After most of 2013 passing by rather quickly-it is now December. The Holidays are always not quite a happy time for me and my family. We long to be together. But we all live in different parts of the United States. Busy jobs and the threat of bad weather keep us from travelling during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays.
This year seems to have been especially bad given that between the two of us Ernie and I had no less and really more than nine doctor appointments during the month of December. Most of them were mine. Those appointments and the fact that my work has been busy since my co-worker is out on medical leave probably until February and our part-timer hasn't been at work either for a while due to a fall, leaving me to be the main person doing Data Entry. December is usually a busy time for LHM as we receive many year end donations. And for Ernie, who is a delivery driver for Walter Knoll Florist, the holidays bring lots of extra deliveries and orders.
Usually our main Christmas celebration these days centers around preparing and singing in the Church Choir. This year, late nights and a snowstorm caused us to miss the final rehearsal for our Christmas Cantata. Not what we wanted to do, but work schedules and the weather interfered. On the day of the Cantata, I decided to help Ernie out by shovelling snow-what was I thinking? I'm not used to lifting heavy snow and it wasn't too long before my already rheumatoid arthritic back started hurting. No way I could even go listen to the Cantata. Disappointment.
Another week or so goes by. Schedules remain busy. It's Thursday, December 19. Ernie gets off work late and his shoulder is really paining him, so we miss our last choir rehearsal before Christmas Eve. We decide (and our Choir Director agreed) that since we haven't practiced the music there is no way we can sing in the Choir for Christmas Eve. This is especially true since our Christmas Eve service will be different this year. It's going to be earlier, 8pm instead of 10:30 or 11pm. This year there will be no 4:30pm children's service. We'll all celebrate together with a Service of Lessons and Carols. This means lots of singing !! of course we will attend the service and sit in the Congregation. Also, I've been chosen to be one of the Readers.
With a lot of appointments and a lot of late nights and not feeling so good at times, it's the 2nd year in a row that I have not sent Christmas Cards. Maybe I'll switch to a Christmas email. It's also the 2nd year that I haven't done Christmas gift shopping. Also, this year we decided not to put up our big tree since we have our dog Swee Dee. She is very curious and Ernie and I can just imagine her pulling ornaments off the tree, running away with the tree skirt, etc. In its place we have brought out a small sports-themed tree and a miniature Spode tree which are usually a part of our decorations. We didn't forget the Nativity scene from the Philippines-although we had to find a new, higher place for it-a length of red ribbon wrapped around the base makes it look more festive.
This Advent Christmas Season I have spent reading devotions, making use of a musical Advent Calendar (an app on my cell phone), thinking of Christmases past and remembering them sweetly and not fretting about what wasn't done this year. It feels good to not be caught up in all the secular hoopla of Christmas. Who needs that?
It's now Christmas Eve. What's done is done. I will spend the day resting up and doing a few last minute things and having my own kind of fun before the Christmas Eve Service.
To all of you have a very Merry Christmas where you can
Think, Live and Be Pain-Free !!!
Until next time....
Joy
