I'll be Home For Christmas

I drove up to Kings Mountain Saturday. Lay was up and packed, but then decided to stay home. I think now he’s wishing he’d come along, but I know he would have been bored for a lot of it. The drive up took 12 hours, as I got stuck in a backup south of Atlanta. The weather was overcast, but it never rained. It has rained all today.

Yesterday being Sunday, I went to my old home church. I got to see a lot of folks I haven’t seen in a long time. It seems like a number of people I hung out with back in high school have started attending my old church. The choir did their cantata Sunday morning, and it sounded pretty good.

One of the traditions that has developed is attending a Christmas Eve service of Lessons and Carols, followed by Communion and a candlelight service. Both services at the church were very full, with people in the balcony during the first service. It’s a time and place to feel comfortable. While there are many people there I don’t know, there are certainly lots of people I grew up with, and even older folks that helped me grow up.

This is the time when, if all else has failed, I get in the Christmas spirit. I know that the holiday means lots of different things to different people, but for me it is about family, and this opportunity for a visit back to my roots. With the Christmas season comes a time to reflect on the message brought by the child…the Christ. It is a message of Peace and love. My frustration with these past years is the corruption of that message to one of hatred, and is used to polarize rather than bring people together.

My wish for you and me for this holiday season and this coming year…To give beyond reason. To care beyond hope. To love without limit. To reach, stretch, and dream in spite of your fears. These are the hallmarks of divinity – traits of the immortal – your badges of honor, and your ticket onward.