The Twelve Days of Christmas, Ten Lords-a-Leaping

On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

   I'm continuing my series on The Twelve Days of Christmas. As I shared previously, Brian McLaren pushed me to ponder how I might put the Twelve Days of Christmas into action. On this tenth day of Christmas, I'm pondering the "lord" of our little hilltop manor and his love. I expect some will struggle with my usage of "lord of the manor" for my mate, but our marriage is not a patriarchy. I can jokingly and seriously call him "lord of the manor" because we both bow to the Lord. He leads with a heart of love.

  

   Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~ Mathew 20:25-28

   Shakespeare said, "It is a wise father who knows his own child." How true. There's a season for helping a child, and a season for getting out of the way, and teaching the child to do the work himself. Brother's been busy typing six pages of code into his computer this past week, so he can play Hunt the Wumpus. The day has arrived: one plays with what one has programmed.

   He doesn't leap over piles, but he does light fires within. Whether on the hill, or in our hearts, minds, souls, and yes, imaginations.

From his own father, he said, he first learned that 
Fatherhood must be at the core of the universe.
~ C.S. Lewis

 He knows when to hold your hand,

and when to get out of the way and let you skate free.

There are three stages of a man’s life: 
He believes in Santa Claus, 
he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, 
he is Santa Claus. 
~  Author Unknown

His Books

(They'd make great Valentines or Father's Day gifts.)

The Boys in the Boat I scooped it up from him, finishing it first. We enjoyed it tremendously. 

The Council of Dads shares Feiler's journey with cancer. A powerful book about community, family, and sickness.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind created something out of nothing, in the very best way.

A Long Walk to Water holds onto life in the midst of death. A story of overcoming in order to give life, hope, and water to others. 

Mind Over Water, Lessons on Life from the Art of Rowing 

Why does expanding our capacities matter so much?  Perhaps we are rowing toward something other than the horizon, an unknown shoreline.  Each stroke pulls us farther along an inner journey.  The real voyage, whatever the boat, is into the soul. 

~ Craig Lambert, Mind Over Water