when Christmas present mingles with Christmas past and a beautiful wreck occurs...

This would be a common, normal, Christmas Eve picture if not for the fact I received it from Deborah at 11:08 PM and where she lives it is 9 hours ahead of US EST so this is a Christmas morning photo!

A second picture followed immediately. It made me smile and transported me back many years to 1989. Our house in Kenmore did not have steps, so our first Christmas in Grayson, 1989, the kids gathered on the steps, waiting for the okay to go to the family room where filled stockings and a tree much like the one above.

A few minutes later she sent a third one and tears flowed, like a fountain. I love that this tradition is being passed on. But for a few moments, instead of seeing David sitting in the chair with their children on their steps, I saw Bill sitting in a chair with our children on our steps. When the time came, significant others joined them. Gradually the steps filled to overflowing when grandchildren began to arrive.

I was wrecked for the second time today. I could hear Bill's voice and see my empty stairs filled with people I love - complete with wiggles and whispers and giggles and questions and shhh's and awe and boredom and anticipation. 

(Circa 2012-today there'd be a few new faces.)

I'm listening for Happy Birthday Jesus and the smell of birthday candles next...

Merry Christmas dear friends.

Luke 2:1-20

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."