As Bob and I were driving to dinner last night I saw a plethora of crows in flight as well as sitting on tree branches. I had a short thought at that moment that they don't think of this day or Christ mas as anything special or different. It is just another day in life for them. I don't even think they have thoughts about good days or bad. Maybe they do when they consider did they find food or not. As I sit here by my window that looks out to several horses, I see them standing today trying to stay out of the wetness and the look on their face doesn't indicate that they are thinking about too much else. So basically, it is left to humans only to consider the wonders of the world, love, peace, joy, happiness, salvation, sorrows, mistakes, making money, paying taxes, and the myriad of things we do everyday and think about everyday.
Thoughts of Christ mas can strike terror into the hearts of the very bravest as we begin to think about shopping, buying, wrapping, sending, opening, cooking, traveling, cleaning, meeting new people, and a few things I haven't even mentioned. At this point in time the life of a creature can seem pretty good. It seems as though they have been exempted from this world of free will and needing a saviour. So today is just like yesterday was or tomorrow will be except for the unknowns in their lives....survival. Yet many of us thank God everyday for giving us the beauty of his nature in it's simplest form or the complex order that we don't bother to contemplate usually. And, he gave many of those creatures the ability to be friends with humans and to give us his comfort, loyalty, and love his way...unconditionally.
So the creatures of the world are going about their daily busyness and those of us in the world that believe in Christ are preparing to celebrate. I'm not certain as to how Hallmark, Hershey's, Santa, Toys R Us, and a bunch of other things got into the celebration, but it's all good.
I just sent out Christ mas cards myself that said "Believe" with a Santa's sleigh sitting on a deck out in the woods. I loved the picture and what it represents for me. What I believe in is the love and compassion that fills a heart on or near Christ mas. It's usually there everyday anyway, but it blossoms and grows and almost bursts out of people during this time. Having a day to celebrate gives us the opportunity to focus on something besides our survival. Yet it is not about money, gifts, who has the most toys, or who didn't receive a gift. It's about LOVE. Webster's or your favorite dictionary tries to define it for us, but it is that which we cannot define yet seek most that really defines the word love. It is the reason for the season as they say.
Until one feels the spirit of Christ mas, there is no Christ mas.
For the spirit of Christ mas fulfils the greatest hunger of mankind.
May God bless you, your family, your friends, and those greatest of gifts, your creature friends.
Breath deeply of all this love and goodwill. Hold it. Let it out slowly. Share like crazy everyday.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christ mas Eve
Sometimes it is the words to a song, a tree I see, a creature, or the things going on around me that give me the thoughts I share here.
This year it is a song. My new favorite Christ mas song is called Christmas Canon. It is part of an album by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Within the album there are many words that strike me and fill my thoughts.
On Christ mas eve I like to write when it's dark and the world seems to be still. It's not true at all as a mere quarter mile away is a very busy street and the world is not truly quiet. Vastly different from the day Jesus was born. The differences between what we know about then and what we have now are almost night and day. I wondered today what was in the mind of the young girl who was about to give birth to the Saviour child. What was it like to spend so much time traveling, walking and/or swaying on a donkey while your body is groaning with discomfort. And, all the while you have no idea if you will make it in time, will your travels be safe, and what will await you. Just imagine yourself on a trip, pulling into a city and finding out there aren't any available rooms, and by the way, you are about to give birth. Then someone tells you the only available place is the carport or the garage. No clean hospital or birthing center and.... did I mention it's cold outside?
Deep inside this Christmas Eve
Watching as the hours leave
In a few hours time will roll itself into a new day and it will be Christ mas. Unlike Thanksgiving, Christ mas is a world wide celebration for people anywhere in the world that believe in Christ and what came into this world on that night so long ago...a saviour.
He wondered what that child had thought
And when he slept what dreams he sought
And did the shepherds understand
all the hopes in that child's hands?
And how those hopes would still survive
As dreams within each newborns eyes
A friend from high school posted a story on Facebook today that made me weep with the thought of people who would not make it home to be with their loved ones for Christ mas...because they will have made it home to be with Christ instead. Such sorrow and yet happiness rolled into one event on a day we want to celebrate, have fun, make jokes, make a mess with wrapping paper, eat good food, share our hearts all because of one shining star and a small child born in a far a way land in the unlikely place of an animal barn with a manger for a bed.
Merry Christ mas - Merry Christ mas - Merry Christ mas - Merry Christ mas
The hope that he brings - The hope that he brings - The hope that he brings - The hope that he brings
This night We pray Our lives Will show
This dream He had Each child Still knows
We are waiting
We have not forgotten
On this night - On this night
On this very Christ mas night
This year it is a song. My new favorite Christ mas song is called Christmas Canon. It is part of an album by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Within the album there are many words that strike me and fill my thoughts.
