Dressing the House

When I was a child at home, my parents never put up the Christmas tree until after my birthday on December 10. Any ealier and it would have been "rushing the season." That phrase is not one we hear very much anymore. Over the weekend, starting Saturday, I began to put Christmas decorations up in my new place. 'Tis a grand space to decorate!!! Even though I have cancelled the Saint Nicholas party, I have gone all out with the Saint Nicholas theme. I also put up the 7 foot pre lit artificial tree, all of this with by former spouse's help. Every ornament I own I put on the tree this year--it just seemed a good way to celebrate my new home and all of the wonderful folks, mostly folks from one my churches, over the last 31 years who gave me ornaments to remember them by, and I do---each ornament I unwrap, I still can remember who gave to me..which is a minor miracle considering how my short term memory has left me for another planet the last couple of years (some call it a hazard of this ministry I am doing right now!) I am still trying to get all the decorating finished, but those darn charge conferences and other ds commitments are getting in the way...hard to know where priorities lie sometimes! (that was a joke, I think).

I am at the moment trying to get Cana to download a picture of our tree that she just took, since, surprise surprise, I can't locate the cord that links my camera with the 'puter. (We both rejoice...IT WORKED...sort of!!!)

I ran across an Albert Burt carol tonight that I have never heard before. I hope that as you go about your own decorating, whatever it is like and whenever you do it, that you are able to settle into the beauty of the space you are creating, the home you are making, in order to welcome our Christ again. Here are the beautiful words of the carol I found:

WE'LL DRESS THE HOUSE

We'll dress the house with holly bright and sprigs of mistletoe

We'll trim the Christmas tree tonight and set the lights aglow;

We'll wrap our gifts with ribbons gay and give them out on Christmas day

by everything we do and say; Our gladness we will show.

We'll dress the table daintily, Our finest treasures use.

That all a-sparkle it may be and bright with lovely hues;

Then for the feasting we'll prepare a kitchen full of wondrous fare

hat each from all the dishes rare; His favorite one may choose.

And ye who would the Christ Child greet, your hear also adorn

That it may be a dwelling meet for him who now is born;

Let all unlovely things give place to souls be decked with heavenly grace

That ye may view his holy face; With joy on Christmas morn.