Beginnings


When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons."

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
   "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
       according to your word;
    for my eyes have seen your salvation,
       which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
    a light for revelation to the Gentiles
       and for glory to your people Israel."

And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

 

Luke 2:22-40

Presentation at the Temple

MANTEGNA, Andrea

1456

Gemäldegalerie

Berlin

Germany

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_Mantegna_-_The_Presentation_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

 

The date of the painting is unknown, but it belongs to the painter's youth in Padua. Date ranges from 1453, when Mantegna married Nicolosia Bellini, daughter Jacapo Bellini painter and the sister of Giovanni and Gentile, both painters as their father, and 1460 when he left for Mantua. Bellini's Presentation at the Temple, explicitly inspired by Mantegna's, dates to around the latter year.

The scene is set within a marble frame. The cushion on which the Child stands lies on it and partially juts out.

The Virgin Mary, in the foreground, is holding the Child while a bearded priest is near her. At the center, in penumbra, is Joseph with an aureola. Also in the background, at the sides, two spectators without aureola have been identified as possibly Mantegna's self-portrait and a portrait of his wife.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentation_at_the_Temple_(Mantegna)

More:

http://www.travelingintuscany.com/art/andreamantegna/presentazionealtempio.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate endings,

for they precede new beginnings.

~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

 

 

 

What the new year brings to you

will depend a great deal on

what you bring to the new year.

~ Vern McLellan

 

 

 

 

None are so old as those

who have outlived enthusiasm.

~ Henry David Thoreau

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Church of the Hills

Evergreen, Colorado

Pastor Susan Boucher

 

 

Ginny and Tom Boschen picked me up and we attended together along

with Juanita and Bud Weare.

 

 

Silent Night

 

 

At home, I illuminated my little Christmas Angels from Germany

 

 

Christmas Day Dinner

with the Brekkes

Holly and Jeff Brekke

 

 

Randy Sackerson and Kimra Perkins

 

 

Randy and Jeff enjoyed some of the home brew Randy brought.

 

 

Newly installed five panel painting by Randy!

In the Beginning

by Randall L. Sackerson

acrylic on canvas

2017

54” x 169”

Randy is an artist, photographer, musician, and author.

https://randallsackerson.com

 

 

 

 

Christmas Dinner, 2017

 

 

Saturday breakfast with Sharron Leonard and Eileen Sharkey

at the Blackbird Cafe in Kittredge.  Rebecca, get your body home!

 

 

 

 

 

Now

in the beginning there was Love

in the beginning there was Light

In the beginning there was Life

Now We are Love

Now We are Light

Now We are Life

for nothing is impossible with God

 

yet, ever yet,

we forget who we are

we forget our beginning

we forget our now

                                 we wait and long for a then

and miss the heaven now

~ Kimra Perkins, 

Christmas morning, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2017       First Sunday after Christmas

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

 

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzsteinaa

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

Happy New Year 2018 Pictures, Photos

 

happy new year 2018 pictures

 

2018 Happy New Year Images, Pics Free Download

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:22-40