December 3 – “Lights”

Yesterday was my big work day again.  One of the hard parts for me about being a pastor has always been seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  There is always a built-in twist or turn that keeps the light just out of view.  And that twist is Monday.  I did make some pretty good strides in my preparations for next Sunday.  I have to stay on top of it during Advent.  There is so much going on with Christmas coming.  It does help to have the themes for each Sunday, though.  We did Hope last week.  Next week is Peace, then Joy and then Love.  If you can’t work with those topics, then you need to revisit your connection with God. 

We did get the Christmas lights all put up after we picked up Cailyn from school.  I knew that would be an inevitability yesterday when I noticed our neighbor across the street working all day to get his up.  Not that we’re the Griswalds in a decorating contest or anything.  It must have taken him and his wife four or five hours to get it all done.  And they don’t have anything elaborate, either.  In fact they did about the same as us - icicle lights hanging from the eaves.  The thing is, ours just took us thirty minutes or so.  I guess after struggling with it for nineteen years we have figured out all the shortcuts.  Each strand is rolled up carefully and we put a strip of masking tape on it with a note about where it begins in relation to the plug.  The hooks that connect to the gutter and slip under the shingles are all either connected to the strands or at least in the same box.  We even put in the two staples that we use to hold the extension cord in place.  Of course if Chris ever decides to change things around or add more stuff, I’ll be sunk again.  But at least for this year we are all set. 

We even got the church decorated for Christmas this past weekend.  Only six people came up to help, and that was probably a good thing.  It was one of the fastest on record.  The only glitch came when we realized there was no Christmas tree in any of the boxes in storage.  That’s when I remembered Nathan talking about getting a new one.  I texted them and sure enough, before long here came Nathan with their old tree.  It was just the right size, and Dayna and Kiara did a bang-up job decorating it.  And speaking of Dayna, the meatballs and cheese dip were delicious!  And speaking of delicious, there’s nothing quite like hot chocolate and decorating to put you in the mood for Christmas.  And now … on to shopping. 

Luke 2:30-32 says, “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Father, thank you for the twinkle in the eyes of our kids around Christmas time.  Hugs seem a little softer.  Actions seem a little kinder.  And everyone is just a little more helpful.  Amen.