After Christmas

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely Psalm 138: 1-4

This past holiday season, I began with a great deal of love and joy. I wrote the Christmas letter, opened the address book and started on the yearly adventure of cards for all. But the next page was full of friends no longer living, the next where widows live, and this one where friends have moved to assisted living. What a downer, but I plowed on, determined to reach the end of the addresses and finish the chore (what I viewed it as now). Cards began to come in, full of picture of grandchildren, greats (grandchildren), and pets. No letters to speak of, sometimes, only very spidery writing on the front of the envelope.

So I moved on to the next favorite thing of the season: purchasing gifts. Luckily my grandsons had told me almost exactly what they needed and the granddaughters had their mother clued in on what would be a nice gift for gramma and papa to purchase. Not too expensive but things that would make their lives happier and more fun. A strange gift appeared in my eyesight for one son-in-law and socks to replace the holed ones for the other. The gift for my husband was easy. Take him to the shoe store, and with the help of my daughter, it was a great success. The plane was on time and the granddaughters were there to pick us up. The holiday was definitely beginning to look very promising.

Christmas Eve online with Eastridge was just what we needed to really make our lives full of joy and peace. Then on Christmas Day, loads of presents, and Zooming with the other half of our family. Working on a jigsaw puzzle in the afternoon with daughter number 2 and granddaughter Leah filled the holes that COVID had created. COVID was nearly forgotten but our masks were ready for us once again as we entered the airport to return home. I ordered a wheelchair since I knew it was nearly a mile to gate 27. We arrived just in time for our plane but…it had been delayed by 2 hours, then 3 hours, but no one complained and the bathroom was very near. During the wait, I texted a friend and found that she is having to move because of financial problems. What am I complaining about? Life is meant to be full of ups and downs, meant to have to wait for promised events, meant to share joy and sorrow with friends and relatives. Christmas is meant to be shared with others and remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We finally flew home and today, the holiday has ended but the love and joy of family and friends, plus the hope of the tomorrows remain. Whatever I am doing from now on, I am going to try to remember the peace and joy of Silent Night on Christmas Eve.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to realize what we have and be thankful, for not just what we want or how we hope for it to be. Be with all who have less and help them to hope once again. Amen.

Carolyn Olsen