Taking off, yet staying grounded

* this is a near duplicate post from the creative blog, but the end is different*

I am exhausted and coming down with a head cold. I've been so busy cleaning, cooking, packing, and crafting gifts, that I think I might actually be able to sleep on the plane tomorrow! Since I can never sleep on planes, this would be monumental. It's been a full, yet good, past few weeks.


Last night, as I was wrapping up some details and talking to my mother on the phone, I fiddled with some things lying on my project table. A Christmas cd played in the background. Our conversation covered a series of unrelated events: a venti coffee getting spilled on somebody's white carpet, the hiring of cadaver dogs, successful Christmas recipes, Christmas presents, marriage highs and lows, my brother's awesome GPA, crying in public, dogs peeing on carpet, how my little niece can now play peek-a-boo, the rear-ending of decorative lawn ornaments and driving off after knocking them over....

and staying focused on God despite the distractions or trials life brings.

I hung up the phone and the cd finished playing. Stefan was still grading in his office and the house was quiet. I fiddled some more at my spot on the table. Bits and pieces from our conversation, and meditations I'd read earlier, were swirling in my head. I finished my tiny wreath. I think it's my favorite yet. It's made from all the leftovers. I hung it on my closet door before going to bed.

I think of the star that shone brightly the night that Christ was born.
A holy night, at times a silent night.

Merry Christmas

To hear my two favorite Christmas hymns, click here and here.

I'll return to regular blogging after our trip, on January 10th.

We'd love to see you when we're in the States!
Here's the web version of our trip. Email for details.

Dec 18-21: Boston/Gloucester (LCC folks will see us on Sunday!)
Dec 21-23: Toronto
Dec 23-Jan 4: Indianapolis
Jan 4-8: Boston/Gloucester