Christmas Gleanings

We are now just four days away from the “re-birth” of Jesus. I have been working hard through these Advent days trying to better understand the “re-birth.” Each day I would read and reflect on each of the daily readings. This was a new process to me so some of the reflection was not easy. I kept researching for the meaning of words and attempting to interpret what they were trying to tell me. Although I knew that I was going in the right direction it seemed that I was exerting too much effort. Then I realized that if I just opened my heart and listened to Jesus it would make sense. Okay, sometimes I try too hard and miss that which in right in front of me. I am ready for Christmas.

Today I received an email from one of the vendors that my company deals with. It was rather unusual in that the greeting was “Merry Christmas.” They are showing their understanding and belief of Christmas, unlike many organizations who feel safer sticking to the “politically correct” type of greeting. The email included “The Story of Christmas" which divided into three sections. "The Conception of Jesus Foretold; The Birth of Jesus," and "The Shepherd’s Worship the Savior.”  I sent a reply to my contact thanking him and his organization for this beautiful greeting. When I see things like this it reinforces my belief that Christmas is not lost to commercialization or secularism. I become revived, immersed in a Christmas that is growing, moving to a new awareness.      

On Friday evening our middle son and his wife took me, my wife and her mother to the ballet to see the “Nutcracker.” It was my first ballet and I enjoyed it fully. After the performance, “Nan,” which is what we call my wife’s mother, required an elevator to get down to street level. We found the elevator which already had passengers; a woman with her elderly mother. I did not get their names which now I regret. Introducing oneself is always important. When we reached the ground floor my son and I headed out to get the cars. The woman told her mother to stay at the doorway and she would return with her car. My wife, “Nan” and daughter-in-law” reassured the woman’s mother that they would stay with her. As the three of us headed across the street to get our cars I asked the woman where she was parked. She said she was in the parking garage on the next block. Well, so were we. Then as we headed up the elevator she said she was on the third floor. Well, so were we. Then I asked her where she was parked and she pointed to where our cars were parked. Her car was right across from ours. So, I told her to follow us and our caravan headed back to the theater. Once I got my wife and “Nan” in the car I went over to the woman’s car while she retrieved her mother. My son loaded his wife and child in their car and then helped the woman place her mother in her car. She was thankful and surprised for all of the assistance. My son told her it’s what his father taught him. There were parting greetings and we all headed home. None of this was a coincidence. The fact that we all met in the elevator and were parked in the same garage on the same level was a God happening. It was not a test, it was an opportunity to share and help each other. It was an opportunity to prepare for the “re-birth” of Jesus. Thank you Lord.

Merry Christmas and God bless you all.