One of my best friends phoned me yesterday to tell me that she had read my Christmas letter – not one time, but three. She said that each time she read it, she received a different message from it, which I thought was totally cool. I jokingly responded that while the third time usually is the charm, perhaps she needed to read it one more time, and let me know what she thinks then. We both laughed, but my thoughts continued after our phone call ended.
As I struggled to write my Christmas message this year, a comment that Sister Carol Perry (the Bible Scholar for Marble Collegiate Church) made in a Bible study that I watch online kept creeping up and tapping me on the shoulder. She mentioned the fact that the Hebrew people of Bible times were reminded over and over “to remember.” Remembering was very important to their faith and culture – they remembered the stories of their faith, they remembered the prophets, they remembered the commandments, and they remembered God’s promise to His people. I began to consider “remembering” from a personal perspective, leading me to write my own message in this year’s Christmas letter.
Now that Christmas Cookie Baking Day is over, and it joins my collection of cherished memories of the season, I think about Christmases past, and realize that everything worth remembering is now in my collection of memories. And this is what my Collection of Days is all about – remembering. But memories are not always happy, as my friend reminded me when we were talking about my Christmas message, and many people do not have the warm Christmas memories that I wrote about. But what about the sad times, in addition to the happy? Do we remember them all? Yes, all memories are part of the collection of life, as they merge and mingle together, allowing us to remember and to grow.
As I go back to the reference of the Old Testament Hebrew community, I see that much of their remembering was in the form of lessons learned. In an Old Testament college class I took many years ago, one of the main lessons I retained from the class was that God blessed his people, they strayed from God, God punished them, they repented, and God blessed them with a grace gift, thus beginning the cycle all over again. This became the essence of their remembering, as they told and retold the stories of their faith and their God. If it weren’t for remembering, how could they ever learn?
So, I return in my thoughts to this Christmas. As each day comes and goes, all activities and thoughts move from the present into the realm of memory. Today is a brief moment in my life, but the memories of Christmases past grow with each day that passes. It becomes less important what my frame of mind is as I approach Christmas, or what mood the season may cast upon me, but more importantly how the memory and remembering changes me as I move into my future. Whether I am happy or sad, alone or surrounded by people, busy or contemplative, a gift-giver or a gift-receiver, the important thing for me is to remember, not only my personal Christmases, but also what Christmas really means. It becomes vitally important for me to remember God’s greatest grace gift of all time.
It’s something to ponder, don’t you think?
(Please read my Christmas letter, posted on this blog on December 7).
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A Time For Remembering
My Annual Christmas Message to Family and Friends.
I sit at my computer, staring at a blank screen, not knowing what to write. I feel like I am Christmased out with inspiring stories and witty essays to share. Inspiration seems to have gone on vacation, and I sit here wondering what to say. Usually by this time of year, something has touched my heart, and my writing comes effortlessly. This year- I struggle to find a creative thought. So…. what am I going to write about Christmas this year?
I’d like to say how much I am looking forward to Christmas the way I did as a child and as a mother of two little boys, but I’m not. There is so much for a child to look forward to with all of the holiday excitement in the air. I remember childhood Christmases, picturing my family gathered around our dining room table for our family dinner. I see my friends and me racing up and down the Winnona Drive sidewalk on new roller skates or bikes, and cradling our new baby dolls. As we get older, we model sweaters and new outfits for each other, and listen to our LP records on the hi-fi set in our den. I watch my mother’s delight upon opening Daddy’s gift- the one Molly and I were given the assignment on Christmas Eve to go out and buy for him to give to her. I see my own children’s faces light up in glee on Christmas morning as they dump their stockings to find all kinds of treasures, and then tear open their gifts that they had circled in the Sears Christmas catalog. I watch all of this from a distance, and I remember.
Yes, my memories of Christmas Day are warm and fuzzy.
Christmas is certainly different now. While I celebrate Christmas with my annual Christmas Cookie Baking Day early in December, once it is over, our home is quiet for the rest of the season. There’s not much to anticipate. We get together with a small group during the holidays for our annual Christmas lasagna dinner, and some years we travel during the season. But Christmas Day is usually a home-alone, ho-hum kind of day. With my sons living on opposite sides of the country, it’s very rare for them to be with me at Christmas. I miss those family Christmases.
