Sunday, December 07, 2008
Christmas Plans
A few days ago I was wondering why I am so much more wanting to do special things this year for Christmas, and the answer is easy: I am not working right now. I don't have to dread whether or not I can be here when children, and grand children, and even a great grandchild come over. That alone is plenty of reason to enjoy getting ready for it.
Shopping is more fun, too. I don't have to hurry, which may bother those in the stores who do, but I've missed so many Christmases because of working, this one I plan draining every special moment I can from it.
For example, when I opened the door this morning, to get the paper, I heard a sound I've not taken time to hear for a long while. The sound makers hadn't appeared yet, yet, but I knew they would, and exactly according to their unruffled schedule, a huge formation of geese far above my head, reminded me of the renown Blue Angels. They held to their flight plan so close to my house, it was like having a front row seat at an air show, and I was not in a hurry to let go of it.
Later, as I carried pot luck foods to the car for church, I decided to drive there a different way, one that treats you to snow capped views that remind you there is, or needs to be more to life than working.
I thought I might wrap more gifts tomorrow, but a forecast of possibly six inches of snow in the evening changes that. Instead I'll finish packing those going out of town, and send them earlier in the day. Then it can snow all it wants to. Maybe the geese will treat me to another Blue Angel like flyover, before it's time for falling snow, and marshmallows floating around in hot cocoa.
Last week I decorated the tree all by myself. It's nice when you have some help, but the tree was easy to situate, and pretty lights were already on it, so, like a great grand son got to enjoy all by himself at his Nana's at daughter Barb's "A Chelsea morning" tree, I placed every ornament on my tree myself, then reved up three cd's, "A Quiet Family Christmas", with Celtic Harp, and Pan flute, and Josh Groban's "Noel". Oh my Lord, it's an incredibile voice and range he has. I completed the music with "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Celebration". Whatever kind of Christmas mood you're in, or want to be, one of those will surely supply it.
I was feeling pretty good about my not so organized Christmas game plan. Was looking at some nicely made stand up Santa's, thinking I might surprise daughter Barb with a new one, when I spotted the one thing, the most important Christmas thing of all of them, A Nativity scene.
The regular price wasn't bad, and the store was discounting it even more, but there was only one set, and I noticed an angel was missing a wing, and a closer check showed a wise man had somehow lost part of a hand, but the most noticeable thing was when Joseph and Mary were being led by God's angels to Bethlehem, poor Joseph somehow had lost his head.
A store clerk helped me find it, and the checker said Gorilia glue worked well, but to press it a little to make good contact. I thought it would be easy to glue the head back, and It was such a colorful porcelain, and an impressive wooden manger. What really sealed the deal is, the store manager marked it even lower, and I couldn't wait to get it home, so I could figure out how to give Joseph his head back.
I opened the box it was in, and reached to take Joseph out, to better work with him, and that's when I discovered all the nativity characters were glued somehow to the manger, there was no way I could get Joseph out without breaking him even more, and That's when I knew this Nativity is exactly the kind I need.
First, I tried placing it in the living room, wondering when or if family would notice the breaks, but then I knew just where to set it: Up and over to the right of the computer. easy eye connection to it. Every time I look at it, I remind myself yes, there's been broken pieces of this year, but many more days of almost delight, but it was the ones that needed repair that brought my Lord closer, and I wouldn't trade even a perfect year for that. But it's allright if the geese return whenever they want to, and Snow caps form on the mountain peaks any time they choose, as family gathers again, to share this imperfect Christmas.
Shopping is more fun, too. I don't have to hurry, which may bother those in the stores who do, but I've missed so many Christmases because of working, this one I plan draining every special moment I can from it.
For example, when I opened the door this morning, to get the paper, I heard a sound I've not taken time to hear for a long while. The sound makers hadn't appeared yet, yet, but I knew they would, and exactly according to their unruffled schedule, a huge formation of geese far above my head, reminded me of the renown Blue Angels. They held to their flight plan so close to my house, it was like having a front row seat at an air show, and I was not in a hurry to let go of it.
Later, as I carried pot luck foods to the car for church, I decided to drive there a different way, one that treats you to snow capped views that remind you there is, or needs to be more to life than working.
I thought I might wrap more gifts tomorrow, but a forecast of possibly six inches of snow in the evening changes that. Instead I'll finish packing those going out of town, and send them earlier in the day. Then it can snow all it wants to. Maybe the geese will treat me to another Blue Angel like flyover, before it's time for falling snow, and marshmallows floating around in hot cocoa.
Last week I decorated the tree all by myself. It's nice when you have some help, but the tree was easy to situate, and pretty lights were already on it, so, like a great grand son got to enjoy all by himself at his Nana's at daughter Barb's "A Chelsea morning" tree, I placed every ornament on my tree myself, then reved up three cd's, "A Quiet Family Christmas", with Celtic Harp, and Pan flute, and Josh Groban's "Noel". Oh my Lord, it's an incredibile voice and range he has. I completed the music with "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Celebration". Whatever kind of Christmas mood you're in, or want to be, one of those will surely supply it.
I was feeling pretty good about my not so organized Christmas game plan. Was looking at some nicely made stand up Santa's, thinking I might surprise daughter Barb with a new one, when I spotted the one thing, the most important Christmas thing of all of them, A Nativity scene.
The regular price wasn't bad, and the store was discounting it even more, but there was only one set, and I noticed an angel was missing a wing, and a closer check showed a wise man had somehow lost part of a hand, but the most noticeable thing was when Joseph and Mary were being led by God's angels to Bethlehem, poor Joseph somehow had lost his head.
A store clerk helped me find it, and the checker said Gorilia glue worked well, but to press it a little to make good contact. I thought it would be easy to glue the head back, and It was such a colorful porcelain, and an impressive wooden manger. What really sealed the deal is, the store manager marked it even lower, and I couldn't wait to get it home, so I could figure out how to give Joseph his head back.
I opened the box it was in, and reached to take Joseph out, to better work with him, and that's when I discovered all the nativity characters were glued somehow to the manger, there was no way I could get Joseph out without breaking him even more, and That's when I knew this Nativity is exactly the kind I need.
First, I tried placing it in the living room, wondering when or if family would notice the breaks, but then I knew just where to set it: Up and over to the right of the computer. easy eye connection to it. Every time I look at it, I remind myself yes, there's been broken pieces of this year, but many more days of almost delight, but it was the ones that needed repair that brought my Lord closer, and I wouldn't trade even a perfect year for that. But it's allright if the geese return whenever they want to, and Snow caps form on the mountain peaks any time they choose, as family gathers again, to share this imperfect Christmas.
