Let's us remember that not everyone is joyfully expectant about the upcoming holidays, many have suffered extreme loss, or endure devastating illness or emotional pain.. the holidays are not always a welcome respite from the mundane. I am thinking about myself. In 2013 my dad was living in the Veteran’s Care Center and I knew he basically passed each day knowing that soon the end was coming. I knew because in late November he stopped marking the days off his calendar. He passed on the 13th of the Dec. and a huge part of my life and Christmas memories were dampened.. but
God
was so good.. When our daughter rushed down from Massachusetts to see him before he passed, she brought her 3 month old daughter, our first granddaughter, and they remained with us through the new year. If I hadn't have had her, I know that our Christmas would have been bleak and very sad. Dad always went all out on Christmas. And even though he had been in the Care Center for a year, I was very busy bringing a special Christmas to him there.. trying to keep up our tradition. At the same time my mother was living in another nursing facility.. racked with pain, she needed me with her every day. So I was a raggedy soul trying so hard that year to make the most of our time together. But Christmas at our home was bereft of much holiday cheer. The next year, I knew momma had very little time left, and she did pass on the 27th of December. Again the kids came to be with us a few days prior to the holidays and stayed through the New Year.
All that next year I was an orphan.. and really feeling it that dreary winter. I had spent so much time at mom's side for the previous 3 years.. it was like now what do I do? I knew that Christmases would never be the same! But again,
GOD
is so wonderful, faithful and patient! Of course, we travelled to be with the kids on Christmas and on the 27th.. Amanda delivered her second child... What a miracle for our family! The 27th of December had been redeemed!He gave us Christmas in a chubby, loving bundle of love!
I still get a little melancholy on the days leading up to Christmas. I do not go all out like I used to. Mainly, because we usually are traveling to be with the kids sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas , and Christmas can fall on any specified day for us, but that really doesn’ t matter, does it?
I can't believe next year with be 10 years that dad has been in heaven.. Oh, I can still cry over it all. Being an only child I think makes it worse... I have so little family left. .. my cousins all live far away and have their own families. so whatever Christmas I create here at home now, I create for us and others, and I love doing it. This year I am inviting 2 couples over who have no family, or else they live far away. And I try to make it as joyful and nice as ever they may have had it before. It helps me to plan and do it…because Christmas has always meant so much to my small little family. I want it to mean a lot to others, too. I mean the salvation of the World came to earth on Christmas.. it is reason to celebrate and be glad!
