Christmas

I'm thankful for Christmas.
How's that for originality?
:)
I am thankful for joy and peace and the spirit of gift-giving and for laughter over playing the ten-thousandth round of Cranium and for family and for dogs shredding wrapping paper and for the whole darn whirlwind. I missed going to my beloved candlelight service this year, but I did read the Christmas story from Luke (which I like to call the Linus story because of Charlie Brown Christmas) and I was particularly stirred with joy in my heart at the paradox of the Simplicity and Glory of it all. Angels and shepherds, pure love and a filthy manger -- the exalted and the lowly rejoicing together. Wonder-full.