I thought I might try something new. A short thought on each of the twelve days of Christmas. I must say day one has been the best Christmas day in years.

This Christmas I cracked my car’s bumper on a stump, cracked my phone’s case, kept hitting my cracked thumb, miscalculated the time to cook six Cornish Hens, got ill at Mass, I rushed, I bought and planned more than I could do, and the Christmas tree fell over. Whew! We enjoyed every minute!

You may be thinking; Really! Milly! How on earth did you enjoy it?

Because my focus was not on how much my thumb hurt or the tree clean-up. My focus was on opening my eyes to what Jesus was doing today. I focused on my family. What a gift! Our celebration was small and informal. We laughed and caught up family news. We enjoyed the gift God gave us in his son.

My parish gives us a copy of “The Little Blue Book.” Today had a fitting quote from Bishop Ken Untener: “The shepherds brought no gifts, as did the Magi, or even the imaginary drummer boy who performed for him. They just came to be with the Lord… and that’s all they were asked to do.”

My moms and I were chatting after desert when our Christmas tree fell over. We all gasped in shock as it crashed onto the table where we sat. I yelled the first thing that popped into my mind, “Christmas Tree Down!” We all burst out laughing. I straightened the tree and we went about our merriment.

We came to be with the Lord and each other. That is what made today so special.

Merry Christmas, God Bless,

Milly