Christmas

I didn't put up any Christmas decorations this year, only scotch taped the cards I received to the inside of my front door as usual. There weren't as many cards this year as last, and a number of those were political... photos of the candidate with his family mostly. A couple of family cards were photos also, which I sort of like since I don't see these people very often. Only a small few were even Christ-centered this year.

I didn't send any cards, didn't send a newsletter, didn't send an email blast. Somehow it didn't seem like a time for celebrating. I sent a check to my grandson Erik for his new baby, sent subscriptions to the Smithsonian magazine to my children and brother, but other than that - no presents, either. I did receive a couple of small gifts from my daughter Shelby, and bought myself some books. Thanksgiving and Christmas lunches were spent with Shelby and her father, who is in poor health. Shelby and I went to a couple of movies.

A strange sort of atmosphere seems to have enveloped my mind over the last few months, almost like waiting for the other shoe to fall. My spirit seems to be listening for a sound, a signal. I read a lot of international news, reading items from Jerusalem and Tehran and noting articles never reported by the American press.

Much of 2009 has been an odd season for me and 2010 may be a continuation of that, who knows. For now I'm glad the holidays are over, and despite not really celebrating the modern-day Christmas I do celebrate the fact and presence of Jesus in my life.

I think I will transition this blog from remembrances of Tim into more of a "journey" journal. We'll see...