We
started our Christmas Day experience like any good grandparent should. We made our way up into Texas to watch Kel
and his family open gifts. Oh, and to
have some of the delicious breakfast Christina had simmering in the crockpot. No idea what it was called, but it was a
mixture of chopped up ham (I guess the
proper word would be “diced”), eggs, cheese, and the pies de resistance (Funny how that phrase didn’t get auto-corrected. Wonder if that’s really how you spell
it. No, she didn’t cook a crock pot
pie. That’s a French word for the crowning
blow or something along those lines. In
this case it refers to …) - a layer of tater tots on top. Good stuff.
Kel read the Christmas story from his phone’s Bible app (Hey, we were at the home of another
generation. The Bible, along with just
about everything else, is all electronic-y). Then they opened gifts one at a time. The kids all seemed happy with what they
received. Ezra was all over the place in
his one year old wonder. So was their
dog Mercy (a lab mix) and the dog
they are babysitting (a boxer). Yep. That’s
some big dogs.
We returned
to the Island around 9 or so (Oh, I forgot
to mention that we left here at 6:30 … a.m.), and finally exchanged gifts
between just the two of us. Chris received
a designer copy of her favorite book (Redeeming
Love), and she’s started re-reading it already. I also got her a new phone. Her current one (an iPhone5) is giving her constant trouble. We have to go in today to get them to help us
set it up and actually transfer the service from her old phone. Oh, and I did her a carving again. It was a seashell to go with the Christmas
legend I made up and revealed at the Christmas Eve service (Another of our quirky personal Christmas
traditions. I try to make some mention during
the service, or at least give some clue as to what the carving is. If I have room I’ll include the new legend
below so you can begin passing it on to your kids and grandkids).
I received
a desktop computer stand. It can do all
sorts of things, like allow you to use the computer in bed. Not why I was gifted such a marvel,
however. Its purpose in the Vaughan
household is to help me sit up straighter while typing in hopes of rescuing my
neck from pain-causing stress and positioning.
The only issue I have with it is the fact that you have to be a geometry
genius to figure out what angles you want the legs to sit at. Oh, and I still don’t know for sure how to
install the mouse holder. Fortunately I don’t
need it on the desk. She also got me a
few books on National Parks (She has a
plan in there. I just know it. But I still refuse to go camping …), a
great all-purpose fishing tool (Mine is
rusted shut), and some underwear, of course.
We also
managed a FaceTime call with Josh and his kiddos. Looked like they had a pretty great Christmas
experience as well. Looking forward to
hearing from Cailyn later today to see how her day went.
So … How about a
By-the-Sea legend?
Legends
and traditions are fun and interesting.
How about we make up one of our own?
Maybe a Legend of the Driftwood or a Legend of the Seashell. Or maybe both.
It
seems a piece of wood drifted up on the Mediterranean shore many miles from
Bethlehem. He was sad, for the creatures
of the sea had been all abuzz with talk of the special birth taking place in
that far-off place. Oh, that’s not so unusual
to think about. All of creation had been
waiting for just this very moment for many, many years. The wood had ridden on waves and tides for
miles and miles, hoping to make it shore in time. And he had.
But now what? Now he was just a
random piece of driftwood stuck on the beach with no place to go.
As
he moped about his sad condition, a seashell drifted beside him and embedded in
the sand. But the seashell didn’t share
his depressed demeanor. On the contrary,
the shell was whistling a happy tune as the sea air blew past its hidden
archways.
Intrigued,
the driftwood asked how the shell could be so happy in such a gloomy
estate. So close to the Birth yet unable
to … to …
Shh! Said the shell. Listen.
Right here next to me.
Closer. Closer. There.
Right there. Hear it?
Sure
enough, what at first sounded simply like the roar of the ocean suddenly
changed. Instead of the constant
whooshing of the sea, he heard … singing.
Faintly at first, then louder and louder until it drowned out even the
crashing of the waves around him. And
oh, so beautiful. And the words? “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Why
is driftwood so content to loll around on the ocean until it comes to rest
peacefully on the shore? Legend has it
that the wood drifts because it is content to listen once again for the song of
the sea shell. And some say if you
should discover one of those shells yourself, if you hold it close to your ear
… and listen very carefully … you, too, can hear the song of the angels.
Merry
Christmas, all you Shell-listeners out there!
Luke
2:18-20 says, “And all who heard it
wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured these things, pondering them
in her heart. The shepherds went back,
glorifying God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told
them.”
Father,
thank you for joining us down here to take care of the business of destroying the
sin barrier. Pretty big task for such humble
beginning. You did well. Amen.
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