I don’t want to sound negative about Christmas, because I’m not. I know my memories are certainly distorted as I gaze through the mist into my past. As surely as I, along with my boys, have grown up and changed, my celebration of Christmas has also changed. I think about the spiritual nature of Christmas more than I did as a child, and Santa Claus and receiving gifts aren’t important to me the way they were when I was a little girl, or when Wade and Brian were kids. However, Christmas Eve continues to be magical and mystical. It has taken a prominent place in my celebration, as I sit in the sanctuary at church and let the music, candlelight, and scripture of the holy night wash over me. While it is a beautiful narrative, the nativity story doesn’t hold the same appeal to me as it once did, as I understand that the Biblical account of the night of Christ’s birth probably isn’t totally factual, and the event may not have been exactly as it is portrayed in the Bible story. However, the significance of Jesus’ entry into this world and the impact of his life and ministry is overwhelming to me as I celebrate his birth.
I guess what I am saying this year is that being excited about Christmas Day may not be as important as I thought. Childhood Christmases are only a memory, and the reality is that life changes as the years pass. Maybe I’m supposed to approach Christmas Day differently; perhaps it’s more important for me to simply remember Christmases past as I embrace this Christmas. Christmas 2011 has something unique to offer as I open my heart to the possibilities.
My blank sheet of paper is finally filled with my Christmas message for this year. My wish for my readers is a Christmas filled with the love of family and friends, the warmth of peace and joy, the tastes and sounds of yummy food and happy laughter - all wrapped up in wonderful Christmas memories for future Christmases.
I sit at my computer, staring at a blank screen, not knowing what to write. I feel like I am Christmased out with inspiring stories and witty essays to share. Inspiration seems to have gone on vacation, and I sit here wondering what to say. Usually by this time of year, something has touched my heart, and my writing comes effortlessly. This year- I struggle to find a creative thought. So…. what am I going to write about Christmas this year?
I’d like to say how much I am looking forward to Christmas the way I did as a child and as a mother of two little boys, but I’m not. There is so much for a child to look forward to with all of the holiday excitement in the air. I remember childhood Christmases, picturing my family gathered around our dining room table for our family dinner. I see my friends and me racing up and down the Winnona Drive sidewalk on new roller skates or bikes, and cradling our new baby dolls. As we get older, we model sweaters and new outfits for each other, and listen to our LP records on the hi-fi set in our den. I watch my mother’s delight upon opening Daddy’s gift- the one Molly and I were given the assignment on Christmas Eve to go out and buy for him to give to her. I see my own children’s faces light up in glee on Christmas morning as they dump their stockings to find all kinds of treasures, and then tear open their gifts that they had circled in the Sears Christmas catalog. I watch all of this from a distance, and I remember.
Yes, my memories of Christmas Day are warm and fuzzy.
Christmas is certainly different now. While I celebrate Christmas with my annual Christmas Cookie Baking Day early in December, once it is over, our home is quiet for the rest of the season. There’s not much to anticipate. We get together with a small group during the holidays for our annual Christmas lasagna dinner, and some years we travel during the season. But Christmas Day is usually a home-alone, ho-hum kind of day. With my sons living on opposite sides of the country, it’s very rare for them to be with me at Christmas. I miss those family Christmases.
I don’t want to sound negative about Christmas, because I’m not. I know my memories are certainly distorted as I gaze through the mist into my past. As surely as I, along with my boys, have grown up and changed, my celebration of Christmas has also changed. I think about the spiritual nature of Christmas more than I did as a child, and Santa Claus and receiving gifts aren’t important to me the way they were when I was a little girl, or when Wade and Brian were kids. However, Christmas Eve continues to be magical and mystical. It has taken a prominent place in my celebration, as I sit in the sanctuary at church and let the music, candlelight, and scripture of the holy night wash over me. While it is a beautiful narrative, the nativity story doesn’t hold the same appeal to me as it once did, as I understand that the Biblical account of the night of Christ’s birth probably isn’t totally factual, and the event may not have been exactly as it is portrayed in the Bible story. However, the significance of Jesus’ entry into this world and the impact of his life and ministry is overwhelming to me as I celebrate his birth.
I guess what I am saying this year is that being excited about Christmas Day may not be as important as I thought. Childhood Christmases are only a memory, and the reality is that life changes as the years pass. Maybe I’m supposed to approach Christmas Day differently; perhaps it’s more important for me to simply remember Christmases past as I embrace this Christmas. Christmas 2011 has something unique to offer as I open my heart to the possibilities.
My blank sheet of paper is finally filled with my Christmas message for this year. My wish for my readers is a Christmas filled with the love of family and friends, the warmth of peace and joy, the tastes and sounds of yummy food and happy laughter - all wrapped up in wonderful Christmas memories for future Christmases.
