Joy, Peace, and Love! -- don't save it all for Christmas!

Today was the Christmas service for my church! You could feel the sincere, jubilant spirits in that theater! We lifted our voices high rejoicing over the first coming and waiting in expectation for the 2nd! During the sermon the pastor preached on so many truths that it was too overwhelming to remember! However, at the time, I felt convicted! When the sermon was over, we did our normal routine of the after-sermon, first we said the Nicene Creed--in which I felt more courage and joy when speaking those words than I had ever felt!

"We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen. 

 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen."

Afterwards came the Prayers of the People, which our worship pastor had waited in silence for a long moments, then opened with saying how amazing it was to be an Anglican on Christmas--with the Advent liturgy, and then the beutiful service on Christmas Eve....he said we were blessed!

Then, he continued by telling us to remember the children's faces when they run down on Christmas morning and find those gifts secretly wrapped under the tree--how their faces brighten up with joy! He said we, as Christians are to have that very same joy throughout the year--day after day until Christ's coming! Immediately, I lost all sense of dignity and restraint, after the words of my poem The Dance of a Joyful Madman came into my head--and the image of a child's rejoicing face, then the reminder of that verse in which we are to be "....Rejoicing in hope...." in Romans 12:12! Once all those beautiful images flooded into my mind, I beamed so widely and nodded in agreement with a silent, "Amen." to my worship pastor.....he caught that in the corner of his eye and looked directly at me, and extended a hand in my direction saying, "Like Ari over there--who is always joyful!". Everyone had their head bowed down, but those who knew me by name--especially the friends I was sitting next to--smiled peacefully.... It quite took me aback, however, I enjoyed the look of glee on my worship pastor's face!

Later, after the service was finished and we had done the announcements, offerings, communion, and the pastor and acolyte made the procession back up the aisle and everyone departed with our "Thanks be to God!" and three "Alleluias!".... I talked to my guitar teacher and asked him when he would be able to do the next lesson--he answered with "We can start back up this coming Saturday." So, since I haven't been practicing since November--cuz of December being a very busy, stressing and emotional month--I have to practice all the things I've learned during the week leading up to Saturday! Then I went to the pastor, who had mentioned that there would be acolyte training for any who were interested--I said that I was interested and my sis had already been interested so I got an easy time for training--he's going to train Aneira and me at the same time, he said if any of their robes fit me they'll let me use them--but if they don't then I'll have to get one.... So, like this weekend was, next weekend will be busy too! Preparing for guitar AND training as an acolyte! Just hope I'm not too klutzy for the job, lolz!

Anyway, when I got back, I had a piece of cake--again, and what came of the cake this time was scribbling on a sketch pad, which in turn started looking like a Picaso piece--I gave myself the name Marionna Fernili-Picaso cuz of it, lolz!--then in turn, I wanted to color it--I started coloring with purple then I went on from there.... the inspiration built up from there, but at first there was none! So, basically the drawing has a multitude of colors on one side and grey on another.... the meaning to this piece can be taken two ways.... one way could be there is a girl full of colors--representing truth, absolute truth which is fading away to grey--which is the comfortable--when there are no absolutes. Or it could be the other way around, the colors of absolute truth taking away the comfortable....lolz! Either way, I've named it The War of Truth.....

This is how it began colorless and sketchy

Sketch #2

Sketch #3

Finished Piece

Colored #2

Colored #3

And later, I think I might tell you why I chose the name Swashbuckler Disciple as my sign out/email! But, in the meantime MERRY 6TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS!

Sixth Day of Christmas Gifts

• Aric - Reading Glasses
• Me - Callus Softening and Foot Scrub...Peppermint Oil
• Aneira - A pair of 2-piece gloves

Also, I plan on starting back up my practicing the penny whistle too! I hope it goes over well! :-P

Yours truly the Swashbuckler Disciple,
Arianna Joy "Platypus" Schaffer

P.S. This is a good song: