I was at the mall at 7 o'clock this morning. I was there yesterday, too. It's an interesting place that early. Did you know that the Salvation Army is not allowed to sing carols in the mall? So, of course, I asked the bell ringer what her favorite Christmas song was and I belted out "O, Holy Night" at the top of my lungs and people stopped and clapped and put money in the kettle. The acoustics were even better this morning. I'm going to miss this part of Christmas shopping, although I suspect Mall Security won't miss me.
The boys are tucked in their beds, thank you, Lord! A two and a half hour delay getting out of Ohio did not keep my baby boy from getting home from college and I don't care what (if anything) Santa brings me now. My Christmas is complete. There are a million things I should be doing right this minute, but I decided to take a minute in front of the tree and just "be". Writing the Christmas cards was more traumatic than I thought it would be. There were a few names I passed over because they had passed on. An ever-present ache accompanies the thought of Mom, Flanagan, and a few other friends. The murder of 26 angels in Connecticut makes it difficult to deck the halls with complete abandon this year, too. Still, I will celebrate that Love chose to come to earth, and the longer I live the more that means to me.
Practice defiant joy today. If you're still shopping, rejoice in the number of people in your life that deserve a present, instead of griping about the lines at the mall. Start a caroling session as you stand in line. Wear a Santa hat. Wish everyone a Merry Christmas, whether they look merry or not. Especially if they're a "not". Buy a stranger a cup of coffee. SEE the person behind the cash register and realize what a tough day they're having. Smile. And for the love of the God who loves us, focus on the purpose of Christmas and not the "day after" sales! Peace! If you can't find it around you, bring it with you. :)
The boys are tucked in their beds, thank you, Lord! A two and a half hour delay getting out of Ohio did not keep my baby boy from getting home from college and I don't care what (if anything) Santa brings me now. My Christmas is complete. There are a million things I should be doing right this minute, but I decided to take a minute in front of the tree and just "be". Writing the Christmas cards was more traumatic than I thought it would be. There were a few names I passed over because they had passed on. An ever-present ache accompanies the thought of Mom, Flanagan, and a few other friends. The murder of 26 angels in Connecticut makes it difficult to deck the halls with complete abandon this year, too. Still, I will celebrate that Love chose to come to earth, and the longer I live the more that means to me.
Practice defiant joy today. If you're still shopping, rejoice in the number of people in your life that deserve a present, instead of griping about the lines at the mall. Start a caroling session as you stand in line. Wear a Santa hat. Wish everyone a Merry Christmas, whether they look merry or not. Especially if they're a "not". Buy a stranger a cup of coffee. SEE the person behind the cash register and realize what a tough day they're having. Smile. And for the love of the God who loves us, focus on the purpose of Christmas and not the "day after" sales! Peace! If you can't find it around you, bring it with you. :)
RSS Feed