Monday, December 27, 2010
After Christmas Musings
Christmas is over, and my thoughts are now focused on putting away all of the decorations and getting our home ready for a new year. I often get a touch of depression during this time of the year, but I am determined not to let it happen this year. It’s all a matter of perspective, I have decided – how I look at things – and mine is going to be upbeat.
While writing this, my kitten, Zuzu, is pawing at the letters on the computer monitor as I type. It makes it difficult for me to see what I’m writing, but she sure is having fun. As I think about a new year, I look at this beautiful kitten, and imagine what she is going to be like as an adult cat. She has added such a lively addition to our family, and her curiosity is something that I can identify with. It gets her into trouble as it sometimes does me. Mine is more often categorized as nosiness, while hers usually includes pens and pencils getting stuck underneath the furniture, or a soaking if she falls into the sink running with water. I am eager for the new year with all the discoveries this little cat and I will make.
I am also looking forward to lots of walks with Diamond. Jeremy gave me a Sherpa hat for Christmas, so I have no excuses for not going on blustery winter day outings with my girl. With my silk long johns, a warm coat and gloves, and this fantastic hat, I’m ready for the coldest of Georgia winter days. Diamond is beginning to show her age with a touch of arthritis, but she never hesitates to get excited when I start lacing up my walking shoes. I can learn a lot from her about getting older and loving life.
I begin a new job next week. I’m not sure what my feelings are about this. I’ll have to wait until I get started to make a statement about being back in the work force. These two years have been great as I’ve stretched my wings in many creative endeavors and have enjoyed the luxury of creating my own daily schedule. I have completed projects that had been put on the back burner, and have fulfilled some dreams that I didn’t ever seem to have the time to pursue. My novel is written, my photo note card business is now a reality, and the summer produce market is part of our summer lives. While 2010 has been a challenging year in many ways, it will have to go down in my archives as one of my best years.
This morning, some of our Christmas snow is still on the ground. It’s the first Georgia white Christmas I’ve ever experienced. But, as I look out over our property, I see our garden, now covered with white splotches, and imagine springtime and young vegetable plants sprouting in the warming soil. My soul longs for springtime, even as I bask in warm Christmas memories. In a couple of months I’ll be planting tomato and pepper seeds, and another growing season will begin.
I’ll begin undressing the Christmas tree this morning. I will pack up my angel and other ornaments, which now include a beautiful new angel from my cousin, Susan, a pink beaded breast cancer ribbon ornament from my friend, Bea, and an “Angel of the Garden” statue from my sister, Molly. This one won’t be packed away, but will find a new home on the bookshelf above my desk to help remind me who I am.
Phil decided that next year we may need a larger tree, as our collection of ornaments grows each year. Coming from my resident, bah-humbug Scrooge husband, I can declare with a smile that this Christmas was a huge success, as I put away the decorations for another year.
Lookin’ forward to 2011!
While writing this, my kitten, Zuzu, is pawing at the letters on the computer monitor as I type. It makes it difficult for me to see what I’m writing, but she sure is having fun. As I think about a new year, I look at this beautiful kitten, and imagine what she is going to be like as an adult cat. She has added such a lively addition to our family, and her curiosity is something that I can identify with. It gets her into trouble as it sometimes does me. Mine is more often categorized as nosiness, while hers usually includes pens and pencils getting stuck underneath the furniture, or a soaking if she falls into the sink running with water. I am eager for the new year with all the discoveries this little cat and I will make.
I am also looking forward to lots of walks with Diamond. Jeremy gave me a Sherpa hat for Christmas, so I have no excuses for not going on blustery winter day outings with my girl. With my silk long johns, a warm coat and gloves, and this fantastic hat, I’m ready for the coldest of Georgia winter days. Diamond is beginning to show her age with a touch of arthritis, but she never hesitates to get excited when I start lacing up my walking shoes. I can learn a lot from her about getting older and loving life.
I begin a new job next week. I’m not sure what my feelings are about this. I’ll have to wait until I get started to make a statement about being back in the work force. These two years have been great as I’ve stretched my wings in many creative endeavors and have enjoyed the luxury of creating my own daily schedule. I have completed projects that had been put on the back burner, and have fulfilled some dreams that I didn’t ever seem to have the time to pursue. My novel is written, my photo note card business is now a reality, and the summer produce market is part of our summer lives. While 2010 has been a challenging year in many ways, it will have to go down in my archives as one of my best years.
