Pain free

I am sitting in the apartment after what might have been the most pain free Christmas decorating affair ever.

There are lights - green, white and red, lining the porch window, and lights on the tree, which S was nice enough to engineer from the ground up, by organizing the fake pine branches by size and commandeering me to "make them fluffy."

There are stockings, and the most adorable sweater print letters "O," "D" and "S" hanging from the knobs on our entertainment center.

Where a vase once was on our breakfast bar, now stands a glittery silver Christmas tree centerpiece, and where the Buddha stood happily beside our TV, now grazes a reindeer.

Last but not least, Frosty the Snowman is under the tree, completing the perfect picture of the holiday.

Oh yeah, and there's a cup of eggnog by my side.

Pictures to come soon, but suffice it to say I am extremely grateful for our savior, and extremely fortunate to celebrate his birth in peace, comfort, and with the love of family and friends (and O the cat) around me.

I'll enter into this advent season not only with appreciation, and lots of excitement, but also thinking through what a personal hero of mine said recently:

The more aware I am of the work God has yet to do in me, the less aware I am of what He has yet to do in those around me.

May I love with even an ounce of the ability with which I have been loved by God.