The 12 days of Christmas
Tomorrow we're halfway through the Christmas season. It's been a good one this year. A short summary:
Celebration: I was the preacher and presider at our early Christmas Eve service (the sermon for which is posted below). Candles, and music, and Carol & I put out cider and cookies for worshippers to share, after the service.
Then I was the celebrant again at the Christmas morning Eucharist. No sermon that time; instead, we did Lessons & Carols (a scriptural retelling of the Christmas story, interspersed with singing) together, in lieu of the regular Liturgy of the Word. Then one of our parishioners baked an incredible cake for Christmas morning, and her daughters (aged 3 and 4) led us in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
What it means, to be able to serve at the Table, to bring my gifts before the Christ Child in this way. . . I still don't have the words for that. Both services were a gift.
Sleep: the kids are off school, of course, so we've all had the pleasure of sleeping in. Now, this does mean different things to different people, around here. Our eldest is a late-morning power sleeper: more than once she's staggered out of her room as late as 11:00 am. Me? Well, once I lolled around in bed until nearly 7:30! My seminary suitemates will no doubt be shocked at this.
Cooking: Or maybe I should say, eating. We've had several really good meals, and Christmas dinner was wonderful. We also continue to enjoy the results of the pre-Christmas baking orgy. People who have gone hungry around here lately have no one but themselves to blame.
Presents: not an enormous pile, this year; but most satisfactory. Of the tangible items I received, this will be very handy, while this is just plain cool. Our collective major gift is a family vacation we're planning for February; and I'll blog more about that another time.
Family time: Playing board games (the boy is a card shark), watching movies old and new, eating meals with all of us around the same table (along with the occasional buddy; I am "Mom" to a goodly number of people who do not regularly sleep here). This year we're also doing a bit of driving-- going up to see Dad and my siblings tomorrow, and then down to check in with the other side of the family on Sunday. We're aware we my be in another part of the country next year, depending on where God might call me to a church; so we're being intentional about this.
And now, time to pack up for the aforementioned excursions.
Celebration: I was the preacher and presider at our early Christmas Eve service (the sermon for which is posted below). Candles, and music, and Carol & I put out cider and cookies for worshippers to share, after the service.
Then I was the celebrant again at the Christmas morning Eucharist. No sermon that time; instead, we did Lessons & Carols (a scriptural retelling of the Christmas story, interspersed with singing) together, in lieu of the regular Liturgy of the Word. Then one of our parishioners baked an incredible cake for Christmas morning, and her daughters (aged 3 and 4) led us in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
What it means, to be able to serve at the Table, to bring my gifts before the Christ Child in this way. . . I still don't have the words for that. Both services were a gift.
Sleep: the kids are off school, of course, so we've all had the pleasure of sleeping in. Now, this does mean different things to different people, around here. Our eldest is a late-morning power sleeper: more than once she's staggered out of her room as late as 11:00 am. Me? Well, once I lolled around in bed until nearly 7:30! My seminary suitemates will no doubt be shocked at this.
Cooking: Or maybe I should say, eating. We've had several really good meals, and Christmas dinner was wonderful. We also continue to enjoy the results of the pre-Christmas baking orgy. People who have gone hungry around here lately have no one but themselves to blame.
Presents: not an enormous pile, this year; but most satisfactory. Of the tangible items I received, this will be very handy, while this is just plain cool. Our collective major gift is a family vacation we're planning for February; and I'll blog more about that another time.
Family time: Playing board games (the boy is a card shark), watching movies old and new, eating meals with all of us around the same table (along with the occasional buddy; I am "Mom" to a goodly number of people who do not regularly sleep here). This year we're also doing a bit of driving-- going up to see Dad and my siblings tomorrow, and then down to check in with the other side of the family on Sunday. We're aware we my be in another part of the country next year, depending on where God might call me to a church; so we're being intentional about this.
And now, time to pack up for the aforementioned excursions.
posted by Jane Ellen+ at
6:25 PM
1 Comments:
Have fun, and safe travels!
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