jingle bells

i just locked myself out of the house...

luckily my brother was still inside asleep (yes, it's 2 in the afternoon)

and graciously came down to let me in.

as i waited...

i heard someone outside raking the leaves (which are falling in tons despite the humid weather),

and i heard him whistle.

i stood still for a moment...

it was one of my favorite carols.

regardless of the gross humidity, the cloudy skies, and the chore of raking the lawn...

this man was still cheerful.

when, for whatever reason, he failed to finish the line 'in a one horse open sleigh'...

i finished it for him.

i'm not a champion whistler, but i hope he heard.

quickly thereafter my brother met me at the door...

and i haven't stopped smiling since.

it reminded me what christmas is about...

the twinkling lights,

the mistletoe,

the rush,

even the crowded streets with irritated drivers,

the smell of pine,

the chill on my nose and toes that was here and will hopefully come back,

the carols or the hymns sung high in choir lofts or blared from my car stereo,

the carefully decorated cookies (or not so carefully eaten dough and icing!),

the friends both here and halfway around the US and the world,

the chance to serve friends by helping them move into a new house instead of having church at 4 o'clock on a sunday because that's what we always do,

the ability to spend $20 and use it to create special gifts for special people,

the ornaments,

the stories,

the itchy, obnoxious christmas sweaters that still make me giggle,

the angel atop the tree,

the random pictures of christmas lights around the house,

the hot chocolate (or iced if you're in houston),

the crap that is stirred up in us sometimes around the holidays...

and how even though painful, can still be productive...

because this christmas does not have to be last christmas...

or any of the ones past.

christmas is about 'the thrill of hope',

and this christmas will be whatever i make it.

whatever i want it to be.