Respite Wednesday . . . uh . . . Thursday

The days flow rapidly one into another around here due to the many parties, performances, more parties, more performances, more . . . well, you get the idea.

A whirlwind day-trip to LA for a tree-trimming party provided loads of fun and pure exhaustion.  I came home determined to R-E-S-T in the brief window until more birthdays and other holiday fun pop up on the calendar. The phrase Too Much Fun comes to mind but I quickly whisk it aside as I do the kermit-cupcake-crumbs and the popcorn kernels evidencing the steady merry-making around here.


Here in the quiet of the morning, a little thought keeps swirling around in my head as I plan, prepare, and promise more things for the holidays:

Be the gift

I sit back quietly with teacup in hand, 

I close my eyes so as not to see 

the overly-scribbled calendar notations,

"Be the gift," sighs the morning fire.

  

I sweetly think of the best gifts I've ever gotten for Christmas.  

True to proverbial wisdom, the best gifts were not things at all.

"Be the gift," my still heart croons.

Hearkening back to last Sunday's evening cantata 

wherein Lydia performed O Holy Night,

(Now THAT was a gift, indeed!)

I flashed a smile to the organist
as the lights flickered the audience to be seated.

Later, the organist asked my daughter to convey
thanks to me for the smile -- 

"Most people don't even notice me,
let alone smile at me," she offered.

 "Be the gift," my journal notes.

The gift of :

a smile

 a hug

a wave

a cheerful greeting

free

readily-available

much-appreciated

Be the Gift

Celebrate in a truly old-fashioned way,

Remembering why we say

"Merry Christmas"

Remembering why we gather together, gifts in hand.

For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only begotten son

John 3:16

*Be the Gift*