Our Christmas celebration yesterday was, once again, a reminder that the “grinch” will only steal your hope and joy if you let him! Pearl and her daughter Sandra invited us to spend Christmas day with them. I had been a little disappointed that I had been unable to work out having a table full of people for Christmas dinner, so when we received the invitation, I took it as providential. It was, since I came down with severe gastroenteritis. I still am not eating anything except mashed potatoes (well, today I added mashed carrots) and mint tea. I am not contagious, or even feeling sickly, but certainly not up to cooking a big meal.
Pearl was so excited that João and I were coming, that she couldn’t sleep. I felt so very honored by that. She has been confined to bed for a long time and apparently her only real sadness is not being able to get out to church. She listens on the radio, or watches on the internet, but it is not the same thing. Our presence seemed to symbolize the church body being present to her. Her joy and laughter were contagious and we had so much fun. I couldn’t eat much. She couldn’t come to the table. But who cared? We celebrated the joy of Christ’s birth that was so much more real to me in that moment than in a million pieces of pumpkin pie! It was a moment of real communion, with God and my fellow man. Nothing or no one can ever take away that joy – ain’t no economic crisis big enough for that!!!!
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