This morning, some of our Christmas snow is still on the ground. It’s the first Georgia white Christmas I’ve ever experienced. But, as I look out over our property, I see our garden, now covered with white splotches, and imagine springtime and young vegetable plants sprouting in the warming soil. My soul longs for springtime, even as I bask in warm Christmas memories. In a couple of months I’ll be planting tomato and pepper seeds, and another growing season will begin.
I’ll begin undressing the Christmas tree this morning. I will pack up my angel and other ornaments, which now include a beautiful new angel from my cousin, Susan, a pink beaded breast cancer ribbon ornament from my friend, Bea, and an “Angel of the Garden” statue from my sister, Molly. This one won’t be packed away, but will find a new home on the bookshelf above my desk to help remind me who I am.
Phil decided that next year we may need a larger tree, as our collection of ornaments grows each year. Coming from my resident, bah-humbug Scrooge husband, I can declare with a smile that this Christmas was a huge success, as I put away the decorations for another year.
Lookin’ forward to 2011!
Friday, December 17, 2010
What Is Love?
This is my Christmas letter from 2007. It means as much to me today as it did the day I wrote it. I hope my blog followers will enjoy reading it. For some, it's for the second time.
What Is Love?
This was a question posed to me this summer by a very dear friend. Did I have an answer to the question? My immediate knee jerk response was, “Beats me!” followed by countless hours of pondering the meaning of love. Now, as the holidays draw near, and we turn our attention toward gift giving and receiving and celebrating our faith, family and friends, I decided to share some of my insights with all of you. I could write on and on about love, but maybe this Christmas letter will hit the highlights. I always welcome responses from you if you have something you’d like to share with me on the subject.
First, I’ve come to the conclusion that love is enduring. Even when we think love dies, it doesn’t. Through the pain of what we think is the death of love, we find ourselves growing and our horizons expanding, and we become capable of even greater love- it may be directed into a new direction, and might lie dormant for awhile, but it is still there waiting to emerge and bloom.
Love makes us cry. We cry when we are happy and we cry when we are sad, angry or grieving. It is love that brings tears to our eyes and pain to the pit of our stomachs. Sometimes love causes us to hurt- it isn’t love that hurts us, but how we deal with the many facets of love.
Love makes us a family. Whether those we love are blood-kin (a familiar Campbell family term) or are those we “adopt” into our family, it is love that binds us together.
Love changes. Romantic love matures to either enduring love or transforms itself through heartbreak and loneliness as it motivates us to expand our reach toward others. Disappointment from love not returned motivates us to find love in new places.
Love is flexible. It is forgiving.
Love comes in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. I love Phil, I love
my sons, I love my friends and family, I love my home, I love my
dog and cats, I love the feel of the wind on my face, I love pizza
and English toffee, I love a long hot shower, I love country music.
Love is eternal. I love my parents dearly, even though they have
been gone from my sight for many years. When asked if I believe
in life after death, I have two reasons for believing as I do. First,
I am incapable of not believing in it, and second, l believe that
love cannot be destroyed, and is the essence of God.
We are created to love and to be loved.
Love is the song of the universe and God’s greatest creation and gift.
May you be blessed this Christmas surrounded by love.
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God. (I John 4:7 NEB)
What Is Love?
This was a question posed to me this summer by a very dear friend. Did I have an answer to the question? My immediate knee jerk response was, “Beats me!” followed by countless hours of pondering the meaning of love. Now, as the holidays draw near, and we turn our attention toward gift giving and receiving and celebrating our faith, family and friends, I decided to share some of my insights with all of you. I could write on and on about love, but maybe this Christmas letter will hit the highlights. I always welcome responses from you if you have something you’d like to share with me on the subject.
First, I’ve come to the conclusion that love is enduring. Even when we think love dies, it doesn’t. Through the pain of what we think is the death of love, we find ourselves growing and our horizons expanding, and we become capable of even greater love- it may be directed into a new direction, and might lie dormant for awhile, but it is still there waiting to emerge and bloom.
Love makes us cry. We cry when we are happy and we cry when we are sad, angry or grieving. It is love that brings tears to our eyes and pain to the pit of our stomachs. Sometimes love causes us to hurt- it isn’t love that hurts us, but how we deal with the many facets of love.
Love makes us a family. Whether those we love are blood-kin (a familiar Campbell family term) or are those we “adopt” into our family, it is love that binds us together.
Love changes. Romantic love matures to either enduring love or transforms itself through heartbreak and loneliness as it motivates us to expand our reach toward others. Disappointment from love not returned motivates us to find love in new places.
