I love December. It’s a time of joy in remembering the Savior’s birth. It’s a month filled with music and lights, friends and family.
At church, it’s all decorated with huge flocked trees and wreaths, and the foyer has furnishings like a cozy home would have. The theme is ‘Our House’. Several people in the church shared how they make Christmas meaningful. One idea that I’d like to try is to not do anymore shopping seven days prior to Christmas. I think that’s a peaceful way to save my sanity. Especially in trying to get around Beaverton or Portland. Yikes!
I also liked the suggestion to lead an interruptable life; to be available to people. I don’t want to get distracted at the busy work of writing Christmas cards for my friends and family when I could be spending time with them instead.
In spending time with my closest friends, I want to be spending time with the Lord as well. If I start neglecting Him, life can get all caddywompus. I read a verse that spoke to my life today: Proverbs 14:30 – “A heart at peace gives life to the body…”
Our church also had a string quintet playing for service and inbetween services in the hallway last Sunday. A harpist played on Thursday night. I just love all the beautiful live music! It makes me miss playing my trombone. I remember getting together with a few friends to play in a brass quartet for Christmas gigs here and there. Then there was the good ol’ get out your instrument you haven’t touched in years and play carols with the relatives on Christmas Eve. Good times… good times.
A week ago, I decorated our home and took pictures. David turns on our tree lights in the morning so when I get up later in the morning, I see the blur of blue and purple lights that look so neat without my glasses on. My mom’s cousin Judy gave us so many Christmas decorations for a wedding gift that we are enjoying so much.
I love all the get togethers with friends around Christmas. Tracy’s birthday was a week ago and so we had her and Clark and Mary, Mark, and Renee over. We hung out with Ullas and Leah last weekend. Leah’s kittens are getting bigger, but they’re still so fun to play with. Ullas gave some tips to David and I on how to improve our ping pong skills. Some of the guys who play at the recreation center are amazing!
Tovah’s up from San Diego for a bit (we miss you, Clark!) so we hung out with her and Darren and Jordi before dancing. I’m looking forward to Christmas caroling at our family friends, the Seiferts’ home. It’ll be great to see Jess and Nate and their kids, Lindy, Mike and their kids, Greg and Karen and their girls, and my mom and dad and brothers, hopefully. Oh, and I can’t wait to go to Clark’s cabin in Oysterville with the gang for New Years!
The best part of December, to me, is to get to see all four of my brothers, my four parents, three grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. Travis has been in Europe for six months and comes home next week. Cory is at school in Bellingham and wants to make an extra trip to meet Travis at the airport with the rest of us. Rex is in Vancouver, so I see him more often. But he’s busy with finishing up at The Art Institute of Portland. I’m looking forward to celebrating his graduation with the family. Jack will be coming home from Pittsburgh in a couple weeks. It’s always fun seeing my parents out dancing every month. And we usually visit David’s mom and grandma several times a month on the way to a dance. But I hardly get to see his dad unless it’s on a weekend. Good times are coming! I’m so excited!