Faith, Folklore, and Friends

  For unto us a Child is  born, unto us a Son is  given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder:   and His name shall be called Wonderful , Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace . ~Isaiah 9:6

The twelve days of Christmas is the time between Christmas Day and Old Christmas, or the Feast of the Epiphany.  All of us have heard the silly carol written about it, and if you are like me, it seems to never end.  I'm usually ready to move on at five golden rings. Last week, I heard a storyteller tell what the song is about, and I don't think it is so silly now. I don't know how much of this is truth, but it is entirely possible. It is a lovely tradition. In the sixteenth century, Henry VIII got mad at the Pope because the Pope informed him that he had to go by the rules, even if he was king.  Henry VIII declared himself the head of the church of England, and publicly beheaded Sir Thomas More when he wouldn't bow down to him.  It was a crime to be a Catholic, so this song was written to teach  children about their beliefs without danger of persecution.  Here is the meaning the storyteller assigned to each of the verses. My True Love refers to ...

While we were at Sugarlands last Saturday, we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Herbert Clabo. He is an interesting man, to say the least.   Mr. Clabo was born in 1911, and early next year, he will be 103 years old.  We wondered if he had a secret of longevity, and he was happy to talk to us about it. I think it depends on how you live.  I went to Sunday School 35 years without missing a Sunday. I think that probably helped.  I've always tried to be a purty good fellow.  I've always been poor and skinny; that might have helped, too. Watch what goes down the red lane (throat?); it's your body, take care of it. Choose turnips over pudding. There are too many fat people in the world today. I'm doing purty good right now. I never went to the doctor until I was ninety, and he just starting pouring them pills down me.  I hiked in the mountains until I was ninety-nine. Mr. Clabo was born and raised in the area where Roaring Fork trail is now. He ...

  On Saturday, December 14th, we attended the 38th annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration at the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This celebration highlights the Christmas culture in Appalachia.    Around Christmas time, people gathered in churches, homes, and schools and many of them celebrated the holiday through music, storytelling, and crafts. Festival of Christmas Past allows us to pause and remember some of these traditions. ~  Kent Cave, North District Resource Education Supervisor.   There was plenty of old-time music, including a group of Scared Harp and shape-note singers. The Christmas trees decorating the building used all handmade ornaments.  There were demonstrations of weaving, rug making, and quilting on the inside.  It was a cold, rainy day, but they managed to make apple butter and apple cider outside.   We enjoyed all the music and storytelling. ...

 I grew up in a very tight-knit community.  One time, a new family, with different ideas and different ways of doing things,  moved in.  Everyone was  accommodating and welcomed them, but Mama said, "They are just not our kind of people." When the woman came by our house, Mama  showed off her latest quilts, and tried to hide her shock when the new woman said she had never quilted.  In fact, she couldn't even sew her own clothes.  Mama tried to give her a mess of fresh turnip greens, but the woman turned them down, saying she didn't know how to cook them.  Mama just shook her head when her company was gone; they were just not our kind of people. Years later, in a sociology class in college, our professor expounded prolifically about how it is human nature to seek out our kind ; people who share our values and beliefs, people who love the same things we do, and people we are comfortable with, no matter where we a...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.    And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. ~John 1:1-5

Last week, a friend asked if I had some scraps of Christmas fabric she could use.  I found a few for her.  I was happy to give them to someone who would use them because I wasn't going to. Saturday, when I returned home from some errands, this was on my porch waiting for me. It amazes me that such a beautiful thing can be made by sewing some scraps together.  It also amazes me that I have such talented friends. This is a treasure that I will keep and use every Christmas!