Chrismas

What a beautiful time of year!

Christmas Eve was lovely. Our pastors asked us and another person from the seminary over for Christmas Eve dinner. Salmon, borscht, baked potatoes... It was a lovely meal and a blessing for me after having worked all day.

We went on Christmas Eve to the candlelight service. All was lighted up and decorated with many candles, truly a season of light. The church was beautiful. After communion, we sang Silent Night and lit our candles. It was then that I felt a true Christmas moment. The ushers went up the aisle, lighting the candles of those in the center. They turned to light the candles of those next to them. In the row ahead of us is a dear couple. He has been in severe pain for about a year now, and it has only been worsening. Many Sundays he lies down in the pew or can't come because the pain is so bad. But on Christmas Eve he read one of the scriptures. When it came time for the candle lighting, he was on the end. And I had this moment, as I watched him light his candle from his wife and then turn to pass on the light to someone else, of realizing that he may never do this again, that his issues of ill health could take him at any time. And then I realized that that was true for any of us, and I looked around the room and took in the sight of so many dear faces, each person a treasured child of God. And I thought how the Christ child comes for all of us to set us free and to love us.

After church, Will and I set out for our friends' house. We stayed up late, talking and drinking wine. Actually, I didn't exactly stay awake as long as everyone else. And we each opened one present.

I still had not finished Will's socks for Christmas, so I wrapped the first one and finished the second the next day.  When he opened his present, he said to me, "You know, you didn't have to stay up late knitting for me. I'm knitter's husband, so I understand about gifts that come later." What a sweetie.

We made crab ravioli with tomato sauce for dinner, and got to initiate a friend into the wonders of ravioli making. The food was great, and just before we ate, we opened English crackers.  I got a puzzle, which was fun because it is a tradition in my family to put together a jigsaw puzzle on Christmas Day.

We took Will to the BART yesterday so he could get to the airport and fly to New England. He carried with him the afghan for Sarah and Bruce. I hope they like it.