Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

 I wrote last year about the fact that Christmas as an adult seems so different from Christmas as a child.  As a child, Christmas day was always filled with activity, long past the end of the unwrapping of presents.

A few minutes ago I took some hilarious photos that I'll have to upload later or tomorrow.  I'm sitting here with my laptop, catching up on emails, and sending emails to a few treasured friends who are really more like family, scattered around the country.  My dad, T. and my mom are all sitting around the living room with various books.  The tree lights are on, and there is Christmas music playing, but we're a pretty low key bunch today.  Things will liven up again with a few more gifts when J. returns with his girlfriend in tow (there were a few gifts for the two of them together, or for her that didn't get opened this morning with the rest of the presents.)

Quiet and reflective it is.  I actually think I like it better this way.  As my brother joked, "It's family time if we're all reading in the same room!"

Later we'll join the extended family for the big dinner, cooked by my aunt who's been a bit of a gourmet hostess for years, and her son, who is studying at a prestigious local cooking school and wanted to host all of us this year.  But, for the moment, we're just hanging out, having silent "family time".

Praying you all enjoy the beauty and peace and joy of Christmas today and through the coming weeks and year.  This is a season where hope comes in the tangible form of a baby, and that, perhaps, is my favorite truth of all.

Charlie Brown Christmas

I saw this on another blog this morning and really liked it. (I've actually never seen the classic Charlie Brown Christmas that everyone talks about... I'll have to rectify that.) Anyway, thought I'd share! Merry Christmas.

Immanuel

Just moments after midnight, and shortly after arriving home from the evening's family gathering, I lit the Christ candle.  I'd lit each of the other candles - hope, peace, love, and joy - just before midnight.

Immanuel.  God with us.

Merry Christmas.


Daily 5 - Day 134

Today's Daily "5":
  1. Done work for almost 10 days.
  2. Laughing while making bacon "thingys" with T.
  3. Finally lighting the Christ candle on the advent wreath
  4. the prayers of Walter Bruggemann
  5. laughing with family
  6. appetizer feast for dinner
  7. playing a game that required some quick and humorous thinking with my family
  8. a few quiet moments here and there
  9. taking photos using dad's camera
  10. small gift that my roommate left on the table for me before she left to catch a very early morning flight today.