Love is flexible. It is forgiving.
Love comes in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. I love Phil, I love
my sons, I love my friends and family, I love my home, I love my
dog and cats, I love the feel of the wind on my face, I love pizza
and English toffee, I love a long hot shower, I love country music.
Love is eternal. I love my parents dearly, even though they have
been gone from my sight for many years. When asked if I believe
in life after death, I have two reasons for believing as I do. First,
I am incapable of not believing in it, and second, l believe that
love cannot be destroyed, and is the essence of God.
We are created to love and to be loved.
Love is the song of the universe and God’s greatest creation and gift.
May you be blessed this Christmas surrounded by love.
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God. (I John 4:7 NEB)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
What Christmas Means to Me - My Annual Christmas Letter
When I was a child, there was an annual Christmas activity in my elementary school classroom. The teacher would write the word “CHRISTMAS” on the blackboard and then instruct us to make a list of holiday words, using each of the letters in Christmas. This was back in the dark ages when we could talk about Christmas in school, have parties, and wish everyone a “Merry Christmas.” In the spirit of Christmases Past, here is my updated list as my Christmas letter to my family and friends.
C - H - R - I - S - T - M - A - S
C – is for Cookie Baking Day, the highlight of the Christmas season for Phil and me. On the first Saturday in December, our home transforms into a cookie-making workshop for the day. Friends, family, and sometimes strangers, fill up our home with laughter, memories, fun, and wonderful things to eat. We spend the day baking cookies, and then share them for everyone to take home. It is my day to bask in the warmth of those I love, celebrate the start of the holiday season, and overdose on sugar.
H – is for home. There’s no place I’d rather be at Christmas time. My home is my nest, my sanctuary, and my anchor. It is the place where I know I belong.
R – is for reindeer antlers. Every year as I unpack the holiday decorations, I dust them off, straighten them out, and get ready to wear them on Cookie Baking Day. On Christmas morning, Diamond wears them for a short period of time. Even Phil takes a turn with the antlers at some point in the season. I haven’t figured out a way for the cats to take their turns. The antlers with jingle bells on them add a little bit of silliness to the season. I love my reindeer antlers!
I – is for the incredible feeling of thanksgiving I have for living to experience another Christmas season. Even with all of the traditions, each year brings something new and special – simply incredible!
S – is for spices. I have some special recipes that get pulled out every December. One in particular that I bake every year contains molasses, ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. How I love the way my house smells when these cookies are baking! Also loved are my spice-scented candles and herbal teas.
T – is for travel. While I love my home at Christmas time, it’s a rare season that we don’t travel somewhere between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Whether it is to attend a holiday concert where Roy is performing, to spend a few days at my friend Beth’s beach house, or to simply take a day trip, we really enjoy a little holiday travel.
M – is for mystery. Bishop Kenneth Goodson preached a sermon many years ago on “Stewards of the Mysteries of God” that I’ll never forget. While he was speaking directly to an ordination class of ministers, the message penetrated my heart. Christmas is filled with mystery, which leads to faith. There is so much that I don’t understand about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, but as a steward of God’s mysteries, I embrace the message and the gift.
A – is for angel tree. When I married Phil, I brought a box of Christmas tree ornaments from my divorce that were special to me. Most had been given to me by friends, students, and my boys. As I unpacked them the first Christmas that Phil and I put up a Christmas tree, I realized that most of them were angel ornaments. Thus, my Angel Tree was born. Over the years, more ornaments have been added, transforming it to an Angel and Other Stuff Tree, but I treasure my angels, and the story that each one holds.
S – is for steak dinner. Christmas Day is usually a quiet day at our house. My sons rarely come this far south or east for Christmas, and Phil’s sons typically spend the day with other branches of their family. Instead of preparing a traditional turkey dinner, we have developed our own tradition – steak. I set a romantic table, complete with wine and candlelight, Phil grills the steaks to perfection, and we feast on Christmas filet mignon.
So, dear family and friends, this is what Christmas means to me. What do the letters in CHRISTMAS mean to you?
Merry Christmas to all!
C - H - R - I - S - T - M - A - S
C – is for Cookie Baking Day, the highlight of the Christmas season for Phil and me. On the first Saturday in December, our home transforms into a cookie-making workshop for the day. Friends, family, and sometimes strangers, fill up our home with laughter, memories, fun, and wonderful things to eat. We spend the day baking cookies, and then share them for everyone to take home. It is my day to bask in the warmth of those I love, celebrate the start of the holiday season, and overdose on sugar.
