The Grinch Who Gave Me Back Christmas

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Coco

‘Twas three nights before Christmas Eve, when all through the house, we were making our lists and checking them twice.

My son, 16 years old, with his first “serious” girl friend (i.e., they’ve gone on an actual *date* to see Harry Potter):

Mom, I need to get a present for A—–.

Do you know what you want to get her?

Yes, will you help me buy something on-line?

What is it?

A necklace.

Uh-oh. My son has good taste. My mom has him hooked on clothes from Joseph A. Banks. My husband encouraged a purchase at Brooks Brothers because “a good shirt can last for years.” He doesn’t have a lot of clothes, but what he has is nice.

A necklace? It depends on if it fits in my budget.

What’s your budget?

Um, I don’t know. How much is the necklace?

It’s from Tiffany.

I pick myself up off the floor and try to stop laughing. 

Tiffany?

I turn to my husband: 

I don’t think you’ve ever bought me anything from Tiffany!

  Back to my son:

 How much?

$115

I turn to my husband: 

Have you ever spent $115 on jewelry for me?

Not on a single item!

(Probably true, not counting my engagement ring and wedding band).

We find out that my son’s (female) friend suggested the necklace. (He denied that she works for Tiffany!) We confirm that A—– won’t be freaked out by such a nice gift. We log onto Tiffany.com.

Yes, my son is spoiled. But considering that he didn’t even make a “list” for himself, we don’t mind doing this for him, because giving this to her is what will make him happy on Christmas.

I’ve gone through the same thing with my daughter. She puts a lot of time and effort into choosing just the right gifts for her close friends, grandparents, and other relatives, and is more generous than I would be with some of her selections. But, I know that gift-buying can be fraught with stress and it is very important to her that she find something that the person will really like. It’s easy for me to know that for my parents it really is the thought that counts, but they also appreciate all the thoughtful, “perfect” gifts that she finds.

So, as I pull out my wallet, I try to bite my tongue and give thanks that I have raised such generous children.

Some day I will share with them my Christmas meltdown, when I was distraught that the gifts I could afford to give my husband did not begin to express how much I loved him. I was really feeling inadequate when I was rescued by The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.”
“Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.”

I’m not saying that I don’t still stress over finding presents that everyone will enjoy, but I no longer worry about them matching up to the love, friendship and appreciation that I have for the recipient. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older (or realize that my children are getting older), or maybe it’s because I have everything I need (and more), but I really am more excited about seeing family and friends than I am about finding out what is wrapped in pretty paper under our tree.

“Christmas Day is in our grasp
so long as we have hands to clasp.
Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we.
Welcome, Christmas, while we stand
Heart to heart … and hand in hand.”

(Thank you, Dr. Seuss!)

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Being Immanuel

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Coco

Today’s Gospel reading brought us this familiar passage from Matthew 1:18-25, on which many a Christmas pageant has been based:

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

 

But our sermon did not go down that road. I think our priest is leaving that for the children at our Christmas pageant this week. Instead, we took a closer look at the cited passage from Isaiah 7: 10-17, which was our Old Testament reading:

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The young woman will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right,  for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

Our priest put this passage in historical perspective, and explained that King Ahaz was struggling with how to protect Jerusalem and Judah from impending attack by two neighboring kings who were seeking to form a coalition against an invasion from Assyria. At the time, this prophecy could have been a promise that the two kings that King Ahaz was worrying about would not succeed in their schemes, because God would protect Judah.

Our priest pointed out that Isaiah’s quote refers to a “young woman,” and so did not necessarily predict the miraculous virgin birth of the Gospel. For an alternative interpretation, our priest asked us to imagine the prophet speaking to a crowd, looking for a way to impress on his audience the timeframe of his prophecy. He might have spotted a young woman and pointed her out to make the point that before this woman could bear a child and have him grow up, God’s promise would be fulfilled.

That image got me thinking about the concept of each one of us being “Immanuel.” Not that I think we all are God, but I do believe that we all can do God’s work in this world. And, it seems, at least to some extent and at least for now, God is relying on us to do just that. We are the ones who must “[h]eal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, [and] drive out demons”–or at least do what we can to help others.

 

About 18 months ago, the concept of Christians being “the body of Christ” crystallized for me when I couldn’t be with someone I wanted to encourage, and I had to rely on another friend to pass on my support. When I was texting, “Give her a hug for me!” it struck me how I was counting on our mutual friend to really be there for me. And then it hit me. That’s what it means to be the body of Christ.

God counts on us to do His work in the world, to be the hands that help, the ears that listen, the shoulders that share burdens. When we act as the body of Christ–loving our neighbor, helping those who can’t help themselves–we can make God real for others, just like my friend could make my support real when I couldn’t be there.

