Happy New Year! {8th Day of Christmas}

Or OUT with the OLD and in with the NEW

Happy New Year!

The calendar on the wall says January 1st, 2013.  A brand new calendar year starts today.  Even though this is not the liturgical new year, it’s still a busy liturgical day.

This 8th day of Christmas is the feast of circumcision of our Lord**.  It’s also the Feast of St. Basil the Great.  If I was a more organized Orthodox Christian I’d have some hymn lyrics to post or an icon image to include but I don’t.

I also have to confess that the liturgical stuff takes a back seat to the BRAND NEW YEAR stuff.  We really enjoy our junk food feast on New Year’s Eve and we love spending New Year’s Day with friends.

On this beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning, I am contemplating my goals, wishes and plans for 2013 while relaxing with a cup of coffee and eyeing another sugar cookie.

During the Great Bedroom Switch of 2012, which occurred this past weekend, I experienced a sudden urge to purge (oh dear that didn’t come out right).  My living room still resembles a war zone but I refuse to put anything back in either bedroom without first determining that it needs to stay and then determining where it needs to stay. 

Out with the old notebooks and broken toys and craft projects never finished.  In with new ideas for storage and plans for more enjoyable crafts. Out with the torn, ill-fitting, never worn clothing.  In with a list of clothes needed.  Out with the “so-what-if-it’s-messy-it’s-my-room”attitude and in with the “mom-I –think-I-want-to-keep-my-room-neat” outlook! (yay! )

I hope this burst of energy to clean out the old to make room for the new will carry into other rooms of the house and last throughout the year!

Merry 8th Day of Christmas and Happy New Year!  May God bless you today and throughout the new {calendar} year!

**Eastern Orthodox celebrate the circumcision on January 1st but the western church will celebrate it two days from now.  Oh an a note about the Old Calendar:  the date of Christmas and the Circumcision are still December 25 and January 1st but because it is a different calendar the dates translate to January 7 and January 14th on the New Or Gregorian Calendar.