H – is for home. There’s no place I’d rather be at Christmas time. My home is my nest, my sanctuary, and my anchor. It is the place where I know I belong.
R – is for reindeer antlers. Every year as I unpack the holiday decorations, I dust them off, straighten them out, and get ready to wear them on Cookie Baking Day. On Christmas morning, Diamond wears them for a short period of time. Even Phil takes a turn with the antlers at some point in the season. I haven’t figured out a way for the cats to take their turns. The antlers with jingle bells on them add a little bit of silliness to the season. I love my reindeer antlers!
I – is for the incredible feeling of thanksgiving I have for living to experience another Christmas season. Even with all of the traditions, each year brings something new and special – simply incredible!
S – is for spices. I have some special recipes that get pulled out every December. One in particular that I bake every year contains molasses, ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. How I love the way my house smells when these cookies are baking! Also loved are my spice-scented candles and herbal teas.
T – is for travel. While I love my home at Christmas time, it’s a rare season that we don’t travel somewhere between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Whether it is to attend a holiday concert where Roy is performing, to spend a few days at my friend Beth’s beach house, or to simply take a day trip, we really enjoy a little holiday travel.
M – is for mystery. Bishop Kenneth Goodson preached a sermon many years ago on “Stewards of the Mysteries of God” that I’ll never forget. While he was speaking directly to an ordination class of ministers, the message penetrated my heart. Christmas is filled with mystery, which leads to faith. There is so much that I don’t understand about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, but as a steward of God’s mysteries, I embrace the message and the gift.
A – is for angel tree. When I married Phil, I brought a box of Christmas tree ornaments from my divorce that were special to me. Most had been given to me by friends, students, and my boys. As I unpacked them the first Christmas that Phil and I put up a Christmas tree, I realized that most of them were angel ornaments. Thus, my Angel Tree was born. Over the years, more ornaments have been added, transforming it to an Angel and Other Stuff Tree, but I treasure my angels, and the story that each one holds.
S – is for steak dinner. Christmas Day is usually a quiet day at our house. My sons rarely come this far south or east for Christmas, and Phil’s sons typically spend the day with other branches of their family. Instead of preparing a traditional turkey dinner, we have developed our own tradition – steak. I set a romantic table, complete with wine and candlelight, Phil grills the steaks to perfection, and we feast on Christmas filet mignon.
So, dear family and friends, this is what Christmas means to me. What do the letters in CHRISTMAS mean to you?
Merry Christmas to all!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
It's Christmas!!
It’s Christmas Eve again.
It’s a day for memories and traditions, for pausing for a little while to think about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to appreciate the warmth that the love of God, my family and friends brings my way.
This is the first year in several that I haven’t been with at least one of my sons during the Christmas season. Phil and I are on our own this Christmas, and I am facing today and tomorrow with nostalgia and many memories. It’s not bad, it’s just very, very different!
I’ve decided to change my focus for the two of us this Christmas – possibly new traditions in the making - who knows? With one son in New York and the other in California, the chances of us all getting together for Christmas in future years is uncertain, so it’s time to look at the holiday with a different perspective. Past traditions, now updated for the two of us, and some new things this year are going to make our Christmas special.
Today I am taking Phil out to lunch at Social Circle’s new eating establishment, Lou’s Soda Shop and Grill. This is reminiscent of Christmas Eves when the boys were young. David and I would take them to the local Mexican fast food establishment (we couldn’t afford anything more extravagant) where we’d chow down on tacos and cinnamon toasted tortilla chips and use up Christmas Eve hours and little boy energy. Going out to lunch on Christmas Eve is a nice tradition to return to! We’ll get home in time to sit at the computer to watch New York’s Marble Collegiate Church’s Christmas Eve service at 4:00, where we’ll see Brian read the scripture and hear Roy sing “O Holy Night.” This will be a new experience, since streaming video is something that hasn’t been around for long. It will also make me feel close to my son, in a “virtual” way. After this is over, I am planning to go to our own church’s candlelight service, and hope that Phil will decide to go with me.
Christmas morning will be quiet with just the two of us in the house. The stockings will be filled with treats for our animals, who are getting some pretty good Santa surprises. I am then going to cook a hot breakfast of eggs and bacon, and add the spice of Mimosas for a little buzz . The rest of Christmas Day is unplanned. We’ll probably drive to Monroe to see what Santa has brought our little four-year-old friend, Lille, and then we’ll be home tomorrow evening for our new traditional Christmas dinner of grilled steaks. I’ll have my cell phone handy all day long for calls from Wade and Brian and Roy, and look forward to wishing them all a Very Merry Christmas!
