Christmas 2010 has been wonderful. Since I have retired, I had as much time as I wanted to decorate my house and I took advantage of the luxury. We put up lights outside and filled the living room with Christmas trees in a variety of sizes. I called it my Christmas forest. I decorated the mantle and doorways with garland and tables with Christmas villages.
My husband was on vacation and we decided to spend the week visiting friends. We assembled small containers with homemade cookies and candy. After making a list of friends, we knew there was no way we could see everyone in a week. We also knew that we would not be able to coordinate schedules with some. We love all of our friends, but with limited time, those that were ill or elderly were a priority. It was difficult at times to bring joy into the home knowing the likelihood that God will call some of these dear souls home before next Christmas. God gave us the strength to be cheerful and upbeat as we looked as these beloved friends. We tried to keep the conversation light. Although some talked about their illness, most wanted to know about mutual friends or our plans for Christmas.
At each home as we began to leave, we joined hands and my husband prayed for God's blessings on the home and healing for the bodies. The smiles on their faces and their pleading to return soon, made me feel ashamed that we had waited so long to visit. They each spoke of the blessing our visit was to them. Little did they know what a blessing they were to us.
What did my husband and I give each other for Christmas? Nothing purchased at a store. Nothing to be returned or exchanged. Nothing that can be replaced. We gave each other a week of trying to bring joy to others only to receive more than we gave.
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