'Twas the night before Christmas....oh Holy Night

-
'Twas 14 minutes til Christmas and all through this house....only the dogs were stirring and hopefully no mouse.  The stockings wait to be hung with care until I know Josiah is asleep because there is a missing tooth brush....and some gift cards.....and I think they are in my bedroom where Roger is trying to get the over-stimulated toddler to sleep.....

The dogs were cooped up too long without human contact while we went to candle light church service and then to nana and papa for dinner and gifts......so they are really, really wild now.  I think they are waiting up for santa claus.....and should I tell them he isn't coming.....or not?  They just went out the dog door to check.....

Precious went down to sleep with the big kids.  They tried to take josiah as well but he wasn't having any part of that tonight.....too much holiday hullabaloo....he wants familiar and comforting (aka my bed).

Oh.....if I only knew he was sleeping....I could hunt up that toothbrush and those gift cards, stuff the stockings and call it a night.  But no.  It is Christmas Eve......the kids will be up early and want to begin the day of celebrating.......so tradition says I must be ready.

In the past 15 years I have seen this 11th hour many times......on Christmas Eve.....so that Christmas day can be the best I can do.  It's never perfect.  But its always wonderful.  I can't give my kids grand vacations or top of the line retail.....but I can give them Christmas.  I learned from my parents.....Christmas matters.  

Santa sometimes looks like a home makeover blessing.....or an adoption finalization.....or an unexpected bonus that gives us a lavish spending spree.....santa sometimes looks like generosity among friends that allows those who have to bless those with less......and for some, the gift of the promise of a baby, whether by birth or adoption......and over the years I have seen all of these faces of santa.....and once or twice when I was way to old to "believe"......I actually secretly hoped that raindeer would land on the roof and a rolly polly dude in a red suit would show up and give me my all of my heart's desires......

And here I am....11:55....knowing that Christmas is only what Jesus allows us to see, and what He chooses to make it.  This is His birthday.  He gets to plan the party, whether grand or quiet, lavish or humble.....its his day.

Merry Christmas everyone.  I choose to believe that this is a Holy Night.....and the stars are  brightly shining... and even if Santa never appears, the Lord does, every year at Christmas....and my soul feels its worth.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Superbowl musings, Niki-style

-
 Last week I walked dogs in unexpectedly warm late winter afternoons.  I realized that when I don't walk regularly it matters.  This week I wanted to walk again but I am such a wimp and if it is cold or windy or rainy or all of those things put together, I don't want to walk outside.  I spend my work days in and out and in and out and cold and warm and cold and warm.....but today I needed to walk.  It was cold and windy and rainy.   I started my walking app that tells me when to walk slow, speed up, slow down, speed up and eventually cool down.  In my home office space in front of a cooking competition.  I looked ridiculous walking in place, dancing and prancing, moving foward and backward and working up a sweat but I got it done.  I sure did.   I got groceries because we were out of milk and I got food for "superbowl Sunday" which is not that different from any other Sunday evening.  My parents come over and we have snacks and drinks and then we eat together and clea
Read more

Family

-
Image
  These are my people.  My big kids gifted me for Mother's Day with a photo shoot organized and paid for.  It has always been hard for me to schedule family photos so this gift is extra special.  We did the photos late summer/early fall.  Our smiles do not reveal how hot or windy it was that day.  Yet and still we managed to get some really great pictures, thanks to our sweet and competent photographer...Cassie Beth.   Here is the thing.  This photo tells so many stories...so so many stories.  Each of the 9 of us could be a story, a novel on our own.  Then if you pair up any of the 9 with another, there are more stories to tell, and in groups of guys or girls still other stories to tell.  Looking at Roger and I....chapters and chapters of stories...and separate us out each of us is also a story.  Our lives are stories. I have told my kids over and over that their lives matter.  They were created by God to do something in this life that will expand His kingdom, give Him Glory and ma
Read more

mid-summer check in on being Aware

-
 I remembered today that I had been doing a monthly reflection since January.  I missed June...and apparently July.  Here we are on the second day of August and I find myself aware of it...aware of how June flew by and July slipped by and now I'm settling into August....aware.  June was a full month of ball games and volleyball competition and vacation.  It was also the last month of my fiscal year of my work as a public health nurse and that means there are lots of reports due and documentation needed to make sure we get funded again.  June was a lot and it was awesome...and hot....and busy.   July slowed down a bit with more nights at home, more lazy pool afternoons and a break from the heat.  We caught fireflies and we cooked more meals at home.  We decided to tackle a huge project long overdue and tore out carpetting in our main living area.  This carpet has been there for over 40 years.  It was gross and disgusting....suffice it to say that I am very, very aware of how unsettl
Read more