Proselytizing and Propriety or Wow, they are getting Sneaky! ;-)

We, as Pagan’s sometimes get a little annoyed but mostly amused when someone comes knocking on our door asking if we have found Jesus.

I have had Jehovah's Witnesses, fundamentalist Baptists, and even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints A.K.A. Mormon’s stop by….they must feel the desperation of my apparent NEED of being saved because they keep coming back! Anyway, it is a minor bother and I am always polite, decline and ask that they do not return but that always seems to fall on deaf ears.

I was thinking of putting up a nice sign asking them to refrain from knocking on my door as I have told them in the past, I am not interested. Maybe if I put up a section of Mark 4:12, it might help? 

“So that although they look, they may look but not see,and although they hear, they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.” I forgive you for bothering me, AGAIN, please do not come back! 

I do realize that proselytizing is important to many religions and I do my best to stay open minded. But something happened that has me a bit put off.

On Sunday night, Ender and I were in the front yard and he saw a female classmate of his,one he likes to play with at school. Her family apparently just moved in a few doors down from us. Very cool. Ender was very excited and we took a walk over and I introduced myself to the girl’s parents and we had a nice chat. The kids played a bit and we walked back home.

During the night, Ender started getting sick and the next morning, I decided to keep him home with me. We had a quiet day and did some extra snuggling, because he puts up less fuss when he is sick. Hey, he is my last kid and he is almost 9, I will steal snuggles anyway I can. Don’t judge me! :-)

After school, there was a knock at the door. It was the girl, asking for Ender to come out and play. I told her the reason she didn't see him at school today was he was feeling ill but as soon as he was better, they could play. She asked me to tell him she hopes he feels better soon and she said, “My Mom said to give this to him at school today” and she hands me a paper. I thank her, thinking its something she made for him or an invitation to a Halloween party. We say goodbye and I close the door. I am about to give Ender the card, when I look at it.

THUD! My jaw hit the floor. It said “I am a Child of God.” “Are you?” and it was an invitation to attend their church, next week. Wow! Hmmmm. I had to sit and think about this for a minute. First, I was angry, then confused but ultimately amused. This is a new tactic…interesting.


I gave it to Ender, he read it, looked at me and said “Ug, do I have to go?” I said “of course not” and that was that. I considered going over to the house and talking with the Mom about it but the kid seems nice and Ender is looking forward to having someone in the neighborhood to play with after school. I am a bit miffed still that the Mom would try to send it covertly to school and not just ask me if he might be interested. Here is a picture, I intentionally left off the church's name and address in the picture.

So, I am sitting here now trying to figure out what I can send with Ender, to school for his new friend to bring home? An invitation to Samhain, maybe some kiddie Tarot cards, or should I just go big and give her a pentacle necklace? I would never do that, I have a sense of propriety that I fear my new neighbors lack, but still it would be awesome to see the look on their faces!!!!

The Dark Moon and The Clootie Tree

I did my dark moon circle by myself, this past Friday....out by my oak tree in the backyard. I have built a cairn at the base of the tree and I have turned that awesome oak into a clootie tree. I had seen several in my travels, and always thought they were beautiful.

In parts of Britain, Ireland and northern Europe, there is a tradition of fastening a piece of cloth to trees, usually oaks, near the holy wells. The oak  tree is a symbol of long life, wisdom and health. I did see them in many those places but I also saw a version of it at Ephesus, in Turkey. An entire wall by the House of Mary. Here’s a picture.....very impressive!

 

In Celtic traditions, a ‘Clootie’ or ‘Cloot’, ‘Clought’ or even ‘Cloughtie’ is a strip of cloth, rag or ribbon is dipped in the water of the spring or well and offered to the tree or Deity.  This is done as prayer or wish to cure an illness or solve a problem. The cloth is tied to the tree, and as it fades and disintegrates over time, so does the sickness or issue.  Another way to incorporate this into a practice is to make a Wish Tree, where offerings are hung on the branches or placed by the spring or well. These offerings may include a coin, stone, charm, necklaces, medals, beads and any symbol of your faith. 

My tree is a bit of both, it has cloth, beads, shells, whatever strikes my fancy. I only started doing this about 6 months ago, so feel free next time you visit my home, to bring something to the tree. I can see it from my dining room window, and it never fails to make me smile. Here is a picture of my tree. Please ignore the huge blue rain barrel. :-)

So, last night, I stood out by the tree, cast a circle and then just stood there...listening to the night sounds of my backyard. I didn’t ask for anything or do any ritual...just hung out with the tree and in that way, was one with nature and my God and Goddess. I did say Thank you for all my blessings, and friends and the all around great life I have been given.

Ancestor Altar

Since the death of  Deputy Pill, death in general has been on my mind. Her funeral was three days ago.

I have had an ancestor altar in my home since my Grand-Father passed away.  I thought I would share a picture of my altar and talk a bit about what an ancestor altar is and what it means to me.


My altar is a old side table that my wonderful Pepere, had by his favorite lazy boy chair until he passed in April 2009. On my altar, are pictures of him and my Memere, who passed almost a year to the day after him, in April 2010. Small urns of their ashes adorn my altar, as well as two silver horses. I choose to have horse symbol, because they raised horses for almost 50 years. There is a candle for each of them, that is lit on their birth days and the anniversary of their passing. I light the candles on April 1st and they stay lit until the end of the month. I use real ones when someone is home and flame-less battery powered tea lights when we can't be home. My Pepere’s old cowboy hat is there too.

My altar is in a corner of my dining room because that is the central gathering spot in my home. The altar is a permanent year round addition to my home but as we get closer to Samhaim, it becomes a place of focus and reflection. I add an offering bowl and put in food that my Grandparents enjoyed. I go to it daily and speak to them as if we are just chatting on the phone. I ask for guidance in the coming year and ask them to watch over my children as they did when they were alive.


On the night of Samhain, my family gathers for dinner and a ritual. We light the altar candles and we leave a chair open for the departed and I recite this prayer;


This is the night when the gateway between
our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
Tonight is a night to call out those who came before us.
Tonight we honor our ancestors.
Spirits of our ancestors, we call to you,
and we welcome you to join us for this night.
We know you watch over us always,
protecting us and guiding us,
and tonight we thank you.
We invite you to join us and share our meal.
(Theses lovely words were written By Patti Wigington)


Then we sit down to eat, making up a plate for the ancestors and talk about our favorite memories of  our departed loved ones.

 An ancestor altar is very personal.  I will be looking for a metal star to place on the altar, in memory of Dep. Pill. She was not a part of my biological family but she was a part of my law enforcement family. A friend of mine has placed photos and toys of a beloved pet who passed, on her altar. There is no right or wrong way to set one up. The only warning I have is to never place a photo of the living on your ancestor altar.