Christms Eve

It's Christmas Eve. No doubt, bloggers - and others - all over the world will be reflecting on Christmas - the true meaning, the busyness, the festivities, the hype...

So here's my little morsel to add to the feast.

So it's Christmas Eve. I had to say it again to convince myself, because in many ways it doesn't feel like it. It's just a date. 24th December. Do I really feel the excitement, the anticipation of Christ coming into my life? Our lives?
Not yet. I will do, in the quiet of the midnight service, but not yet.

I still have a lot of little things to do. I am worryingly completely unstressed about them. Which means they may not get done. So I'll need to prioritise tasks and time, because if stuff doesn't get done... well, that's not what's important.

Yet some tasks are. I've sent many Christmas cards, but reconnecting with friends by email, telling them we remember and love them, IS important. That's what I should be doing by now. That's what I WILL be doing in a few minutes.

Preparing dishes for tomorrow's meal, which we will be sharing with friends, IS important. My friend Jane is doing most of the work and I am making a relatively small contribution. So, doing it is the least I can do. Just remembered: I'll need to make a trip to the shops, too. Most of my shopping I did yesterday, meeting half a dozen different friends in one store so it wasn't a chore at all, more like an ambulatory coffee morning without the coffee.

Writing a card for a recently bereaved friend. Dark times. ESSENTIAL.

Taking Christmas goodies to another dear friend. ESSENTIAL.

Spending time with my husband on his day off. IMPORTANT. I should say ESSENTIAL, but he has a whole 3 days so we will have more time than just today. Yet TODAY is important.

Decorating the Christmas cake. A family ritual involving too much icing and not enough marzipan. There is NEVER enough marzipan.

Adding more decorations to the house? Well, I've been - and still am - sick, so that doesn't need to be done. Tree and lights are up, cookies are baked, so if I do any more decorating or baking it will be a bonus, because I'll be doing it with my lovely daughter. Us time.

What else, if I have time? Well, making a few phone calls; hanging out with my two kids when they are home from work; meeting friends before we all go off to church.

What a lovely day - and now, I feel excited in the anticipation of Jesus' birthday. And his presence in my heart. How do I put a smiley face on here?