THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT -- 2013

On Friday, the 13^th we invited friends and neighbors to help us put up our Christmas tree.  We had plenty of salad, pizza, and wings, plus some ice cream and brownies for our guests.  The pictures tell the tale. When guests arrived the salad and pizza were ready; but the tree was still boxed. 

"Nice pizza--but what have we gotten ourselves into?"

As it happened, the more senior guests gathered in the dining room, while the younger used sofas and the rug in the living room.  [That is what we got the rug for!]   In order to be supportive, the more senior guests settled on affirming the good work done by the more youthful guests, instead of interfering with their process.  Our neighbors, Glenn Lirette and Randy Miller, and Srs. Nancy Hale and Pauline O’Reilly kept Br. Bob, Br. Charles and Br. John company. 

Glenn, Sr. Pauline, Br. Charles, Sr. Nancy, Br. John and Randy supervising from afar.

The volunteer’s guests went by first names—sort of like being in a witness protection program.  Lauren’s guests included a young man “J.A.”, also part of Americorps in New Orleans, and a young woman from Buffalo, Jessie, a college friend who spent several days with us.  Erika invited Jeff, Dan and Jenna, Jesuit volunteers who work at the Harry Thompson Center which shares facilities with Lantern Light Ministries.

Dan, Jenna, Travis, AJ, Jeff, Lauren and Jessie discuss their approach to tree trimming.

"I wonder if they noticed this great haircut I just got--ah well, now where is that tree?

Erika oversaw the buffet; Travis took care of the pizza and putting up the tree.  Br. John wrestled the brownies away from Br. Charles to give to the young people, telling the volunteers they could also have ice cream when the tree was up!  

Senior staff with ice cream cups and  brownie bites--will they share the brownies?

 

Tree is installed by Travis, AJ, and Lauren, note the ''sidewalk superintendents.'

 

Lauren searches for just the right ornament to put up next.  AJ and Dan await, breathlessly.

Jeff, with a height advantage, adds the star on our tree

Erika took the pictures that accompany this blog.

On Sunday, December 15^th, the community went out to dinner for a Christmas celebration.  Last year, at precisely the same time on the Third Sunday of Advent, we celebrated Matt Beben’s 23^rd birthday.  He had his first escargot, and he and Bob had ‘Seafood Courtbouillon, [gulf fish, shrimp, mussels, tomato shrimp broth, green onion butter crustini].’  It was a joy to see Matt’s delight in new foods, something so appropriate in New Orleans.  This year, as last, Travis and Br. John, had the ‘trois mignon’  as did Erika and all pronounced them good.  We had to skip dessert since one of our number had her heart set on a dish of vanilla ice cream from the freezer at home. ‘C’est la vie’.

REFLECTION:

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

--Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: Autobiography of Nelson Mandela