Christmas 2008

can we open gifts yet??

Kelsey, Carissa, Chris and Cairo

I love daddy's new hat!

Christmas shelves

It was a good Christmas!
(Not pictured - my new HUGE CD case and my new Ingrid Michaelson CD.)

Monkey Feet

Being Foodal..... ;)

Cookies

the fam

I love my new bone!

To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world."
~ Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), American president. Presidential message (December 25, 1927).

shaking the snow globe

It's dark in my house as I curl up in a chair by the window. Outside I can see the neighbor's Christmas lights winking merrily. Joyfully. It's Christmas!

It's the best time of year! People tend to be more giving, more accepting. Friendlier. Forgiving. Excitement, joy and good cheer abound.

Good will toward men.
Most of the time.

Blink, Blink. The angel's wings glitter, the train's wheels appear to turn. The twinkling star on the neighbor's roof shines across the snowy yard.

Fear not, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy. Which shall be to all people. ALL People. Not just those who look like me, sound like me or think like me. ALL people.

Blue lights chase one another across the edge of the neighbor's roof. Peace on earth. Silent night. All is calm.

The house is cold. No candles glow. No cookies are made. The tree is bare.
I'm tired.

Christmas music from the other room floats at the edge of my consciousness. Harmonic, joyful, pleasant, inane.

The clock ticks. The sky is clear. The stars twinkle.

God's in his heaven, all's right with the world.

It came upon the midnight clear.....

The furnace hums, the dog stretches. The snow family next door are all wearing sparkling red scarves.

All I want for Christmas.....

Peace, forgiveness, love, restoration.

The clock chimes. The wind whispers.

Sleep in heavenly peace.

But I have promises to keep,
and miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.

Happy two weeks before Christmas...

I received one of the best early Christmas gifts anyone could get me! My sister sent me James Taylor's most recent Christmas Album. It was released last year, and I can't believe I waited a whole year to get it.....
The best part was she sent it early, and said to open it early so I could enjoy it this holiday season. Ahhhhhh.....James Taylor. Musical comfort food.
Somehow I feel like I'm more in the holiday spirit already. And less stressed! :)

December Reflection

It's dark in my house as I curl up in a chair by the window. Outside I can see the neighbors Christmas lights winking merrily. Joyfully. It's Christmas!

It's the best time of year! People tend to be more giving, more accepting. Friendlier. Forgiving. Excitement, joy and good cheer abound.

Good will toward men.
Most of the time.

Blink, Blink. The angels wings glitter, the trains wheels appear to turn. The twinkling star on the neighbors roof shines across the snowy yard.

Fear not, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy. Which shall be to all people. ALL People. Not just those who look like me, sound like me or think like me. ALL people.

Blue lights chase one another across the edge of the neighbors roof. Peace on earth. Silent night. All is calm.

The house is cold. No candles glow. No cookies are made. The tree is bare.
I'm tired.

Christmas music from the other room floats at the edge of my consciousness. Harmonic, joyful, pleasant, inane.

The clock ticks. The sky is clear. The stars twinkle.

God's in his heaven, all's right with the world.

It came upon the midnight clear.....

The furnace hums, the dog stretches. The snow family next door are all wearing sparkling red scarves.

All I want for Christmas.....

Peace, forgiveness, love, restoration.

The clock chimes. The wind whispers.

Sleep in heavenly peace.

But I have promises to keep,
and miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.

Then the work of Christmas begins.........

The Work of Christmas

"When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…

And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.

-- Howard Thurman, The Mood of Christmas