There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. “What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?”
Today, I found out. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality, which the children could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in The Apostles' Creed.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
WINNING THE RECOGNITION YOU DESERVE
How to make yourself and your achievements more visible at work. by Jim
Owen
OK, so you're a solid, steady performer at work, but nobody seems to know
who you are. You're basically invisible even though your results can stand
up to anybody's. You don't get the plum assignments, the best trips, or the
boss's gratitude. What to do?
This plight is more common than many people realize. It's also a major
source of workplace frustration. According to Virginia Rehberg, a consultant
with the consulting firm Drake Beam Morin, "Your task in this situation is
easy to identify but harder to achieve: You have to raise your profile at
work. You have to be more visible, not just in the eyes of your bosses but
also within the entire company."
For starters, that often means showing more initiative, taking risks,
volunteering for tough assignments, and by doing what some workplace
counselors call "shining in the white space"--going above and beyond your
job description to accomplish something that your boss and the whole firm
will admire.
Another way to gain plaudits for your work is simply to document your
output, says Cathy Kennedy, vice president of Lee, Hecht & Harrison, a New
Jersey-based career development firm. "Some people keep a monthly summary of
the top 5 things they do each month which they can show to the boss if
necessary," Kennedy says. For example, marketing managers can show that
brochures were done early and under budget, sales managers can tally their
numbers, and so on. "This can help bring your boss up to date, and make him
take notice," Kennedy says. "And it can also give you a good feeling and
build self-esteem to see what you've actually done."
You can also play a larger "civic" role inside your company, advises
Rehberg, by joining high-profile committees, task forces, even charity
drives or golf tournaments. "Doing these things helps get you noticed, not
just in your group, but company-wide," she says.
Another way to showcase your talents and achievements is by writing about
them--literally. "You can gain visibility for your work by publishing
articles in trade journals, professional magazines, company newsletters,
even by getting interviewed in the local paper," Rehberg says. This helps
you build leverage with managers at your company, she adds.
Likewise, becoming active in external business groups and associations,
charities, and community groups can help beef up your profile which, in
turn, can give you the recognition and stature you need back in the office.
"This can also provide the side benefit of enlarging your personal network
if you should decide to look for a new job," says Rehberg.
Jim Owen [e-mail] is a freelance journalist who has written extensively for
newspapers and magazines for over a decade. He lives in Arlington, Virginia,
with his wife and three-year-old son.
How to make yourself and your achievements more visible at work. by Jim
Owen
OK, so you're a solid, steady performer at work, but nobody seems to know
who you are. You're basically invisible even though your results can stand
up to anybody's. You don't get the plum assignments, the best trips, or the
boss's gratitude. What to do?
This plight is more common than many people realize. It's also a major
source of workplace frustration. According to Virginia Rehberg, a consultant
with the consulting firm Drake Beam Morin, "Your task in this situation is
easy to identify but harder to achieve: You have to raise your profile at
work. You have to be more visible, not just in the eyes of your bosses but
also within the entire company."
For starters, that often means showing more initiative, taking risks,
volunteering for tough assignments, and by doing what some workplace
counselors call "shining in the white space"--going above and beyond your
job description to accomplish something that your boss and the whole firm
will admire.
Another way to gain plaudits for your work is simply to document your
output, says Cathy Kennedy, vice president of Lee, Hecht & Harrison, a New
Jersey-based career development firm. "Some people keep a monthly summary of
the top 5 things they do each month which they can show to the boss if
necessary," Kennedy says. For example, marketing managers can show that
brochures were done early and under budget, sales managers can tally their
numbers, and so on. "This can help bring your boss up to date, and make him
take notice," Kennedy says. "And it can also give you a good feeling and
build self-esteem to see what you've actually done."
You can also play a larger "civic" role inside your company, advises
Rehberg, by joining high-profile committees, task forces, even charity
drives or golf tournaments. "Doing these things helps get you noticed, not
just in your group, but company-wide," she says.
