...a "Merry Christmas"...

I'm still rosy-cheeked and puffing slightly after returning from an invigorating walk in the dusky late afternoon. Every time, as soon as I leave the house, I'm elated that I've begun my walk . I forget about the ubiquitous lists and duties still left undone. Why is it that I even waffled about going for a walk... just because it was dull outside and somewhat drizzly?

The coast was clear all the way down, down, down to the bridge along our brand new not-yet-open nature trail. Going down is fine but I must get back up too without losing too much time. I find I can do it quite easily, certainly better than the first few times. I'm thrilled.

I love walking, alone with my thoughts. This is my "resting" time, my refocusing and regrouping time. I had put a sticky on my desktop last night to remind me to "Enjoy the Sabbath Rest". Not sure just what that means but I wanted to get my mind out of gear. Too many things whirring and sloshing around in that grey matter - time to rest, to worship, to praise, to review the Christmas story according to St. Luke, committed to memory so many years ago. Ah, no mountains visible, no bunnies scurrying, only one human and his dog to exchange a greeting with along the path, nothing striking enough to capture with the camera. But I do capture this hour in my heart.

Having climbed back up the long grade, I like to finish off my walk with four laps around the track - the same track I've walked for more than two decades. No one was on the track, except in the distance I noticed the slight figure of a girl jogging along. It wasn't long before I heard the track shoes behind me. As I turned to smile and wave a greeting, I noticed how young and lithe and beautiful she was - barely a teen I thought- her lovely long hair swishing from side to side as she ran. Whizzing by me she turned and smiled as she sweetly exclaimed, "Merry Christmas"!

I don't know what happens when we become seniors but I was reduced to mush! I wept for joy that she bothered to give me that extra greeting. How beautiful! I started to weep and asked the Lord to protect her and keep her safe all her life and to bless her. I started thanking God for many things: the gift of salvation, His unfathomable and unconditional love, my terrific husband and his great heritage, my wonderful children with their equally wonderful spouses and for our seven beautiful grandchildren!! I thanked God for my heritage, my parents and ancestors.

My parents were Godly people. My father especially, was a global kind of man in many ways. He was an emotional man seeing beauty all around him. In his senior years he would be moved to tears at the sight of a flower, at the sight of Mt. Baker, the view of which he factored into two homes he had built for our family. And he was moved to tears at times by his children and grandchildren, not by frustration as perhaps in earlier years, but in recognizing the richness and fullness that children bring along with themselves.

I remember when Dad first saw pictures of Jennifer and Carlton signing their marriage certificate at their outdoor wedding ceremony more than eight years ago by now, weeping for joy at the beauty of the young couple beginning their life together, repeating over and over with deep emotion, "...you-ti-ful, you-ti-ful"! - he always omitted the "b" when he said, "beautiful".

The "trumpet sounded" for my Dad seven years ago this past week, and he left this world. He was ready. He taught me so much. His values were stellar, grounded on Godly principles - and he was constant as the North Star. His sense of humour remained in tact almost to the end of the last 92+ years God gave him here on earth.

I thank God for my Dad and the rich legacy imprinted on my life through him.

Dad loved music with a passion. He was thrilled with the rich baritone voices of Metropolitan stars from the last century such as Jerome HInes and William Warfield (especially the latter's rendition of "Old Man River") among others. Hines' performance of "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from Handel's Messiah is spectacular. Please listen - you will be blessed. You can find it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYsls-s4GIw (copy and paste-doesn't seem to want to imbed)