A Fellow Traveller

It all started with putting up my Christmas tree and discovering some of the lights weren't working....Then the bathroom sink stopped draining and no home remedies were working.  The kitchen oven is not dependable any more, requiring the temperature to be set 100 degrees lower so as to not offer burnt offerings.  And now the truck is operating in limp mode after a long trip to Ottawa and back.....lots of frustrations. I'm becoming aware of a more subtle pain in my heart.  I'm thinking that my grieving of a recent death is  lessening until someone gives me a hug and asks how I'm doing. When I find myself tearing up, I know the tears that were underground and unacknowledged need to be welcomed, not stuffed.  When I stuff them, I eat more of the wrong things, especially when I'm alone. I'm becoming more aware of the holes in other's hearts at this season: While sitting around the table with a grieving family, we made Christmas cards but struggled with the

A pre-lit tree is supposed to save you frustration and headache when you set it up.  It is created to be put together from three pieces, to be connected through all the inner cords to an external power source so it can shine brilliantly throughout the Christmas season.  For some undetermined reason, mine is shining less brightly this year. We tried taking it apart and reconnecting all the cords.  We searched for lights that had fallen out or were burnt out.  Finally we called it what it was and decided it would have to be okay, at least for this year. When we contented ourselves with decorating what we had and calling it a zebra tree, it just seemed unique for this year. There are multiple stripes of darkness throughout the tree.  With the decorations on, you'd never recognize the problem in the light of day. In the dark of night though, you can suddenly see the bands of black. Even though the surrounding light is bright, what brilliance there would be should every light be f

Yesterday was Wednesday, Hump Day, Middle of the Week day. I ended the day with a meeting at the church and heard a celebration going on across the foyer. Apparently this was a special event that had been planned for weeks by the girls. Our Adventure Girls Club had baked cookies and came to sing for the adults.  The people who come Wednesday nights pray regularly for the girls and their leaders. My husband said the room was filled as the girls interspersed themselves between the adults to visit and get better aquainted. The girls were a combination of those from church families and community homes and lots of small talk filled the room. To know that someone prays for you is a special thing. Earlier in the day, at "going home time", I was walking a quiet, waif of a girl to her late bus line.  She asked if it was Wednesday and when I said it was, she gave a little hop and said, "Oh goodie!" "Why are you hopping for Wednesday?" "Because I go to K