Today is brilliant with the hope of Christmas. The Sun is shining and a Yueltide wind is blowing. The children are anxious and so is Mylo as he regularly visits the walk-in closet to look up at the bag of his Christmas gifts that are on the shelf and then he barks several times as he protests that he must wait a bit longer. 

It is the little things that make the difference and the older I become I realize that life comprises the little things. At church yesterday my friend Rob complimented my writing and it made my day. His kind words reminded me of the scripture that, ‘A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.’ 

‘I wrote my old friend Steve the other day that it was about time for he and I to load up in his vintage Chrysler and travel to Eldorado for Christmas with Neva J. When you entered Neva J and Earl’s home you were immediately struck with how warm it was both with love and the coal stove that was adjacent to the kitchen. I vividly recall purchasing on the installment plan a lovely picture that Down’s Furniture Store had on display. In my understanding, it represented fine art. Neva J was ecstatic with her present. 

Garland is a joyous Christmas decoration that Pastor Kerry spoke of Sunday morning. At one time folks placed lit candles on their Christmas tree. Or…bubble lights… 

Nativity Scenes bring a special peace to the Christmas ambiance. We wait for the Christ Child and the unity of humanity that he brings. Weary we are from all of the abusive words and fighting about political expediency and hidden agendas that benefit the speaker of the rhetoric and have little efficacious blessing for the listener. 

Christmas is simple although we make it complex. Peace on Earth…Goodwill Toward Men… Neva J had a warm coal stove and a little Christmas Tree. She worked hard to create a lovely Christmas Dinner with Roast Beast and her Holiday Coffee Cake. The aunts were there with divinity and fudge and cigarettes for Aunt Vema. Neva J’s cats were in their Holiday splendor and awaiting their special holiday feast. 

Hopes were high because we were all together… Joy abounded as we looked to the future that was bright and full of mystery and promise. Each of us had jumped hurdles of challenge over the year and the challenge awaited us in the New Year…but we had each other and we knew that we would persevere as long as love was our lighthouse. 

Wars and rumors of war were always in our peripheral vision. The children show us the way. This Christmas let’s all be like we were when we were children. None of us have been here so long.  This is the first Christmas of the rest of our lives…