There won’t be a lot of baking in my home this Christmas Eve and Day. Everything in the kitchen will be pretty low key. All of the cookie and bread baking is done, and baked gifts have already been delivered to everyone on our Christmas list. We’re not big turkey eaters, and have discovered that a good steak makes a perfect Christmas dinner. There are no grandchildren coming to add excitement to the day, so a quiet, serene day is what we’ll have. If it isn’t raining, I’ll go for a long walk with Diamond in the afternoon.
Even though Christmas is different for me now, the magic of the day is still here. I woke up this morning with a sense of anticipation of the day and with a song in my heart. The child in me is very much alive as memories of past Christmases flood my memory. I know I will cry my way through all of the Christmas carols at church this evening, and will hardly be able to sing a word; in fact, I’ll probably be on the verge of tears most of the day. I always think about Mary on this day as she gave birth to Jesus, and remember giving birth to my first son, Wade, in December 39 years ago. Since Wade’s birth, a special soft spot for Mary has been in my heart, as I imagine what she must have gone through in giving birth to her firstborn son in such lousy conditions. She was one very strong young lady!
Christmas is here again. It’s a new day, as each day is, but one that is special as we celebrate God’s greatest gift to us all.
Merry Christmas!!
It’s a day for memories and traditions, for pausing for a little while to think about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to appreciate the warmth that the love of God, my family and friends brings my way.
This is the first year in several that I haven’t been with at least one of my sons during the Christmas season. Phil and I are on our own this Christmas, and I am facing today and tomorrow with nostalgia and many memories. It’s not bad, it’s just very, very different!
I’ve decided to change my focus for the two of us this Christmas – possibly new traditions in the making - who knows? With one son in New York and the other in California, the chances of us all getting together for Christmas in future years is uncertain, so it’s time to look at the holiday with a different perspective. Past traditions, now updated for the two of us, and some new things this year are going to make our Christmas special.
Today I am taking Phil out to lunch at Social Circle’s new eating establishment, Lou’s Soda Shop and Grill. This is reminiscent of Christmas Eves when the boys were young. David and I would take them to the local Mexican fast food establishment (we couldn’t afford anything more extravagant) where we’d chow down on tacos and cinnamon toasted tortilla chips and use up Christmas Eve hours and little boy energy. Going out to lunch on Christmas Eve is a nice tradition to return to! We’ll get home in time to sit at the computer to watch New York’s Marble Collegiate Church’s Christmas Eve service at 4:00, where we’ll see Brian read the scripture and hear Roy sing “O Holy Night.” This will be a new experience, since streaming video is something that hasn’t been around for long. It will also make me feel close to my son, in a “virtual” way. After this is over, I am planning to go to our own church’s candlelight service, and hope that Phil will decide to go with me.
Christmas morning will be quiet with just the two of us in the house. The stockings will be filled with treats for our animals, who are getting some pretty good Santa surprises. I am then going to cook a hot breakfast of eggs and bacon, and add the spice of Mimosas for a little buzz . The rest of Christmas Day is unplanned. We’ll probably drive to Monroe to see what Santa has brought our little four-year-old friend, Lille, and then we’ll be home tomorrow evening for our new traditional Christmas dinner of grilled steaks. I’ll have my cell phone handy all day long for calls from Wade and Brian and Roy, and look forward to wishing them all a Very Merry Christmas!
There won’t be a lot of baking in my home this Christmas Eve and Day. Everything in the kitchen will be pretty low key. All of the cookie and bread baking is done, and baked gifts have already been delivered to everyone on our Christmas list. We’re not big turkey eaters, and have discovered that a good steak makes a perfect Christmas dinner. There are no grandchildren coming to add excitement to the day, so a quiet, serene day is what we’ll have. If it isn’t raining, I’ll go for a long walk with Diamond in the afternoon.
Even though Christmas is different for me now, the magic of the day is still here. I woke up this morning with a sense of anticipation of the day and with a song in my heart. The child in me is very much alive as memories of past Christmases flood my memory. I know I will cry my way through all of the Christmas carols at church this evening, and will hardly be able to sing a word; in fact, I’ll probably be on the verge of tears most of the day. I always think about Mary on this day as she gave birth to Jesus, and remember giving birth to my first son, Wade, in December 39 years ago. Since Wade’s birth, a special soft spot for Mary has been in my heart, as I imagine what she must have gone through in giving birth to her firstborn son in such lousy conditions. She was one very strong young lady!
