Repainted or New Creche in the White House Grounds

Late on Christmas Day we took the bus downtown to the White House grounds to see the annual outdoor Christmas tree. It  was all lit up with blue and green and white and red lights, but it didn't change colors like in previous years. However, they did have set up all the little model trains that go around the Christmas Tree so that was fun to watch.  We also saw the annual Yule Log burning away throwing off sparks and embers at the crowds gathered round in the cold night air. We also were very pleased to see that this year they had replaced or repaired and painted the figurines for the creche display.  The last couple of years we'd seen this display the figurines had all looked a bit in need of repair or patching with some cracks and peeling paint.  So it was good to see the Mary and Joseph and Jesus and Wise Men figurines freshly painted or maybe even new, it was hard to tell. We're glad there is such a display on the White House grounds and there was quite a crowd around it. So,  have you seen Jesus lately?

Mad About the Madonnas in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC

I can spend more than a few hours in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC searching out and staring at all the Madonna paintings and statues. Not only are they hundreds of years old and created by  very famous Renaissance artists, but you just know that millions of people have also gazed on them and thought about the contents. Their colors and textures are extraordinary and you can't help wondering what woman and child or person sat and posed for the artist so he or she could create these icons. Of course, not everyone knows the stories of Advent and the birth of Jesus but of the several billion Christians in the world, I would hope that a few of us can gaze on these visual treats and have it enhance our faith. For others, at the least they can appreciate the art's antiquity and value or perhaps catch a glimmer of what they mean. I am very glad that one is allowed to take photos inside the Gallery as I now have my own images of these priceless works to use in a blog like this or to insert inside an email or print out for myself or whatever.  With electronic text and images, there are miracles we can experience every day!