Merry Christmas

Risking sounding like a scrooge, I'm so over the commercialism of the season. One cannot watch television between Thanksgiving and Christmas without being bombarded with slick marketing appeals, annoyingly loud end-of-the-year rants and otherwise mind numbing incessant yakking. Enough already, it's so wearisome. And the pressures of "have to's, musts, and shoulds" is just no fun at all. Oh, the energy drain!

In recent years I've made a conscious choice to keep my holiday as peaceful as possible. And I'm succeeding. I love attending my church and absorbing the tranquil significance of the holiday. Reflecting on the Christ attributes of love, peace, joy, compassion, forgiveness and so forth is my personal path for embracing Christmas.

I adore being a secret Santa for a needy child. Every year the minister at my church contacts social services to find a family that could use some help in providing a Christmas for their children. It's always an adventure for Michael and I to shop for a requested gift, this year being an X-Box game. Very, uh...interesting. We were familiar with the player but oblivious to what kind of game to get a thirteen year old boy to please him and appease his Mom.

This morning Michael and I went over to help out at the horse rescue. What remarkable work they do. Angels come in all guises. It was pouring down rain, however, it was warm and balmy. Later after we returned home, the weather worsened and a line of tornadoes cut a swath through Central Florida. We weren't affected, just getting lots of needed rain. Not so lucky for some, the storms caused lots of damage.

Back to work tomorrow. I'm trying to get to Atlanta to visit my cousin this week. After I return it's a new year, new life, new goals, new attitude, new work, all fresh and promising!