The Blessing of the Crittergators

"A miracle is when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A miracle is when one plus one equals a thousand." - Frederick Buechner, The Alphabet of Grace.

It was a Christmas eve day that didn't turn out as I'd hoped. The morning arrived with icy surfaces and a drive way we couldn't stand up in. It wasn't really weather that was called for, but it happens unexpectedly sometimes this time of year. Wisdom can be found in knowing when to stay put.

My husband and I conferred, and agreed that we might be well advised to forego our intended travels, which would have included a visit to my family, the reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas, and attendance at the Christmas eve church service back home. It is a thing I look forward to all year. I was disappointed to miss it.

I will admit the decision, while probably the adult one, left me grumpy. The day seemed full of darkness. I wasn't probably the best company on Christmas eve because there was somewhere else I wanted to be, and I wasn't there.

A few days ago, I received a timely gift from my mother-in-law: three small light-up Christmas trees. And so I decided the Crittergators and friends and I would try to have a festive time in spite of it all. We may have missed the regular service, but we would have one of our very own.

And so we lit our pretty little tree, and we gathered 'round it, and we were happy. We joined hands, and we made promises to each other: that we would do our best to try to increase the light and drive out the darkness; that we would choose to rejoice, no matter what, because we were together, and because love lives among us.

Merry Christmas! We welcome the return of the light!

The soundtrack: Peter, Paul, and Mary, with the Friendly Beasts. Here is also a fine version by Garth Brooks.

Possibly related: the Legend of the Crittergators in the Manger.