Time ...

One year ago I uploaded my first blip, saying hello to all my fellow blippers, and also saying a temporary goodbye to my beloved nativity scene. Tomorrow, as I start my second year of blipping, the nativity scene will be returned again to the loft room for another year. 

It’s actually an anachronistic scene, of course, showing the magi arriving at the stable to worship the baby Jesus. The time is all wrong. Tradition tells us that the magi mentioned in Matthew’s gospel are Caspar, an old man, Melchior, who is middle aged, and Balthazar, who is a young man. They therefore represent all the stages of adult life, and they come from different parts of the world, with varying coloured skin, bringing three very different gifts. Matthew makes it clear that the magi are Gentiles, to show his Jewish readers that people of all nations acknowledged Jesus as “King of the Jews”. When the magi arrived at the home in Bethlehem where Jesus was by then living with his parents, he was probably many months old, so the inclusion of the ‘wise men’ in the nativity scene is merely artistic shorthand!

Time certainly seems to travel fast in Blipland too. This past year has seemed so short and yet, looking back on my daily photos, they bring back so many memories of people and places. What a great idea Blipfoto is.

It’s been such a joy to share journals and photographs with some very talented, amusing, brave and really encouraging fellow blippers in 2022. Here’s to the next 365!