Eight Maids A Milking

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 About 10 years ago someone surpised us with a Christmas blessing called Ding Dong Dash.  It involved the 12 days of Christmas and leaving a gift on our front step starting December 13 with a little poem.  The 12th day of Christmas was on Decemer 24 whereupon they revealed their identity to us.  Jeremiah was 7 or 8 at the time and the entire experience was epic for him.  He was shocked when they could leave the package and disappear right before our eyes....he tried to camp out and watch and never saw anyone....these Christmas elves were GOOD!  Our kids would wake up each morning talking about what it would be the next day, curious about when and where and how the little simple gift would appear.....it was magical and exciting and challenging and so much fun.

The next year Jeremiah wanted to do it.  Oh buddy.....I don't know....really?  Yes mom!  Really!  Please!  He was so excited and if you know Jeremiah you know that his smile and shining green eyes are quite persuasive....so we figured out the gig, picked a family and did the 12 Days of Christmas Ding Dong Dash.  Talk about stressful.  We made it through the whole thing without getting caught and he got to show up on Christmas eve and reveal himself as the Dasher.

Then he wanted to do it the next year....and the next....and the next....and eventually we were busy and had 5 kids and ball games and concerts and had to enlist the help of the boyfriend, the grandparents, dad once in awhile....and lots of running in the snow in the dark around houses and down streets laughing....

Can I just say that the year he decided he was ready to be done with the Ding Dong Dash was cause for rejoicing in our home?  It was indeed!  But it was a fun and wild Holiday Tradition Ride while it lasted and I was always willing to help him pull it off because it was his deal, his generous contribution to the Holiday season and it got him excited for all of the festive things.  He blessed pastors, he blessed families who had recently moved to town, he blessed families who were struggling, he blessed families just because....and he had a blast doing it. 

Jeremiah has to get his tonsils out tomorrow.  He's a happy, fun, sweet, lovable hunk of a kid who has felt really crappy for about 5 months but didn't let it show and the decision has been made to get those tonsils out as soon as possible so that he can start to feel better again really soon.  It won't be his favorite Christmas ever but that's ok.  He's had some pretty great ones already and there are more good ones ahead.  Please join me and pray that the surgery goes well tomorrow and that God's goodness and healing mercy will show up in Christmas miracle ways for this great kid and the whole deal won't be so bad.  

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