He's Coming and I'm Not Ready

Christmas at Galilee

Earlier this afternoon, Christmas cookies, made from scratch, were in and out of the oven and generously sampled.  Wonderful aroma continues to permeate the house.  They look lovely and grandson judged them ‘the best’.  Daughter says that’s all that counts.  I agree.  I'll make more.

A fresh evergreen tree vies for attention in our living room.   That’s right, it’s not decorated. The family’s lifetime collection of lights, bulbs and ornaments are staged, ready to be positioned; may be done before everyone is snug in their beds tonight.  (Commitment – will be done before I’m tucked in tonight!)   Hey, I remember a Christmas Eve many years ago when my son and I bought and decorated the tree that night.  

Outside, a Christmas wreath adorns our front door and back door, too.  White and colorful lights have been festively draped on shrubbery.  Not as many as we’ve done in earlier years but perhaps we’re not finished.

Gifts aren’t wrapped.  I know where they are and where the wrapping, ribbons, tags, tape and scissors can be found.   Confession, I’m very nervous about the challenge – but such is my tradition.  It will get done before Christmas morning.

And so will grocery shopping, vacuuming, and dusting.

Christmas is fast approaching and I’m feeling more stressed than Merry.

Yet, it never fails.  Year after year, Christmas Day, celebrating the birth of the Baby, Jesus Christ, The Light of the World, is the most joy-filled holiday of my year.

Happy Holidays to You and Yours.

Year in Review

Facebook presented their concept of my year 2015.   Why not?  No doubt we share more time together than any animate species in my life.  Facebook and me, our relationship is consistent!

This year it’s a montage of photos selected by – selected by what?   I don’t think a person.  Technology with insight far beyond the reasoning of archaic human beings must have done it.

I found my Facebook year inspiring.   Admittedly though it took some degree of deep contemplation for me to reach that conclusion.  Today tears threatened to escape as I scanned through those pictures.  Yet, not one photo evokes sadness.  They magically work together connecting me to a lifetime of experiences and this year as I alone knew it.  Touching.

I’m retired.  I have time to ponder this kind of thing.

Celebrate the Season

It's Personal

Mom, “You’ve got to get Wi-Fi.”

“I don’t need Wi-Fi.  I’m online just fine.”

“But you can only work in here, or drag a cord along with you.”  (I was seated at the drafting table in my activity room.   Never would the room be called an office.  It was a place where I handled many interests and projects, not of an ‘office’ ilk.  It was my ‘activity room’.)

“Darin, it doesn’t matter.  The laptop’s easy to carry; the cord does fine.  I don’t need the confusion of Wi-Fi.   I’ll keep things simple.”

He let me do my thing for perhaps a year or more, until July 29^th, 2011.  That Friday evening I answered the front door bell chime for Darin to practically push in, announcing, “I’ve come to hook you up to Wi-Fi."  He had been at his office all day.  He looked pale.  He looked tired.  His wife and daughters stood behind him with their apologetic “we couldn’t stop him, he’s determined” look.

Darin with a NETGEAR box under his arm rushed back to my activity room.

I’ve had constant, wonderful Wi-Fi since that evening.

With thanksgiving for his life, I’ve written to celebrate

my son on today’s 54th anniversary of his birth.

    

                                           John Darin Stith

                      December 2, 1961 – September 14, 2011