December 20 – “Deep breath day”

I think today gets to be a deep-breath day.  At least I hope so.  Our white elephant party last night was a lot of fun.  A few folks who went to Seaside years ago came back for the festivities.  One who now lives in Texas City brought her new husband to introduce.  I think he’s from South Africa.  Another now lives in Friendswood, and a third returned from California.  Felt like Paul and Silas returning to the church in Antioch to check in before taking off again.  Great to see those guys again.  The food everyone brought was amazing, from Chris’ cheese ball to fried chicken to the pizza that finally arrived. 

Everyone worked hard on the Christmas trivia quiz, but there just seemed to be one or two or ten of those questions that were just too obscure.  After Linus read us the Christmas story and we prayed, the gift exchange had some memorable moments.  Cory fired his catapult at Mama Chris when she approached him to relieve him of it.  The mystery electronic elf who can make up a story about you based on questions you provide answers to was definitely intriguing.  Mom loved the little blue stuffed monkey she ended up with.  By far the most coveted items fell into the swine category, however.  Jennifer ended up with the four little piggy banks she desperately wanted.  And come to find out she had returned and re-gifted the rubber pig she got last year.  Now that was quite an animal as well.  Squeeze that one and it made a snorting, grunting sound just like the real thing.  Quite a find.  It was one of the four or five presents that our guest from South Africa ended up opening. People must have liked him so much they wanted him to have the joy of opening lots of presents.  And the pig was no different.  Rita ended up with little Arnold this year. 

As far as I know the only thing we have to do today (as in “required, obligatory, compulsory”) today is go to Cailyn’s Christmas party at her school.  Now that’s the kind of necessity that I can get excited about.  Of course I’m sure my day will also consist of sermon preparation (after Sunday I still have to get ready for Christmas Eve service and then for the following Sunday), Mom support (she is still groaning in pain after her fall), my own constant twisting and turning (to ease the tingling in my leg), and whatever I can do to help Chris out (she is fighting a cough right now that we don’t want to expand into anything more, especially since Luke and Caleb and Zak are coming over next week).  Not to mention fielding any calls I receive (if my phone will start working correctly again.  It’s been receiving calls, but not telling me anything about it until much later.  Kind of defeats the purpose) and monitoring the fire department traffic on my phone ap (at least that has worked fine).  I could have started my day out with an extra water therapy class at 6:45, but I decided last night that I just needed a somewhat restful day.  Hmm.  Sounds vaguely familiar.  Day of rest.  Seems to me Someone else thought that may be a good idea a long time ago. 

Exodus 20:8-11 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.  For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Father, thank you for pointing out the need for rest.  Forgive me when I ignore it for so long.  Amen.