Crying in the lights

I love Christmas Lights. 

I love Christmas!  Everything inside my home is all set and ready for family joy and simple pleasures.  Every night we turn on the Christmas tree lights(that I restrung) and light candles and enjoy the beauty.  Sometimes we’ll play games or watch TV or sit and read.  But always, as the sun sets the lights come on and our house transforms into a magical, tranquil Christmas wonderland.

I love it.

Many things have changed in the last two years.  One of the things that has remained mostly the same is that I am responsible to deck my own eaves with lights.  I’ve always been the family member that gets on her boots and climbs up the ladder and fights with the bushes and hangs string, after string, after string.  Until 2 years ago.  My neighbor came to help!  He generously climbed the ladder and adorned the outside of my house with Christmas joy….then I moved.  Mr. John is no longer my neighbor…my boyfriend is on the road working….my brother(well he brought me soup when I was sick, I’m out of favors)…..so it landed on me once again.

Today, I braved the cold freezing fog weather and out to the yard I went.  Before I could even get started I had a neighbor, whom I’d never met, pull up and ask me if I would like my driveway cleared of snow.  AHHHH how nice, but actually my daughter and I, LOVE LOVE LOVE, clearing the driveway.  Thanks though, Mister Neighbor, how kind of you.   Love is kind.  My neighbor loves. 

I began adorning the bushes first.  I knew this was safe and didn’t involve a ladder or a staple gun.  Twinkling, sparkling,extension cords, timers, 4 bushes DONE!  Take out the ladder, hmmmm, sure why not.  Well, these gutters seem much higher then the ones I had at my other house.  SKIP IT(for now).  Oh look, stars, blue and white twinkling stars….I can hang those.  Up the ladder, to the porch, BEAUTIFUL. 

I stepped back out to the sidewalk to see if this would suffice for a proper front yard Christmas light show….Just not finished, must climb ladder.

THEN……

Neighbor #2 drives up, ”LOOKS GREAT”.  Aw thanks, I’m gonna have to wait to get them on  the gutters…. “Do you need some help?”  Oh, well no that’s ok, I have people that can help me.  “OK, well it looks great, if you change your mind I’d be happy to help, do you have those plastic gutter hangers?” Oh, yes actually I do. “OK, have a nice night”  He drives off, down into the cul-de-sac and into his driveway.

I walk into my garage to tidy up from my box digging and light finding.  And I cry.

Crying in the lights, realizing that even though things may change, other things still stay the same.  Christmas still comes, joy fills the air and neighbors love!

Emmanuel Come to Us!