Visitors With a Camera...

Having visitors is always stimulating (as long as they don't stay too long :-). Last week we had visitors, coming both from Chigago and from Limerick (Irland). 

And they did not only bring along a good sense of humour and spirit, they also brought along their cameras. If I may add, cameras that cost somewhat more than our small compact cameras. 

Molly, who currently lives in Ireland, has already blogged her photograpy frenzy.  Why don't you take a peek at her nice pictures, I'm sure she won't mind. 

And Kelly has also blogged a picture or two, she is also an ardent Flickr-user and she also blogs pictures here.  I'm guessing she will blog more pictures later ... 

Enjoy.

No matter what ...

112608-JJA
Originally uploaded by JDJA

What? It is Advent again. It means basically shopping for presents, too much food, Christmas parties and stress. Soon we will see the darkest day of the year. And the words of Scripture that:

"The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined" (Isa 9)

somehow seems far away. That belongs to the Summer. But Jan is overjoyed over his Advent calendar. This simple little thing (filled with chocolate) is actually an important reminder. It made me thing again about Jul. And it is a reminder to us all.

It does not matter if it is 1 December. If there are tons of things to do. Plans to be made for the holidays. The despair I often feel at the brink of Jul, of the holiday season, does not really matter. What I do does not matter at all.

Why? The answer to to that is: Because Christmas is coming. Not Coca Cola. Not by my helping.

He is going to come. That is the only present I need. A real presence.

PS! A bit unrealistic though: I also think we should change the name in the Scandinavian languages from Jul to Kristmesse (Christmas. It such a better ring to it. Reminds of not only that it is a holiday season with the family, but why we take time with our families.