Lessons and Carols

St. Cyprian's, Lacombe, Alberta
Est. 1894

this morning at church,  followed by our annual turkey dinner (at mid-day) in the parish hall...turkey, ham, gravy, mashed potato, buttered carrots, mashed turnip, three kinds of salad, cranberry sauce, four kinds of pickles, dinner rolls, and innumerable desserts in the Anglican tradition: lemon pie, shortbread, light and dark fruit cakes, chocolate fudge, plain cookies, Nanaimo bars, fruit squares, plum pudding and sauce, and a huge tray of fresh fruit (largely untouched!)...

A Quilter's Nativity

Then home to shovel the walks, have a nap, and begin to decorate my wee abode for Christmas.  I'd neglected the creche the past year or two, but this year it's resumed pride of place on my buffet.  It's a beautiful thing, created by artist Jim Shore, bought after the one we'd had for years -- a paper creation -- began to disintegrate.  

The tree will go up after I post this, and I may get some sewing and knitting done yet before my eyes close for the night, but I know that somehow, even if I were to do nothing else, Christmas would be here.

God, of your goodness,

You gave us Yourself. 

 You are enough to us,

and we can ask for nothing less 

that is to your glory.

If  we do ask for anything less,

we shall still be in want,

for only in You have we All.

- a Prayer of Julian of Norwich, paraphrased