On Christ mas eve I like to write when it's dark and the world seems to be still. It's not true at all as a mere quarter mile away is a very busy street and the world is not truly quiet. Vastly different from the day Jesus was born. The differences between what we know about then and what we have now are almost night and day. I wondered today what was in the mind of the young girl who was about to give birth to the Saviour child. What was it like to spend so much time traveling, walking and/or swaying on a donkey while your body is groaning with discomfort. And, all the while you have no idea if you will make it in time, will your travels be safe, and what will await you. Just imagine yourself on a trip, pulling into a city and finding out there aren't any available rooms, and by the way, you are about to give birth. Then someone tells you the only available place is the carport or the garage. No clean hospital or birthing center and.... did I mention it's cold outside?
Deep inside this Christmas Eve
Watching as the hours leave
In a few hours time will roll itself into a new day and it will be Christ mas. Unlike Thanksgiving, Christ mas is a world wide celebration for people anywhere in the world that believe in Christ and what came into this world on that night so long ago...a saviour.
He wondered what that child had thought
And when he slept what dreams he sought
And did the shepherds understand
all the hopes in that child's hands?
And how those hopes would still survive
As dreams within each newborns eyes
A friend from high school posted a story on Facebook today that made me weep with the thought of people who would not make it home to be with their loved ones for Christ mas...because they will have made it home to be with Christ instead. Such sorrow and yet happiness rolled into one event on a day we want to celebrate, have fun, make jokes, make a mess with wrapping paper, eat good food, share our hearts all because of one shining star and a small child born in a far a way land in the unlikely place of an animal barn with a manger for a bed.
Merry Christ mas - Merry Christ mas - Merry Christ mas - Merry Christ mas
The hope that he brings - The hope that he brings - The hope that he brings - The hope that he brings
This night We pray Our lives Will show
This dream He had Each child Still knows
We are waiting
We have not forgotten
On this night - On this night
On this very Christ mas night
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Flannel Sheets
Now that I've said flannel sheets I think I can just log out. Need I say more?
When you go anywhere to buy sheets you have to look at everything and sort of know just what you want. I mean there's thread count to consider: 200, 300, 400, 500, all the way up to 800 I heard recently. Then there is Egyptian cotton, combed cotton, 100% cotton, sateen, satin and I am probably missing a few.
Just say flannel and it seems there isn't much more to discuss.
Recently, I went into my local Costco where they had for sale new flannel sheets for 29.00 a set. Pretty dang reasonable and they had nice prints on them. So I bought a set, took them home, gave them a run through the washer and dryer, put them on the bed and waited to see what the husband would say when we got into bed.
By the time I climbed into bed I didn't care what he thought anymore because the sheets didn't feel cold, I stayed warm all night, and I haven't had to turn on the electric blanket since then. The good news was, he was having the same thoughts as I was. Unless it gets severely cold I don't think I'll need the electric blanket again, and all for the bargain price of 29.00. Non flannel sheets at Costco usually cost 45.00 or so.
I came across a set of flannel sheets in my basement so I must have purchased them before, but I don't recall having this experience. Makes me wonder why, unless wherever I was living at the time wasn't as cold as this old farm house in the pacific northwest. Maybe it's because they have improved the thread count....they just don't have to brag about it. After all, they're flannel sheets. Need I say more?
When you go anywhere to buy sheets you have to look at everything and sort of know just what you want. I mean there's thread count to consider: 200, 300, 400, 500, all the way up to 800 I heard recently. Then there is Egyptian cotton, combed cotton, 100% cotton, sateen, satin and I am probably missing a few.
Just say flannel and it seems there isn't much more to discuss.
Recently, I went into my local Costco where they had for sale new flannel sheets for 29.00 a set. Pretty dang reasonable and they had nice prints on them. So I bought a set, took them home, gave them a run through the washer and dryer, put them on the bed and waited to see what the husband would say when we got into bed.
By the time I climbed into bed I didn't care what he thought anymore because the sheets didn't feel cold, I stayed warm all night, and I haven't had to turn on the electric blanket since then. The good news was, he was having the same thoughts as I was. Unless it gets severely cold I don't think I'll need the electric blanket again, and all for the bargain price of 29.00. Non flannel sheets at Costco usually cost 45.00 or so.
I came across a set of flannel sheets in my basement so I must have purchased them before, but I don't recall having this experience. Makes me wonder why, unless wherever I was living at the time wasn't as cold as this old farm house in the pacific northwest. Maybe it's because they have improved the thread count....they just don't have to brag about it. After all, they're flannel sheets. Need I say more?
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