My family has been here all week to include my 90 year old father, my three sons, their wives, and their seven children. Including all of the aforementioned, my wife, me, and Coopie, (our dog), that is 17 individuals.
Hmmm… What’s that been like?
Bedlam, mayhem, chaos, pandemonium, disorder, confusion, uproar, and commotion all come to mind. Gone are the days of quiet reflection and solitude and an existence of peaceful tranquility, calm, stillness, silence, and serenity.
My little dog Cooper has never barked, (except for a couple of soft ruff-ruffs when he’s asleep on his overstuffed pillow and having a bad dream). My wife loves to read when she’s not working in her office and the same is true for me. It is unusually quiet in our home most of the time.
During the past week the television has been continuously blaring at full volume. I can now easily address any news item as presented by Fox News in their 24/7 news cycle; (this because my father has watched it nonstop since his arrival.) I am limping because I inadvertently stepped on a tiny toy car, one of dozens left on my living room floor by various grandchildren. I have gained ten pounds because we eat like Roman gluttons, (none of us eat three meals when we aren’t together, but ALL of us do when we are????) I quit drinking coffee because I did not want to add to my frayed nerves created by my being unaccustomed to the disconcerting screams of my youngest grandson, (1 ½), who has recently discovered he can yell at the top of his lungs. Bicycles, scooters, toy trucks four wheelers, and rug rats everywhere manning them, block my driveway. Fishing poles, and hunting equipment fill my garage and truck ready for the next foray of quail hunting, fishing, or deer hunting, various clothes and Christmas presents are strewn throughout our normally OCD spotless home.
TV blaring, kids screaming, house and grounds in total disarray, 16 people talking at once, dog hiding from kids…
IT’S BEEN GLORIOUS!
A friend of mine wrote and said she heard a rumor that it was delightful to see the headlights of kids and family arriving to visit for the holidays and even more delightful to see their taillights as they depart. Not true, at least for me. I will miss them terribly as my wife and I return to our tranquil ways and stillness returns to our home “Selah”.
Jesus is number one in my life, followed by my wife, my kids, and grandkids. They are valuable treasure and a blessing that I do not deserve. Yes we comprise four generations and all have different opinions, likes, dislikes, strange habits, and so forth, but we are family and we still manage to love each other with all of our hearts. I’m so blessed by God and thankful that mere words cannot adequately describe my feelings towards Him for blessing me with this chaos as we prepare to celebrate His birth this weekend.
I was thinking it’s a shame that the human race cannot get along in similar manner, especially Christians. I think it’s because there is too much “me” and not enough “we” going on in this world.
I hope you are with family this Christmas and enjoying every minute of it. A reader wrote me recently who is facing the very real danger of losing his life due to a surgeon’s error. He told me that I should treasure every moment afforded to me and avoid being in a foul mood, snapping at my wife, kids, or others, etc. because we just don’t have that much time and he has been thinking a lot about that lately.
Yes sir, I couldn’t agree more. Enjoy your blessings and be thankful for them. There is no room for bad vibes particularly at this time of year.
Merry Christmas everybody! Have a great weekend celebrating the birth of our Savior and go to church this Sunday!
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.