for love...

December is here, once again.
It takes a long time getting here, this month of celebration, and then flies by before I can catch my breath. But each day, we take a moment to savor it.

In the reading…

Mary's perspective on the first Christmas

And in the counting down…

I wrap her little trinkets in a hurry… not wanting to get caught in the act. She never said a word when there was no sign of Advent calendars Saturday morning. But the light in her eyes when she finally spotted them Sunday tugged at my soul. I would give her the world. This year the world comes in the form of chap stick. She tears and crumples the paper in her fist all at once, and then swipes her lips with the flavor of the day, smiles, and slips her new treasure into her pocket. It was worth it… the counting, the sorting, the recounting and finally, the wrapping.

He loves the Lego Advent calendar… and Richella tells me that as long as it still brings joy, I should provide it. She is one smart, beautiful lady.  Because it is not only his joy, it is mine. To see his nimble fingers snap bricks together… to be the target of those smiling eyes. He will be sixteen before the month is over… and yet I am almost sure that he could still fit just right into the crook of my arm.

Last year I filled a bag of Advent goodies for Ann.  As my kids tear into their goodies, smile and laugh, I think of her texts… the sweet notes about one tiny treasure or another, and the joy it brought me.  I think she couldn’t believe that someone would do that for her… but I think Christmas is not just for the littles, it is for love.



Emily has opened up Tuesdays Unwrapped for December... and it makes my heart shout hooray!  It is a sacred special place, where the messy is beautiful and friends are made...  join her?