The Second Day of Christmas

I was up early, as normal, and had coffee and a light breakfast of flatbread with goat cheese. The cat was nested sleepily in his bowl. Outside the night was still spreading its blanket of darkness. A few drops of precipitation blinked in the lamplight.

Quiet. Peace. Rest.

I remembered parties, with festivity, hustle and bustle, food, laughter. I remembered a dear friend, and I sent her a greeting on Facebook. I love my greater family, but we have made it contingent on the road conditions if we will see each other during this season. Earlier years we had made plans, and we truly risked life and limbs in the transport. This year – perhaps a bit wiser, as we are older, we said: let’s see what the weather permits.

As the snow flakes turned to rain and again to snow or sleet, my oldest son and I enjoyed a lengthy morning chat about theology – about the understanding of baptism in the Reformed and the Lutheran tradition, about the value in different aspects of forms of worship, the liturgical, the non-liturgical; the need for disciple-making in the local churches, the understanding of ‘nature’ and roles in spiritual leadership –

I thought: times like these are precious; and they come about because we have time. Outside I see the lake with a silvery surface, the forest is partly frosted over, and I hear no sound of any snowplow or sand truck. I think we will continue to enjoy the local setting and perhaps move about on foot.