To Be Thankful for trees and dogs

Yesterday I was happy because I have not yet seen any discarded Christmas trees by the side of the road. I don't know if more people have artificial trees, or they put their live trees up later, but it seems as if people are enjoying their Christmas trees longer. I find it so depressing, when Christmas is over, to see dead Christmas trees at the ends of driveways, in parking lots and at the side of the road -- reminding us more than we feel it already that Christmas is over. It's even worse when that happens late on Christmas day or even on the 26th or 27th of December. I guess I need for my holiday to last a little longer (at least through Epiphany, please!). So I am thankful for Christmas trees, still inside homes.

Yesterday I was also happy because we caught a dog! I am thankful to everyone who was driving, who avoided hitting a runaway cocker spaniel as she crossed and re-crossed a busy road. I am especially thankful to the couple in a minivan (with Sam the German shepherd dog) who stopped to help, and the nice man in a white commercial van who finally helped us corral the dog at a golf course. We are dog-sitting for a friend who is away for the holidays, and this cocker is a formerly abused, now rescued dog, and is afraid of everyone. We also knew she didn't know her way around the area, so we were doubly worried. I am thankful to all who drove carefully and were patient with our road antics, those who reported her appearances and reappearances to the police, and especially those who stopped and actually helped end the chase! So I am thankful for the ebullience of dogs who love to run and for the people who are willing to be involved when it is time for them to stop running! Phew! Now my big moral decision is what (if anything!) to tell the dog's owner upon returning from a vacation away.

Things are stressful at home, but we manage one crisis at a time. Prayers for peace and harmony are appreciated.

unsettled

It's Monday; I have no classes until the new year, and I had a chance to visit with a friend today. It was good to catch up with her. Last Weds. I was late to meet another friend for lunch -- I figured she would buy her lunch and I would find her -- she gave up on me and snapped "Well, call next time," when I apologized the following day. She's absolutely right; I should have called her on her cell phone; I just assumed I'd find her -- then when I didn't I assumed she'd had a reason she had to leave. Sometimes there is grace on the campus and sometimes there isn't. This grace-full and grace-less state exists in all of us at different times.

Christmas comes at the end of this week. The cards are mailed and the presents are bought and wrapped. I know the reason for the season, but am not feeling very celebratory this year. My parents are coming to visit, even though I have asked them not to. Once again the holiday is taking on a life of its own -- places I need to be, people I need to see, regardless of my own wishes or desires. Wish I could feel part of community; maybe this enforced socialization and merriment will help get me there. Sometimes I need to be dragged out of my shell to these events, but sometimes I like to wallow and enjoy my alone-ness. Oh, well.

Yesterday I worshipped with a Kenyan congregation and my "church time" went, in predictable fashion, from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I had a wonderful, freeing, selfless time. I was asked to pray the prayers of intercession, spontaneously, and fortunately that doesn't throw me for a loop like it once did (not only being up in front of others, but in a different cultural context). It was good for me to get away/out of my comfortable church routine.

I'm sure I will experience resistance from my family members about going to church on Sunday, Christmas day. Oh, well. I think I need to do that, too.

Transition

It's a time of transition -- the semester is almost over for me. There's a great push to work hard, and then there will be a period of rest before the craziness begins again.

I'm up early this morning; not sure if the cat woke me up or if I woke the cat up, kicking her. So between the cat on the bed and me hearing voices in the hall (my youngest wet the bed), there's a lot going on. I've already done a load of laundry this morning! It's snowing, and the kids have been praying all week for a snow day (to augment their praying, they've also been wearing the clothes inside out and backwards -- some legend they learned at school -- I don't remember doing that when I was a kid, but that was a long time ago). I'm about to get on the school board's website and see if there is a delay or no school at all. My school won't be canceled, of course, since most of the students and professors live on campus, but I may not drive over. We'll see. Would be nice to get an early start on my weekend. I'm still celebrating though cuz I got an A on my most recently-preached sermon (in class, obviously) and my professor said some really nice things. I was so hoping he would enjoy it. It's great when professors love their job; I really had the sense of wanting to preach something for him, to thank him for what he's taught us all semester.

Things at home are tense and have been since Thanksgiving. These "family times" (a.k.a. holidays) get us arguing over where we will go -- to who's parents' house -- our house is small for entertaining and one set of parents has never visited us in this house since we've lived here. We joke that the road only goes one way.... There have been other stressors as well, extended family health issues, etc., so we're not all in a "happy place."

But while we felt in full crisis mode last week, this week feels more like coping mode. This feels like yet another hurdle we can jump (have jumped? are in the process of jumping?). So we hang in there, pray, rely on friends and others to get us through, and hunker down and keep on about the business of living daily. Time does heal a lot of wounds. Who knows how healed we'll feel by Christmas?