Christmas is here again. It’s a new day, as each day is, but one that is special as we celebrate God’s greatest gift to us all.
Merry Christmas!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
My Annual Christmas Letter - 2009
I love country music. I get a big kick out of listening to the lyrics of these songs, and while some are downright silly and make me laugh, others touch my heartstrings, or speak to me of something in my own life.
As a little girl, I remember my father’s voice bellowing from the bathroom every morning as he sang, “I’m walking the floor over you. I can’t sleep a wink it is true. Still hoping, still praying as my heart breaks right in two, I’m walking the floor over you.” He would also sing as he kissed my mother, and then lift me into his arms upon entering the house after a day’s work, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray.” I can still hear his voice as I hum these tunes in my mind.
There are songs of current artists that have become my favorites. One line from a Sugarland song, “Girl, you’ll remember what your knees are for”, jumped out at me the first time I heard it. Such a simple statement, it reminds me of the importance of prayer and turning to God when things don’t go my way. I also like Rodney Atkins’ “If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down, if you're scared, don't show it. You might get out before the devil even knows you're there.” These words teach me courage and perseverance and keep my focus on God. Kenny Chesney sings, “And today you know that’s good enough for me. Breathin' in and out's a blessin' can’t you see. Today's the first day of the rest of my life. And I’m alive, and well.” This song guides me back to a sense of gratitude for my blessings and thankfulness for my life and health.
One of my all-time favorites is Garth Brooks’ song, “The Dance.” In this tender ballad, he sings of a difficult memory: “And now I'm glad I didn't know the way it all would end, the way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance.” Even with painful things that come along in life, I certainly don’t want to miss the dance!
On the lighter side, I identify with Toby Keith as I contemplate growing older: “I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” I also sing along with Brad Paisley about having fun and blazing new trails as we “get a little mud on the tires.” As the years pass, I am aware in many ways that I’m not as young as I once was, yet I want to always be ready to get out there and have some fun!
So, what’s the Christmas message in country music? I’m not sure that there is one. What I do know as I write this annual letter is that these songs remind me of who I am, whose I am, and that another year of living is something to celebrate. Join me in singing along with a little TWANG in our voices thanking God for the sunshine he sent our way in the person of Jesus, who promises to make us happy when skies are gray, and the assurance that “You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you.” He’ll never “take my sunshine away.”
Merry Christmas!
As a little girl, I remember my father’s voice bellowing from the bathroom every morning as he sang, “I’m walking the floor over you. I can’t sleep a wink it is true. Still hoping, still praying as my heart breaks right in two, I’m walking the floor over you.” He would also sing as he kissed my mother, and then lift me into his arms upon entering the house after a day’s work, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray.” I can still hear his voice as I hum these tunes in my mind.
There are songs of current artists that have become my favorites. One line from a Sugarland song, “Girl, you’ll remember what your knees are for”, jumped out at me the first time I heard it. Such a simple statement, it reminds me of the importance of prayer and turning to God when things don’t go my way. I also like Rodney Atkins’ “If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down, if you're scared, don't show it. You might get out before the devil even knows you're there.” These words teach me courage and perseverance and keep my focus on God. Kenny Chesney sings, “And today you know that’s good enough for me. Breathin' in and out's a blessin' can’t you see. Today's the first day of the rest of my life. And I’m alive, and well.” This song guides me back to a sense of gratitude for my blessings and thankfulness for my life and health.
One of my all-time favorites is Garth Brooks’ song, “The Dance.” In this tender ballad, he sings of a difficult memory: “And now I'm glad I didn't know the way it all would end, the way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance.” Even with painful things that come along in life, I certainly don’t want to miss the dance!
On the lighter side, I identify with Toby Keith as I contemplate growing older: “I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” I also sing along with Brad Paisley about having fun and blazing new trails as we “get a little mud on the tires.” As the years pass, I am aware in many ways that I’m not as young as I once was, yet I want to always be ready to get out there and have some fun!
So, what’s the Christmas message in country music? I’m not sure that there is one. What I do know as I write this annual letter is that these songs remind me of who I am, whose I am, and that another year of living is something to celebrate. Join me in singing along with a little TWANG in our voices thanking God for the sunshine he sent our way in the person of Jesus, who promises to make us happy when skies are gray, and the assurance that “You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you.” He’ll never “take my sunshine away.”
Merry Christmas!
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