Another way to showcase your talents and achievements is by writing about
them--literally. "You can gain visibility for your work by publishing
articles in trade journals, professional magazines, company newsletters,
even by getting interviewed in the local paper," Rehberg says. This helps
you build leverage with managers at your company, she adds.
Likewise, becoming active in external business groups and associations,
charities, and community groups can help beef up your profile which, in
turn, can give you the recognition and stature you need back in the office.
"This can also provide the side benefit of enlarging your personal network
if you should decide to look for a new job," says Rehberg.
Jim Owen [e-mail] is a freelance journalist who has written extensively for
newspapers and magazines for over a decade. He lives in Arlington, Virginia,
with his wife and three-year-old son.
Referring to a theme used by Marianne Williamson in her book "A Woman's Worth", Oprah said the following in a commencement address to the graduates of all-female Spelman College in 1993.
Be a queen. Dare to be different. Be a pioneer.
Be a leader. Be the kind of woman who in the face
of adversity will continue to embrace life and walk
fearlessly toward the challenge. Take it on! Be a
truth seeker and rule your domain, whatever it is --
your home, your office, your family -- with a loving
heart.
Be a queen. Be tender. Continue to give birth to new
ideas and rejoice in your womanhood... My prayer is
that we will stop wasting time being mundane and
mediocre... We are daughters of God -- here to teach
the world how to love...
It doesn't matter what you've been through, where you
come from, who your parents are -- nor your social or
economic status. None of that matters. What matters
is how you choose to love, how you choose to express
that love through your work, through your family,
through what you give to the world...
Be a queen. Own your power and your glory!
Be a queen. Dare to be different. Be a pioneer.
Be a leader. Be the kind of woman who in the face
of adversity will continue to embrace life and walk
fearlessly toward the challenge. Take it on! Be a
truth seeker and rule your domain, whatever it is --
your home, your office, your family -- with a loving
heart.
Be a queen. Be tender. Continue to give birth to new
ideas and rejoice in your womanhood... My prayer is
that we will stop wasting time being mundane and
mediocre... We are daughters of God -- here to teach
the world how to love...
It doesn't matter what you've been through, where you
come from, who your parents are -- nor your social or
economic status. None of that matters. What matters
is how you choose to love, how you choose to express
that love through your work, through your family,
through what you give to the world...
Be a queen. Own your power and your glory!
Take Care of the Big Rocks...
Take Care of the Big Rocks...
One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will not soon forget.
As he stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz", and he pulled out a one-gallon mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."
The time management expert replied, "Really?"
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him.
"Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the
question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good."
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.
Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is, If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the 'Big Rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams,
a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all."
So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question:
What are the 'Big Rocks' in my life? Then, be sure to put those in your jar first.
~ Author Unknown
One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will not soon forget.
As he stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz", and he pulled out a one-gallon mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."
The time management expert replied, "Really?"
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him.
"Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the
question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good."
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.
Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is, If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the 'Big Rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams,
a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all."
So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question:
What are the 'Big Rocks' in my life? Then, be sure to put those in your jar first.
~ Author Unknown
101 Ways to Play~ Jenny Ward
Jenny encourages us to get creative in getting more fun out of life.
