The coffee is brewing, the heat has kicked on and the sun is breaking over the horizon. It will be a quiet day here: I didn’t travel this year to see family and friends. It will be a Texas Christmas for me this year. I have muffins ready to go into the oven, some tamales lovingly made by a friends mom waiting to be taken out of the freezer. There is snack food galore and lots of cookies and chocolate from the holiday festivities.
The morning is quite: not much noise in the neighborhood. It seems that the peace of the evening is carrying into the morning. There is a slight chill in the air making it feel like a winter morning. The sun is shining bright to bring warmth later in the day.
I walked to church last night, not sure of the times and I ended up attending the Spanish mass and watched as the youngsters preformed in the Christmas Pageant. It brought a smile to my face as the angels danced down the isle of the church heading for the alter. There was a Christ child bundled in blankets, a newborn offered for the celebration and the wise men bringing there gifts to the Christ child. It was a beautiful representation of the Christmas story. The church was decorated with the colors of the seasons and the bright smiling faces of the sleepy children added to the warmth of the evening prayers.
I am looking forward to the day: lots of phone calls and emails to friends and family. I am thinking about the blessings I have received this year. Some of the challenges that have made me stronger and the satisfaction that this year had to offer. Sometimes it is hard being away from family during the holidays. During the quiet days like today it gives me an opportunity to reflect, to ponder and to wonder about what the future holds.