What a difference a day makes!

Two days ago I wondered how in the world I could gather the needed energy--and room--to get a Christmas tree installed. We don't do a lot of decorating, but at that point the minimum seem like too much. But ta-da! The answer arrived from Lexington at 2:00pm yesterday--my younger daughter, J! For Christmas enthusiasm, she is unmatched! The only tree at Horroch's would have had to be sawed in two, so we travelled on to Lowe's. I didn't know we were supposed to just toss our "find" on a cart and wheel it through the checkout lane (like groceries!), but it was worth waiting for assistance, as they "wrapped" our little tree for us. It was transported home in our tied-closed Corolla trunk, smoother than any in recent memory. We filled the CD player with seasonal music (J added a load to our modest collection), and to work we went. We moved four boxes of books and a table to the basement, shuffled some houseplants and repositioned the couch. Our finished Tannenbaum sparkles perfectly in the front window, our mantle is arrayed, and our doors are welcoming. Whew! Last year we minimized our celebration as our kitchen was being remodelled. Two years ago, with the recent death of B's father and my mother, we kept things pretty quiet. But this year we're up for company. In spite of the tenor of this writing, I am poised to relax about details. The "true meaning of Christmas" is not only God-come-to-Earth spiritual, it is also family, friends, and memories. I'll express deep thoughts later. Wishing all the Comfort, Joy, and Peace that comes with Christ!