Tuesday, December 25, 2007

CHRISTMAS DAY...


In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’


When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

My heart, as Chief Dan George used to say, soars like a hawk.

Well, it's not
that heady, but Christmas turned out to be so much less tense than I had feared [my eighty-plus-year-old mother did get a little testy when she was expecting 80 people to descend for caroling, but calmed down once the party was over and it was only the family she had to deal with]. My oldest brother [he of the complaints about lesbian real-estate investment] was markedly aggressive the first night we were all together, leading his wife of thirty years to wonder why she didn't just chuck it... it seemed best for me to hold my tongue, which, not having too much to drink yet, I actually did. [Another one of those couples has bought a house on his road -- it's Lesbian Lane now!] Otherwise, the whole event was nearly human; the presents were all opened by noon, there was only one big sit-down meal, on Christmas Eve -- everything seemed to have settled out, settled down a bit since my last days there. Or is it me?

Well, today, I found out that while my second son in fact will be spending less than twenty-four hours here [what can he do? it's apparently just his limit, and at least it has nothing to do with the Gay Issue -- he just doesn't find me easy to get along with...], the other two will be spending more time, three or four days of the week or so they are here in the Frozen North, which is Quite Simply the Best Christmas Present I Have Ever Received.

In case anyone was keeping track.

The
Goat will be back all brown and lean in less than two weeks, though I may not get to see him for another week after that... ah, all that love where there has been only emptiness and memory. And Isis agreed to have lunch with a couple of my siblings before Christmas, so there is some progress there, even if it doesn't affect me directly.

I hardly know which way to turn for happiness. I hope that some part of Christmas had brought you similar joy. So much of it is in agreeing to find it in what comes your way, and not in what you are sure you need...

My soul magnifies the Lord.

Enough said.
Hang in there, all.
C

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