It's [Almost] Christmas Time, Pretty Baby!

The tree!  I tried to capture the beautifully-frosted windowpanes in this photo but you can't see them.

So I've been jokingly posting on Facebook about how I succumbed to temptation and started listening to Christmas music early this year – before Thanksgiving, even! As I put ornaments on my tree tonight, I had a few gloomy thoughts:

• All these songs about a special day – this isn't really leading up to anything this year for me since I'm working Christmas Eve through to the day-after-Christmas morning.  Since I live alone, three hours from my nearest family, this means that even though I probably won't be busy in the hospital the whole time I still won't be able to come home to any family. And I already will miss seeing family on Thanksgiving!
• I haven't been in town for a lot of Sundays yet, and so even if I'm not busy in the hospital and can go to a random Christmas Eve service, it won't be at my "home" church, or even at a church I really know.
• The last time I decorated my own Christmas tree I couldn't put anything breakable on the bottom branches because of my beloved kitties.  I don't have cats now, nor will there be any cats in my foreseeable future (I live alone and travel too much, also they're not allowed where I live).

Now, before you tell me that Christmas is all about Jesus (and not about cats -- what?), well, I'll just head you off there and tell you that I hope that my whole life is all about Jesus. It is true, we do set aside this time of year to particularly remember the mystery and wonder of the incarnation. But the rituals and the family celebrations are also important -- the beautiful parts of our American culture's celebration of light in the midst of darkness, of peace and harmony and giving of ourselves, of family togetherness. (And still ultimately Jesus-y, since “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”)

My mood didn't stay consistently down tonight because I know (thanks to the Holy Spirit and good brain chemistry and practice – I can't always separate those) that the following statements are also true:

• My family loves me lots and have already started planning a weekend to “do Christmas” when I can get to town.
  
• After spending so many Christmases overseas, I actually got to be with family for Christmas in 2012 and 2013. And since I'll be in the US this year, phone calls to family will be free!
  
• The ornaments I bought a few weeks ago at the second-hand store – feel-good item! not directly supporting the labor of political prisoners! – came with a business envelope filled with hooks (phew, I didn't have any extra and was in the decorating mood tonight)
  
• Most of my ornaments are ones that I haven't seen since Christmas 2006! These bring back memories, since the majority are gifts from my mom, but also from my brother, stepsister, and a good friend. Also a stocking from my dad's wife that she sewed my initial onto, a manger scene my aunt gave me...aww....
  
• I've gotten to see more family members and more often during these past four months than in any of the past 10 years! Woo-hoo!
  
• Whenever I've worked on Christmas it has been a blessing – camaraderie with the staff and getting to help patients and families who are bearing the terrible burden of being sick over the holidays.
  
• And, last but definitely not least: Elvis Christmas music. Double entendres and all. Tee-hee!

We will all have different joys and sorrows in this upcoming season. I know that the ones I mention in this note pale in comparison to death and injustice and deep loss.  May we all experience love and grace in the midst of both the laughter and the pain. For now I'll wish you a Merry Ordinary Time! (That's a joke for you liturgical folk out there.)