This picture is an example of the peace and quiet Cappy finds out over the waterways. Sighhh...Looks wonderful. Yesterday, I took one of our Christmas cards to church for our pastor. Inside I also included a printout of the last blog (below) of the kids when they were little, where the title confesses that I'm crazy busy, and supposes that everyone else is also. (I owe Anonymous a 'noogie' for the suggestion they posted :-p...giggling here.) Because before the service, I had to go into the back room where the priest and everyone who prepares to take part in the service meets, I left the card there, then went out and took my seat in the pew.
The service started, then when it came time for our priest to give his homily, he got up and stood there, looking at everyone, not saying a word. He randomly looked around at the congregation, smiling at some. Wordlessly, he went and sat down still looking around, occasionally studying his watch. He sat there in silence for what seemed like an hour. I fidgeted and noticed I wasn't the only one exchanging curious glances with people sitting around me. Just as I was about to nod off, being so tired from losing sleep from all the rushing around, trying to get things finished in time, he stood up and said that a minute sure seems long when there's no sound. (a minute?? 60 seconds??...it sure had seemed a lot longer than that.) Then he began his sermon. He spoke about all the rushing around and noise going on in our lives; that we are so busy this holiday season, and that it's not what God had intended all along for this season to be. He said that the season was supposed to be a time of quiet reflection. It was a good sermon, and he went on in great detail about how some of 'us' are. I knew he hadn't had time to read the card yet, but knew sealed inside it was a perfect example of what he was talking about.
Rats. I had done it again. I had let myself get all caught up in the hustle and bustle, when I had promised myself I wouldn't. I was so proud and bragging to Cappy over the phone that I was getting so much done, and even found a new fast food to gulp down, while out shopping. My beloved Hot and Sour soup...or is that Sweet and Hot soup, or Spicy and Sour...I can never remember the name of it, so the person behind the counter always has to guess what I want. Real time saver there. Even if I'm rushed, I'm still trying to stay healthy, so I thought this soup would be a good thing. But down here in South Louisiana, the Asian restaurants have a different kind of mushroom they put in it. I'm used to a chocolate colored floating 'clot'-looking thing. (Yum...sounds...uh...tasty, no? :-@) Well, down here, they have these...(I'm hoping they are mushrooms) things that look like small nightcrawlers. The soup is wonderful, but, those...'mushrooms' look worse than the 'clots' from up north. I was telling Cappy about it, and that, hey! there was some egg 'ribbons' floating in it, too, which he loves. But those long worms....I dunno. I mentioned that there was also some tofu wandering around amongst the other suspicious things floating around in the soup. Not being a fan of 'health food' he said he'd much rather find nightcrawlers in his soup than tofu.
Well, I expect when he gets home this coming Thursday, we won't be eating anything but Cajun cookin'....YeeHaw!! Dan is supposed to be coming down on Wednesday and staying til around the 16th!! I'm so excited. I still have a lot to do, but our Pastor was right, I need to slow down and really think about what the whole season is supposed to be about, and take the time to savor it.
Ya know...our priest, Fr. Michael, 'busted' himself, too; he admitted he's an impatient driver. Well, I can understand that. I hate it, too, when I'm in a hurry, going down the road at the posted speed limit, when an 'alligator' (somebody's car or truck) slides off the bank into the stream (of traffic) and lazily plods along in front of me. Grrr. I used to be guilty of flailing my arms at other drivers and hollaring, safely behind thick glass windows, where they couldn't really hear, "Hey! Whadda tryna do? Don'cha know how to drive??" One time, on the way to church, I was in a hurry, when a red pickup truck came around me, then slowed way down. It got me so upset, I started waving my arms in the front window and making faces with a wide...WIDE mouth to let them know I was upset; "Whadda ya DOING???!" A couple miles later I pulled into the church parking lot behind the truck, and saw that it was Mr. Ed and Jean. (Cappy and my good friends) I slunk into church, and when I tried to apologize, they didn't know what I was even talking about. Whew.
2 comments:
If we ALL slowed down and took a good look at one another, and were more willing to forgive each other when, as humans, we make mistakes, this world would be a much better place. If you refuse to know or be friends with someone that you feel isn't 'kosher', then you are missing out on the GOOD qualities of that person. Hate the act, NOT the person. Sermon done. :)Have a VERY Merry Christmas!
Dear anonymous, that was a nice comment. Very well written. Good point. We plan on slowing down in the next few weeks and really enjoying the season, never forgetting the true meaning of Christmas.
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