It was gentle.
Soft.
Our first snowfall of the season was a quiet event; welcomed by children and tolerated by adults. The timing was perfect; big, fluffy flakes started to fall after dinner, a mere six hours before we flipped the calendar page over to December. Frolicking neighborhood kids scooped up the fine layer of accumulated snow to shape snowballs and snowmen. By midnight, it was over. Sadly, by morning, our winter white world was green again.

As my crafting friends left my home that snowy evening, we paused in the doorway to take in the enchanting way freshly fallen snow glowed on the outdoor Christmas light displays. It was one of those magical moments.

In this little corner of the world, nothing announces the start of the new season as effectively as snow. December was definitely here. Depending on your perspective, you were either celebrating or stressing.

I was celebrating at the start of the month.
Drew’s infectious love of giving was a joy to experience.

So, what happened?
Christmas is a mere 9 days away.
I do not have a tree. (But I have green mould growing in various areas of my home. Maybe I should just hang some pine-sol scented baubles on it and call it a day.)
I have purchased 4 presents only.
I set up 2 nativity sets in my living room, but 14 unopened Rubbermaid containers, clearly marked “Christmas”, are left, untouched in the garage.

Mind you…
I made and sent out 60 Christmas cards.
And with Clint’s help I strung 5 strings of lights on the tree in the front yard.
Oh, and I baked twice.

But we ate it all.

Merry Ho Ho

It’s probably time for a reality check.
Christmas is not about the exquisitely wrapped, thoughtfully purchased gifts, or the hand-made, creatively arranged decorations, nor the melt-in-your-mouth, freshly made shortbread cookies or even the totally traditional, heart-tugging church services…it’s about Jesus.

Christmas is about His birth. The arrival of our Saviour.

Man, what a tough sale that is. Not only to my kids. But to me too. I like presents and stuff.
Not only do I want to do all the regular fa la la la la fun Christmas things, I am burdened to make it all ultra-meaningful as well.
To do list:
- Transform house into a winter wonderland, complete with fresh garlands, politically correct twinkle lights, and dripless cranberry scented candles.
- Infuse into our beings the wonder of God’s incredible gift to us.
- Purchase and wrap gifts that are perfect.
- Ponder and meditate on the reason for celebrating.
- Fill the freezer with home-made, time-tested, favorite foods. And invite everyone we love to come and share it with us.
- Be aggressively compassionate to those less fortunate.
- Do 17 loads of laundry, put the groceries away, wash the floor, deal with the bottles and cans in the garage, bleach out the mould in the window sills, think about exercising 45 minutes a day and drink plenty of water.

Uh huh. Completely do-able if I give up sleep.

Being a type A personality is unnecessarily burdensome sometimes.




I’m thankful:
1. For the much needed hug, apology and words of love I received late last night. Sigh. My glimmer of hope for the human I gave birth to was re-ignited. Now if only my BBQ could get re-lit too.
2. That Jesus loves me.
3. No one in my family likes fruit cake or mince meat tarts. I have absolutely no guilt for not baking it. Guilt-free! A wonderful emotion.

Take care,