Sunday, December 24, 2023

December 24 - “The Day Before”


The day before Christmas. How exciting is that?  Chris spent the day in the kitchen. She was baking Amish Friendship bread. Good stuff. Lots of cinnamon. The house smelled amazing. 


Actually, let me change that first statement a bit. It was t the whole day. We had to make another Walmart run. Chris realized right in the middle of baking that she didn’t have enough vanilla. And Sam needed some prescriptions picked up and some of her tasty flavored waters. Oh, and after Walmart we had to make a quick stop at Kroger. They had Blue Bell on sale for $4.99. Can’t pass that up. 


I tagged along and for sure slowed Chris down. I felt pretty good in the morning, but things got a little more challenging the more I tried to do. It is frustrating, but I keep telling myself that this is just the third week post-surgery. The doc told me it would take 6 to 8 weeks to recover. And who knows what kind of a kink the shingles put on the timeline. So … barely halfway. 


Chris, in all of her sweetness, assured me that it would be OK if I hadn’t finished this year’s carving on Christmas morning. There were a few last-minute details I had to get done on it, though. That’s what caused my back to tense up quite a bit. I took some ibuprofen to hopefully ease it down, but that took a while. 


In the meantime, Sam and I watched some football (Air Force) and a movie (Matilda). Pretty pleasant transition to the eventful Christmas Eve today. 


Christmas Eve - and the fourth Sunday in Advent - on a Sunday. That’s gonna make for a long day. Kel asked me to read one of the Christmas stories for children that I usually write. It gives me a chance to drop a clue or two for Chris about what the carving is. And this year we’re doing two Christmas Eve services, plus the regular Sunday morning service. Since that means I’ll be reading the story twice, Chris suggested I stay home in the morning and try to get tested up. Sounds like a plan. So … see you at 4 or 6!


Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬ ‭ says, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Father, thanks for you for the excitement surrounding your coming tomorrow. Come on back again!  Amen. 

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