epiphany gifts

Epiphany marks the 12th day after Christmas — the day the three wise men visited the Christ child. So, just as those three kings came bearing gifts, I bring you three gifts this day, just hours before the real Epiphany and a day after some churches celebrated the event this year.

The first is a gift from my fourth child (age 6). I mentioned in an earlier post his enthusiasm over the act of giving this Christmas, but at the time I had yet to open that gift. Here it is:

The second is a gift from Mother Nature. This is where, in the hot summertime, we sit and play cards or eat mouth-watering food hot off the grill. Hard to imagine those sweaty, mosquito-filled days now (and winter has just begun):

And one more wintry gift, this one from me with the help of a local sculptor. It is an article I wrote that appeared in the most recent issue of New Earth, a monthly newspaper representing the Diocese of Fargo. Because the link will bring you to the cover, you’ll have to scroll over to pages 8 and 9 and enlarge once you arrive. I hope it works and that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed being part of the process. In the story, you’ll meet our youngest, who was a model for Child Jesus, while I modeled Mother Mary: A Sacred Sculpture in the Making.