1. Roll around in the grass, and don’t brush the grass off.
2. Drive/walk a different way to work or wherever else you usually go.
3. Wear glitter underneath your clothes.
4. Wear a bright orange tie.
5. Smell a flower fully, and thank it for its beauty.
6. Smile for no reason.
7. Smile at a stranger for no reason.
8. See how long you can have eye contact with someone.
9. Go to a toy store.
10. Buy a toy.
11. Do cartwheels outside.
12. Say yes when you usually say no.
13. Say no when you usually say yes.
14. Stand in front of the mirror and say “I am king/queen today!”
15. Climb up the slide at the playground.
16. Turn the volume of your “to do list” in your head...DOWN.
17. Turn the volume of your heart UP.
18. Stop.
19. Breathe.
20. Giggle.
21. Look around you with awe.
22. Remember that it’s never too late to be what you always wanted to be.
23. Take yourself out on a play date.
24. Laugh at your self as much as possible.
25. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
26. Don’t take anyone else too seriously.
27. There is nothing you have to do to be better…just be yourself.
28. Buy stickers.
29. Put stickers on all of your bills.
30. Play with your partner’s hair.
31. Be a super hero for a day.
32. Find time to laugh.
33. Watch kids -- they are masters at not taking themselves too seriously.
34. Put marshmallows in everything you eat for one day.
35. Jump up and down.
36. Invite a friend to a picnic…where you can only eat finger foods.
37. Write your name in your food with your fingers.
38. Celebrate being alive by thanking your body for all the cool things it can do for you.
39. Erase ‘should’ from the dictionary (your mind) for one day… or longer!
40. Finger paint your “to- do” list.
41. Be confidently playful.
42. Mow the lawn in fun patterns.
43. Plant colorful and big flowers in your garden.
44. Watch lady bugs.
45. Watch a football game and imitate each touchdown dance.
46. Order a banana split with extra whipped cream and cherries.
47. Eat your banana split without a spoon!
48. Interview kids on what they want to be when they grow up.
49. Ask your partner if she/he enjoys what they are doing.
50. Finish the sentence: “I am….”
51. Make pictures with your food.
52. Eat dessert first.
53. Make a playful pile of love with your family.
54. Every Friday at work, take one hour to play mad-libs.
55. Ask your boss if he/she is happy.
56. Buy bath tub paint.
57. Take a bath and paint 5 things you love about yourself.
58. For one hour a week, do something you love, not something you have to do.
59. Erase ‘perfect’ from your dictionary.
60. Make a list (in crayons) of your priorities in life.
61. Play the game Twister with your partner.
62. Pretend it is Halloween for a day.
63. Applaud your partner when they wake up for just being them.
64. Write ‘I love you’ everywhere in the house.
65. Count the stars.
66. Hang a blank piece of poster board up in the kitchen.
67. Every day write what you love about yourself on it (in crayon.)
68. Listen to others without judgment.
69. Keep learning.
70. Redefine responsible.
71. Lose the labels, and see people as you see yourself.
72. Be messy.
73. Give with a playful heart.
74. Receive with a playful heart.
75. Eat whipped cream right out of the can!
76. Send someone a bucket of crayons for no reason.
77. Buy play dough.
78. Bring play dough to work.
79. At work, give a round of applause for each colleague that comes in the office.
80. Get a lunch box.
81. Stop telling kids what they need to do in order to grow up.
82. Listen to kids about being young.
83. Allow your sandbox (views in life) to keep expanding.
84. When you are on the playground, race, gender and religion don’t really matter, it’s all about having fun.
85. Lighten up mentally, and you will lighten up physically.
86. Life is not hard.
87. P-assion in your L-aughter will A-ffect others and Y-ou.
88. Time-outs still work.
89. Choose to “skip by,” not “get by.”
90. Results aren’t always in numbers.
91. Throw away your scale.
92. Exercise playfully: when we were young, we weren’t trying to get in a half hour of cardio.
93. If you are trying too hard, it’s not play.
94. Life is not the same - - - - different day, unless you believe that to be true.
95. Put yourself first, others will benefit from this.
96. Ask always “what if…?”
97. Hear your answer.
98. Give thanks for your health, life, past, and your power.
99. Always follow your heart, it knows more than your ego.
100. You are enough.
101. You are not broken, and you don’t need to be fixed.~ Jenny Ward
Jenny encourages us to get creative in getting more fun out of life.
