and the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

Originally this holiday was of mostly Celtic and northern European origins. This was the time of year when the milk began flowing again after the birth of the baby goats. It was a time when the light was growing stronger and we celebrated the waxing sun as the light of spring becomes visible through the chill of winter.

In Ireland they celebrate Saint Brigid, the midwife and foster mother of Jesus Christ at this time of year. In the Eastern Orthodox Church this holiday is known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. In the gospel of Luke, chapter two we read the story of Joseph and Mary presenting the baby Jesus at the Temple 40 days after his birth, which was the custom at the time.

They offered two turtle doves and two young pigeons for a sacrifice. Simeon, the Righteous, assesses baby Jesus at this time and prophesieds of the redemption of the world brought forth by Christ. A prophetess named Anna also makes similar prophesies.

Saint Brigid became associated with this holiday when Christianity reached Ireland. Saint Brigid was the daughter of a pagan chief. She grew up to become one of the only female Bishops (or Abesses) of the early church.

She is called Brigid, Brigit, Bride,
                                            Abbess of Kildare,
                                                                midwife of Christ,
                                                                                      Mary of the Gael and Noamh Brid.


She founded a school for art and metal work during her life. She was tied into this holiday as the midwife of Jesus and foster mother of our Lord.

Her sacred flame is still tended in Kildare to this day.

Candlemas is a time of many things and can be celebrated many ways. It is a time when the ground is awakening after it's long winter's nap. It is a time of purification and renewal. Some people remove their Christmas decorations this day. Fire, candle making, sacred flames, bowls of fresh cream and milk, colors of red and orange as well as Brigid dolls made from straw are all festive and traditional ways to mark this day.

Here are some ideas of ways to celebrate this day.

                                                                  A visit to the Temple

 

Since Saint Brigid is associated with art we often do a  lot of painting on this day. Here are our fire paintings done with tumeric and red food coloring.

 

Here Nykki paints with the juice of a blood orange

 

 

Baby Ronan paints on his first Candlemas

 

 

We used our fire paintings to add quotes from Luke 2 to our nature table

 

 

She's not made of straw but here's a picture of a Brigid doll we made a few years back.

 

Candle lit dinner with homemade tomato soup

 

Creating center pieces with candles and herbs

 

 

Scriptures to ponder...

"... a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people of Israel." Luke 2:32

"The thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Luke 2:35

"...and the child grew, and waxed strong in the spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." Luke 2:40

Blessed Candlemas!

Vaccine Links

There is an enormous, well funded campaign right now to discredit people who do not vaccinate. Non-vaxers are being pushed into categories of "Google moms," "Hippsters," and the like. My own fellow social conservatives are falling hook, line and sinker for the manipulation instead of doing unbiased research for themselves.

Motherhood is ordained of God, and mother's make the best choices for their families. Sometimes that means vaccinating, sometimes it doesn't. Whatever it looks like for your family do not let the powers-that-be bias you to one side or the other. Discover for yourself what truth is.


Vaccines Are Causing Measles. Child Who Caught Measles From Vaccine Was Shedding Live Vaccine Measles Virus In Throat and Urine

The Greater Good - Science Links

 Stop Blaming the Unvaccinated!

Vaccination: The UnGodly Practice

CDC statistics regarding diseases from 1900-1960. Clearly shows a drop to measles becoming nearly extinct by 1950. Measles vaccine was not introduced until 1963. See page 93

Passing the Destroying Angel. Vax info from an LDS perspective

FDA Press Announcement. Pertussis Vax does not provide full immunity, shedding has been found, transmission of virus due to shedding found, Pertussis outbreaks though tot be linked to shedding and acellular vax not offering full immunity.

CDC shows vax rate remained steady prior to Disney outbreak

German vaccine study Sept 2011 found elevated risk of disease in vaccinated children verses vaccinated but the reverse for adolescence. Their conclusion was that vaccine status does not affect health, study is pro vaccine.

Korean study, despite vaccine rate of 97% chicken pox outbreaks still occurred, no difference in severity of disease between vaxed & non vaxed children.

**Personal note. Based on CDC stats, prior to vaccination, about .10 people per 100,000 died of measles in the 10 years prior to the vaccine. Based on our current (Feb 2014) population, that means that 320 people would be dying per year of Measles. According to the best estimates I can find, currently around 10-20 people die per year from the MMR vaccine. This is noteworthy and is, to date, the most compelling evidence I have in favor of vaccines. Of course there are many other factors to consider including damage but not death done to people both through the vaccine as well as the wild measles. There are also long term health conditions that would eventually lead to death on both sides. There is also possible immune system damage done to the body via vaccine and strengthening done via wild infection. This is also contingent upon the CDC stats and the vaccine death stats being accurate, which they very well may not be.

US National Library of Health. Having the mumps in childhood prevents ovarian cancer.

**Note: Regarding my personal note above this is what makes things so tricky. There may be more deaths per the virus than the vaccine but what about lives SAVED from cancer because they had wild mumps? How many of those children who died would still be dying due to compromised immune systems infected with the common cold? Also scarlet fever is no longer a feared childhood killer and we don't have a vaccine for that.

Excellent set of questions for provaxxers. Answer these questions guys and I'll vax my kids right now

Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Rr

These Happy Golden Years

Chapter: The Cold Ride

The big R becomes the reigns and the little r part of the cutter on the cold Ride.

Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Qq

Little House on the Prairie

Chapter: A Roof and A Floor

Big Q and little q become part of Ma's quilt she is sewing.

Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Pp

Little House on the Prairie

Chapter: Pa Goes to Town

Big P becomes Pa himself. Little p is the pistol.

Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Oo

On the Banks of Plumb Creek

Chapter: The Old Crab

O was a hard one! I finally settled on the Old crab even though I think the river crab was longer than O like LOL

Birthday

Beautiful Boy having his birthday pudding! It's great to be 8!!

Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Nn

Today's book is Little Town on the Prairie. The chapter called Name Cards, page 185.

In this chapter Laura and her friends order name cards from the local printer. The big N becomes the name card and the little n becomes the Nest for the bird on the name card. Second grade children can practice writing their name in cursive on their name card.

Waldorf Alphabet Using the Little House on the Prairie Series - Mm

Today's book is On the Banks of Plumb Creek. The chapter is Wheels of Fire page 268.

In this chapter Pa is gone working and tumble weeds roll across the fire break and threaten the Mounds of hay.

Using a wet Mop, Ma beats back the fire with help from a neighbor. The precious Mounds of hay become our big and little Ms.

Waldorf Alphabet Using The Little House on the Prairie Series - Ll

Today's book is The Little House in the Big Woods, the chapter called the Long Rifle. In this chapter Pa tells the girls stories while he cleans and Loads his gun. The Long rifle becomes the big L and the ramrod becomes the Little l.