Merry Christmas, all!

I don't know how the day was for you, but for me this was a strange Christmas--a strange mix of traditions, I guess.

My little sister is on her honeymoon and first Christmas away from family, which must be a strange sensation for her. Neither she nor her husband answered their phones when my mom called to wish them a merry day and time together, away from what's familiar. My brother and his wife spent their first Christmas with a baby girl in their Roanoke, Virginia home; and I spent my first Christmas with my other sister's husband's family, which makes them my own in-laws in a round-about way. My parents and sister's whole immediate family were here, too.

I'm pretty sure we didn't mention the story of Jesus today, which is sad to me. Maybe someone did; but it wasn't me. Present-opening somehow overwhelmed the morning, and I guess this isn't unusual for what television and commercials tell us is the stereotypical American family with children who still get toys for Christmas. Many adults still get toys for Christmas.

I don't know what to say here except that I'm sorry and a little bit sad about it. It's hard to stop and be grateful for longer than a moment when there's so much going on. When we're at the Chinese restaurant and there's a starter, a main, and an after. Things coming one after the next without our blinking in between.

But tomorrow's another day. This minute's another minute.

And it really is good to be with family.

I hope everyone's had a wonderful day! Our God is good and has come to be near us and with us whether or not we respond by acknowledging that.

Much love, all--