Christmas celebration may have been interrupted by the loss of my sister this year, but God's peace has replaced the empty, sick feeling that I held onto for that first week that she was gone.
I worried that I might have nightmares after the day of her death. Being alone with her when she took her last breath.
I did have one nightmare. It was horrible. One of those that you cannot wake yourself up from, but your spouse hears you crying out in your sleep. I blame it on the spaghetti that I ate too much of the night before.
Most of my dreams are good though. Pleasant. Comforting. Peaceful. Many include my sister.
For me, dreams are a big part of my life. I love dreaming, especially when I can remember what I dreamed. But I find when my mind is cluttered with doubt and unfinished business, I often cannot remember what or if I even had any dreams. If I take time to pray before I sleep I almost always have peaceful sleep.
Yesterday the kids came for one last round of play with the Christmas Village. Then today, we packed it up and put it all away for another year.
I will miss mornings of magic. Sleepily pulling myself from bed and shuffling out into a living room of brilliant blinking lights and houses aglow. Figurines ice skating and the train waiting at the station for the next group of passengers to be whisked away to the winter carnival in the next town, just around the bend.
Yes, my mornings will seem mundane without Christmas magic lighting up the living room, and my life. But on the positive side, Gary (who is generally awake before me) will have one less job to do (turning on the lights).
Ha! He actually had it down to a science... especially after he wired it all for remote access. Just push the button and.... poooofffffff.... magic.
Oh, I have to tell you this! It is so funny!!!! And so cute!!!!
Jasper is three. A precious, precious child he is! A little slow in learning and of special needs and so very trusting.
Gary hides the remote in his hand and tells Jasper that if he touches his nose the village will light up.
So he does.
Gary secretly pushes the button on the remote. Jasper smiles with delight as the village comes alive with the touch of his finger to his nose.
Gary: Now if you pull your ear like this (pulls his ear) it will turn off.
Jasper pulls on his ear and the village goes dark.
He touches his nose again and the village comes alive.
That boy was so excited that he had the power to turn that village off and on just by the touch of his nose or the pulling of his ear, he kept doing it over and over again, shaking with excitement, his eyes wide with disbelief at his own powers.
It was so very cute!!!
After church yesterday a rainbow showed beautifully over the church parking lot. God, reminding us of his promises.
My New Years hope is that I draw closer to my Creator
and that His peace be with me throughout the year.