1. Roll around in the grass, and don’t brush the grass off.
2. Drive/walk a different way to work or wherever else you usually go.
3. Wear glitter underneath your clothes.
4. Wear a bright orange tie.
5. Smell a flower fully, and thank it for its beauty.
6. Smile for no reason.
7. Smile at a stranger for no reason.
8. See how long you can have eye contact with someone.
9. Go to a toy store.
10. Buy a toy.
11. Do cartwheels outside.
12. Say yes when you usually say no.
13. Say no when you usually say yes.
14. Stand in front of the mirror and say “I am king/queen today!”
15. Climb up the slide at the playground.
16. Turn the volume of your “to do list” in your head...DOWN.
17. Turn the volume of your heart UP.
18. Stop.
19. Breathe.
20. Giggle.
21. Look around you with awe.
22. Remember that it’s never too late to be what you always wanted to be.
23. Take yourself out on a play date.
24. Laugh at your self as much as possible.
25. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
26. Don’t take anyone else too seriously.
27. There is nothing you have to do to be better…just be yourself.
28. Buy stickers.
29. Put stickers on all of your bills.
30. Play with your partner’s hair.
31. Be a super hero for a day.
32. Find time to laugh.
33. Watch kids -- they are masters at not taking themselves too seriously.
34. Put marshmallows in everything you eat for one day.
35. Jump up and down.
36. Invite a friend to a picnic…where you can only eat finger foods.
37. Write your name in your food with your fingers.
38. Celebrate being alive by thanking your body for all the cool things it can do for you.
39. Erase ‘should’ from the dictionary (your mind) for one day… or longer!
40. Finger paint your “to- do” list.
41. Be confidently playful.
42. Mow the lawn in fun patterns.
43. Plant colorful and big flowers in your garden.
44. Watch lady bugs.
45. Watch a football game and imitate each touchdown dance.
46. Order a banana split with extra whipped cream and cherries.
47. Eat your banana split without a spoon!
48. Interview kids on what they want to be when they grow up.
49. Ask your partner if she/he enjoys what they are doing.
50. Finish the sentence: “I am….”
51. Make pictures with your food.
52. Eat dessert first.
53. Make a playful pile of love with your family.
54. Every Friday at work, take one hour to play mad-libs.
55. Ask your boss if he/she is happy.
56. Buy bath tub paint.
57. Take a bath and paint 5 things you love about yourself.
58. For one hour a week, do something you love, not something you have to do.
59. Erase ‘perfect’ from your dictionary.
60. Make a list (in crayons) of your priorities in life.
61. Play the game Twister with your partner.
62. Pretend it is Halloween for a day.
63. Applaud your partner when they wake up for just being them.
64. Write ‘I love you’ everywhere in the house.
65. Count the stars.
66. Hang a blank piece of poster board up in the kitchen.
67. Every day write what you love about yourself on it (in crayon.)
68. Listen to others without judgment.
69. Keep learning.
70. Redefine responsible.
71. Lose the labels, and see people as you see yourself.
72. Be messy.
73. Give with a playful heart.
74. Receive with a playful heart.
75. Eat whipped cream right out of the can!
76. Send someone a bucket of crayons for no reason.
77. Buy play dough.
78. Bring play dough to work.
79. At work, give a round of applause for each colleague that comes in the office.
80. Get a lunch box.
81. Stop telling kids what they need to do in order to grow up.
82. Listen to kids about being young.
83. Allow your sandbox (views in life) to keep expanding.
84. When you are on the playground, race, gender and religion don’t really matter, it’s all about having fun.
85. Lighten up mentally, and you will lighten up physically.
86. Life is not hard.
87. P-assion in your L-aughter will A-ffect others and Y-ou.
88. Time-outs still work.
89. Choose to “skip by,” not “get by.”
90. Results aren’t always in numbers.
91. Throw away your scale.
92. Exercise playfully: when we were young, we weren’t trying to get in a half hour of cardio.
93. If you are trying too hard, it’s not play.
94. Life is not the same - - - - different day, unless you believe that to be true.
95. Put yourself first, others will benefit from this.
96. Ask always “what if…?”
97. Hear your answer.
98. Give thanks for your health, life, past, and your power.
99. Always follow your heart, it knows more than your ego.
100. You are enough.
101. You are not broken, and you don’t need to be fixed.~ Jenny Ward
"Twenty Keys to a Happy Life"
"Twenty Keys to a Happy Life"
1. Compliment three people every day.
1. Compliment three people every day.
2. Watch a sunrise
3. Be the first to say "Hello."
4. Live beneath your means.
4. Live beneath your means.
5. Treat everyone as you want to be treated.
6. Never give up on anybody; miracles happen.
7. Forget the Jones's.
8. Remember someone's name.
9. Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.
