2022 Sunday — The Entrance of . . .

Tonight our little sparkly lights took me back . . . for years, Mr. Fun & I have referred to this final Sunday of November as "The Entrance to Christmas."

So years ago, we usually had enjoyed the Thursday Family Thanksgiving Dinner with the house completely dressed for autumn . . . garlands and gourds and pumpkins adorned every room in yellow, gold, rustic red, and chocolate brown.

Then Friday morning we'd bring in all the red, green, and gold of Christmas from my backyard TuffShed and add those December decorations and a zillion strings of lights to all the autumn wonder. The transformation was an all Friday and Saturday labor of love.

Late Sunday morning I'd get home from church to light all the candles, simmer the apple cider, put place tags at every setting, and then the people would begin to arrive, lots of people; sometimes 32 - 40 people would all be seated around the tables.

Some had never met the others at their table. Our musical friends would lead us in caroling, and some would sing special solos, the Christmas story of Christ's birth was read, some told Christmas traditions they'd grown-up celebrating; we enjoyed food, lots of food, and one year, okay maybe two, we read the Garrison Keillor Christmas story printed in the Land's End catalogue "The Seven Principles of a Successful Christmas," and we cried with laughter as it was read.

While outside the day turned to night, the inside lights twinkled a little more bright. Then the evening raced toward late. Guests left in groups of threes and fours.

Then it would just be these two from "Funville" sitting in a crowded room of empty chairs with stubs of candles flickering, and we listen as the echo of stories and laughter and prayers turned into a memory as Christmas crossed our threshold and Christ's Life filled us, and it was well with our souls.

Don’t miss the Christ of Christmas — His is amazing love!

Good night from
California’s Central Coast,
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol
and Chloe & Mitzi too!