And I am.
Because I love Thanksgiving.
I love it. I love the baking with kids, the fun, the gatherings... and the church services. Thanksgiving. Advent.
Does anyone else remember Vespers? We used to have Vespers (evening prayer) at our church when the kids were young. A sweet nun, Sister Diane Dennie would lead or plan them and they were beautiful, similar to what you hear on "Call the Midwife".
Psalm 91 by the sisters of Nonnatus House
I love old prayers. I love old services. Incense.
And hymns! I LOVE CHRISTMAS HYMNS!!!
The joy of waiting, the anticipation, the holiness, the awe...
Child of the Poor/What Child is This (oh, be still my heart... every poor child in the world, take heart!) Notre Dame Folk Group
Night of Silence St. Olaf Choir, Minnesota
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Casting Crowns Version)
Breath of Heaven Amy GrantJoseph's Song Michael Card
And so many more....
The prayerfulness of this whole season grabs me. From All Saints Day (today), All Souls Day (tomorrow) and that old-fashioned idea of learning from the past to prepare for the future and appreciating those who've given their lives for our chance to live our faith.
It all makes me want to be a better person. A better version of my daily self.
So that's where I'm at today! Looking forward eagerly... and patiently.
And yes, I'll decorate because I love it.
I'll get out great grandma's reindeer and Santa...
The aged Nativity that needs replacing (I will strategically place them!!!!)
And all is well because there are other things... human things... people things... that weigh heavy on us at times. Through the twinkle and laughter and joy and singing...
Life still brings lessons. Some harsh. Some just sad.
But we'll embrace those who mourn.
We'll feed the hungry.
Watch some movies...
Share our bounty joyfully.
And remember that the season of anticipation is even greater than the celebration. Because without the anticipation...
Every celebration falls short. Our celebrations will be full and bounteous not because of what we have on the table then... or under a tree...
But by what's in our hearts now.
Good hearts and true. Hearts that love the divine Savior of the world... a child born to the poor.
And we have two winners from two weeks ago!!!
Instead of one book, I'm going to send out three! Winnie Thomas, Linda Orr and Connie Porter Saunders, I need your snail mail addresses. My goal is to catch up on mailings this week.... So I'm hoping to get these right out to you!
Copies of "The Lawman's Holiday Wish" and Gail Martin's "The Christmas Kite" will be coming your way for Christmas reading. What a perfect way to start the holiday season... with a gift from me to you!
Ruthy, I love this. And it's NEVER too early. I've been eagerly anticipating November 1st and I will be hard-pressed not to break out anything Christmas before Thanksgiving. I like that Hallmark is already showing their Christmas movies. But I love how you put things in a spiritual perspective even more. I love, love, love Casting Crowns version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. There's a somber feel to that song. Yet it touches our heartstrings and reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. I like the decorations and the twinkling lights, all the fun and merriment, but I LOVE Jesus. And I love that He has the greatest birthday celebration of all, practically all over the world.
ReplyDeleteI am totally in sync with you on this... I love the joys but I have such respect and empathy for the hardships and Christmas is the perfect reminder to us! To reach out and be that person... the good person we want to be... and to stretch and grow.
DeleteCookies are never a bad thing... so together... the music, the cookies, abiding in faith, we make it amazing.
We come to the water... with cookies and candles.
This cannot be a bad thing!
Oh I love the holidays too! I have been told I can't decorate until after Thanksgiving, but someone else will be at work and I will be off the day after so by the time he gets home I may or may not have everything up lol. It is wonderful to reflect and remember kindness during the Christmas season, but I also remind myself of those things year round too. When having a bad day after I have had my moment I remember that somewhere someone else is having a worse day and I should be thankful for what God has given me. :)
DeleteOh, Katie... you are wise for being so young. Good for you. And I do like to have decorations up for Thanksgiving now because that way when kids/family come home or come over, it's cheerful! Something about twinkle lights in the north just seems right, doesn't it?
DeleteBut I won't decorate for real for a couple of weeks, although I'll put the outside swags up on the next nice day because there won't be many of them. Why wait until it's a seven-inch-snowfall day when I can get that part done now?
Now if someone else was going to do it for me... and not GRUMBLE.... but that is not the case so I pretty much set my own timeline around books and writing and life stuff. Life stuff does seem to have its own way of intervening, doesn't it?
Ruthy, cookies are never a bad thing. Nor can one have/make too many. And it feels so good to share them with others.
DeleteKatie, here's how I look at Christmas decorations. We only get to enjoy them for a short period, so the earlier we can start, the better. And I love that there are more days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. More time to enjoy the season.
Mindy I am going to borrow your point and see if that flies!! I didn't realize there were more days this year. Time is just flying this year!
DeleteTruth! :) I love sharing cookies... and making them. And I agree about the short season. Another thing I do is try to get all the crazy done... shopping, wrapping, etc. (easier in these days of gift cards!) before December 1st so that I can do Advent things I love... and relax and enjoy the days of waiting.
DeleteIt is the best relaxer I know of, to get the Have-to list done... and then just have the Want-to list waiting. Then if I say yes to singing alto at a service or Mass or someone needs help I can say yes and not get stressed.
God doesn't want us stressed over giving... but joyful!
I like how you guys think!
Thank you so much for the book! I sent you a Facebook message.
ReplyDeleteWith your address.... of course! And you're welcome!
DeleteI love everything about this post, comments and all! I too decorate before thanksgiving for the same reason, Ruthy. Last year I hardly got to decorate at all because of chemo. But this year, I'm going alllllllll out!! We all have so much to be thankful for, and it's never ever too early to give thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, Pat, yes... your timing last year was wrapped around a battle of your own. How is everything going, pretty lady? And I agree about the so much to be thankful for. When so many in the world suffer... we are crazy blessed to be who we are. Where we are!
DeletePat, I'm so glad you get to enjoy the decorating this year!
DeleteI can't think about Christmas yet. But I'm definitely in the mood for Thanksgiving! I love the holidays so much.
ReplyDeleteI do, too... but I do so love getting ready early, Missy.
DeleteIt takes all the stress off of December. So I can go places, do things and not fret...
And of course, being in the north, I love those weeks of lights because it gets dark mighty quick and mighty early up here for three long months...
BUT THEN!!!!
Oh, then the birds start singing.... and the little bitty flowers push up their happy heads...
And we all get giddy!
That's a good point about enjoying December more!
DeleteI can't believe it's already November and time for Thanksgiving! Thanks for the thankful post! And I won a book! I'll send you a FB message with my snail mail address! Thanks a bunch! (I'm kind of free with the !!!!! today!!)
ReplyDeleteGot it, thank you, sweet thing!!!
DeleteIf Hallmark can start Christmas movies before Halloween, why can't you start now? I think all your rationale is spot on!
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike, LOL! And we totally incorporate Thanksgiving into the whole thing with a month full of reasons to be thankful... but that kind of ties into Christmas, doesn't it? And up here, harvest is done by now. We're into major rainy cold season by November 1st and other than cabbage which is still being harvested and some feed corn fields that look kind of wan... everything is off the fields because our season is that much shorter. I think that's why Canada went with an October Thanksgiving because it's the same for them.
DeleteBut in the great South and Southwest and West Coast, there is still picking time. So our November makes sense there.
And Cate... isn't everything just that much more cheerful with a twinkle light here or there? :)
Praying for you and the girls daily... and knowing that this isn't the easy season to face in so many ways but also that it's beautiful in its own way. Memories. Thoughts. Remembrances and offerings.
You are never forgotten.