Homemade Play Dough and Backpacks

I wasn't ready for Christmas this year.  I am never ready with the presents, but this year I just wanted to journey a bit longer through Advent.  If you don't know me (odds are, you do, but if you don't...), I must confess a deep and abiding love for the liturgical year.  I am pretty sure Jesus celebrated Advent before his birthday each year and he most certainly gave up chocolate during Lent.

So...


This year we are serving a new church (I know, I may have mentioned this once before), and to be honest I was nervous.

Would we ponder enough?  Would we struggle enough?  Would we face the coming of Christ with new wonder and trepidation?

Our families arrived and I just wasn't ready.

The decorations were up, the meals were planned and the gifts were assembled, but I just wasn't ready.

I was still cogitating as they say.

Then a wonderful thing happened.  Over the weekend we went to six church services and each one brought with it one message, "I am here now.  You are home."

Welcome to Asheville, heart.

The children were thrilled by the pageantry and I confess to more than one tear when we raised our candles during Silent Night.  For an Advent entitled, Journey to Bethlehem, I give my whole-hearted huzzah!  And now...

Merry Christmas!

We are home!