10. Be tough-minded, but tender hearted.
11. Be kinder than you have to be.
12. Don't forget that a person's greatest
6. Never give up on anybody; miracles happen.
7. Forget the Jones's.
8. Remember someone's name.
9. Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.
10. Be tough-minded, but tender hearted.
11. Be kinder than you have to be.
12. Don't forget that a person's greatest
emotional need is to feel appreciated.
13. Keep your promises.
14. Learn to show cheerfulness even when you don't feel it.
15. Remember that overnight success usually takes 15 years.
16. Leave everything better than you found it.
17. Remember that winners do what losers don't want to do.
18. When you arrive at your job in the morning, let the first
13. Keep your promises.
14. Learn to show cheerfulness even when you don't feel it.
15. Remember that overnight success usually takes 15 years.
16. Leave everything better than you found it.
17. Remember that winners do what losers don't want to do.
18. When you arrive at your job in the morning, let the first
thing you say brighten everyone's day.
19. Don't rain on other people's parades.
20. Don't waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them!
19. Don't rain on other people's parades.
20. Don't waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them!
Six Rules for Success
1. Speak Out, Speak Up. Sit at the front of the room. Voice your opinions. Make eye contact. Get noticed.
2. Toot Your Own Horn. Men learn to call attention to their deeds. Women need to do the same. Take credit for your accomplishments.
3. Don't Expect to Make Friends. Remember that your job is only part of who you are. Making friends is not an objective of a business situation. It's just nice when it happens.
4. Accept Uncertainty. Have faith in your ability to perform and stop worrying about tackling a new job. There's no such thing as absolute certainty. Part of being good at work is learning to improvise.
5. Take Risks. You can't get ahead without sticking your neck out. Remember that failures are learning experiences that can lead to successes.
6. Don't Assume Responsibility Without Authority. Avoid volunteering for tasks where key people don't report to you. Offer your services only when you are certain there is a career opportunity.
--Adapted from Gail Evans' book by Victoria Fung
A Child’s Love
A Child’s Love
Unknown Author
A child’s love is like a whisper,
Given in little ways we do not hear
But if you listen closely
It will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud
But in how they come to you…
Daddy will you play with me?
Mommy, tie my shoe?
The many ways they tell you
Changes as they grow
Dad I made the team today!
Mom I’ve Got to go!
Pop I need some money
You see there’s…
This girl at school…
Mama I met a boy today
And wow he is so cool…!
Dad I’ve got something to tell you…
I think she is the one.
Mom, He asked me to marry him.
Would you love him as your son?
Dad I’ve got some news for you…It’s gonna be a boy!
Mom I’m kind of scared of this,
Yet I’m filled with joy!
A child’s love is like a whisper,
Given in little ways we do not hear
But if you listen closely
It will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud
But in how they come to you…
Grandpa will you play with me?
Grandma tie my shoe…
It is never ending
A blessing from above
Listen to the whispers
Of a child’s love.
Unknown Author
A child’s love is like a whisper,
Given in little ways we do not hear
But if you listen closely
It will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud
But in how they come to you…
Daddy will you play with me?
Mommy, tie my shoe?
The many ways they tell you
Changes as they grow
Dad I made the team today!
Mom I’ve Got to go!
Pop I need some money
You see there’s…
This girl at school…
Mama I met a boy today
And wow he is so cool…!
Dad I’ve got something to tell you…
I think she is the one.
Mom, He asked me to marry him.
Would you love him as your son?
Dad I’ve got some news for you…It’s gonna be a boy!
Mom I’m kind of scared of this,
Yet I’m filled with joy!
A child’s love is like a whisper,
Given in little ways we do not hear
But if you listen closely
It will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud
But in how they come to you…
Grandpa will you play with me?
Grandma tie my shoe…
It is never ending
A blessing from above
Listen to the whispers
Of a child’s love.
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