Christmas Dog, Christmas Star and Tim

Today Shay received a Christmas bandana, with her name on it, from my friend Mary Lloyd. She happily put it on and modeled it all day, posing for photos around the house. She even wore it outside to look at the Christmas “Star” with us.

We went out at around five thirty and looked southwest in the sky and there it was, Jupiter and Saturn very close together shining brightly down on our sad and hurting world. Four hundred years ago they were close, but it was in July and 800 years ago they were close, but it was in March. It is special to see both planets so close together, but extra special this close to Christmas. The great conjoining of the two planets in the sky is sometimes called the Star of David.

So many friends of mine all were out looking to the heavens for the “star” and I got photos from them showing what they were viewing as Shay, Russ and I looked into the sky too. I take this great conjoining as sign for good things to come, like the Star that led the wisemen to Jesus. Please let wisdom reign on our planet and for us all to act as Jesus by being kind to each other.

Yesterday On CBS Sunday Morning I saw a story about how one of the worst things for homeless people is not being called by their name because no one knows them. As Carter and I were out picking up groceries I was stopped at a light where a nice man in his mask held a sign asking for help. I rolled down the window to hand him a bill and I asked his name. “Hi, I’m Tim,” he said. “Hi Tim, sorry I don’t have more cash, but have a Merry Christmas and God Bless you Tim.”

He leaned down and said thank you to me and to Carter and said “God Bless you,” to us. It felt right to call him by his name, to acknowledge him. I was sorry I did not have a scarf with his name on it to give him, like the scarf that Shay wears now so people could know his name and call him by it. I hope that Tim saw the Christmas Star in the sky tonight. I hope he is warm and has food. I hope that kindness pours down on him and us all and that the Christmas Star heroes the start or better times.