Going from this understanding of “the body of Christ” to a similar take on “Immanuel” may not seem like a very big step, but to me, “Immanuel” carries bigger promises of salvation and peace on earth. Salvation certainly is God’s exclusive domain, and I really don’t see any chance for world peace without divine intervention. But maybe that’s the message of hope that I needed to hear today.

I’ve already admitted that I am not a strong believer in “the second coming.” So, where does that leave the world if I don’t believe that people will set it straight and I have a hard time believing that Jesus will “come back” to save us? Maybe Immanuel is the answer.

I do believe that God can and does work through people. I have been blessed with too many “angels” in my life to think otherwise, and have heard too many true stories of miraculous encounters with just the right person who said just the right thing or knew just what to do. So, maybe God can work bigger miracles–even world peace–through us if we accept our mission of being Immanuel.

 

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Catching the Christmas Spirit

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Coco

This week at work was a bear, but I am doing my best to get in the Christmas spirit. We had our office party on Wednesday, and I wore my “new” Christmas sweater that I got at a vintage store in Boulder when we visited our daughter at college.

I also gave my assistants their presents: Godiva chocolates and Starbucks cards.

I like to give gifts that I would like to get, and you can’t go wrong with chocolate and Starbucks!

After my Christmas cookie bake-a-thon, I took a tin of cookies to our 87-year old neighbor. I thought I could just drop off the cookies with a quick “Happy Holidays!” but she started talking and kept going.

I learned that she has lived in her house for over 30 years (we just moved here last summer, so I don’t know her that well yet), and that she was shaken when her long-time “back fence” neighbors moved out to go to a retirement community. She loves her house and wants to be carried out by the undertakers.

I learned that she loves her dog and loves to play fetch in her back yard. I learned that her daughter is a cat person, not a dog person, so if something happens to her, her son will take care of her dog. Her son likes her dog and understands that he likes play.

I learned that she hurt her foot, but doesn’t want to go to the doctor because she doesn’t want to be told that she can’t or shouldn’t do things. At 87 years old, she does most of her own yard work (including mowing the grass) and had just spent the day raking her leaves to the curb for our neighborhood “rake out.” (My husband did the part of her yard that’s next to ours, but she still did many hours of yard work.)

When she finally had told me all that was on her mind, I ran back to my house–we had been standing on her front porch and it had gotten cold quickly. I had a passing thought that next time I will be sure to leave cookies on her doorstep when she is out, but I quickly replaced that with an understanding that this is what the Christmas season is all about.

Sure, it’s nice to give and receive gifts, but what really makes the season special is the time we spend with each other. Whether its family, friends, colleagues, or crazy neighbors, taking a few minutes to find out how someone is doing, to show your concern and let them know you care, will help you catch–and spread–the Christmas spirit.

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

22F? Bring it on!

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Coco

A few days ago I told myself that I would go for a run outside when it got back into the 30s, but the weather just hasn’t cooperated. I really wanted to go for a run yesterday, but the forecast of 17F with a wind advisory kept me inside for my elliptical/weights routine. This morning it was 22F, but no wind chill, so I decided to bundle up and head out.

I wore my heavier running tights and a medium-weight top under my super-light Brooks jacket, my light-weight Brooks gloves, my fleece Nike hat, and a scarf:

I also got to test out my “new” (refurbished) Garmin.

It definitely felt *brisk* outside, especially when I was just walking to warm up, but it really wasn’t bad.  I did my “usual” 4.5 mile loop and my average pace was about 9:50 min/mile. I think the dark slows me down, because I run faster on my Saturday long runs when I usually wait until its light outside. The Garmin worked well, except the “virtual trainer” was on, so it mostly displayed my pace as compared to a “virtual partner” running an even pace of 9:40.  Needless to say I came in behind, but he didn’t have to stop for traffic or dodge icy patches!

In December I like to listen to my Christmas playlists. I have one just for running with faster songs from artists as varied as The Blind Boys from Alabama, Harry Connick, Jr., Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley. It’s so fun to listen to while running past houses lit up with their holiday decorations.

Speaking of which, I really love my Nike hat.  It has a built-in pocket for an iPod Nano (the “old” rectangle style) and earbuds inside the hem.

I think someone should make a summer model with a pocket and ear buds tucked into a sweatband for all those races that ban headphones. :-O

Last night and tonight errands took me to my old neighborhood (we moved last summer), and I found myself feeling really “homesick” for my old running routes. It was the perfect neighborhood for running. We lived 1 mile from the bike path, where I could run south for a short, hilly route, or north for a more varied route. There also were plenty of flatter neighborhood routes to choose from. Now I live in a neighborhood that’s tucked between busy roads and every direction has at least one “heart attack” hill.

How cold is too cold for you to run outside? Do you have any favorite gear?

Do you have old running routes that you are “homesick” for?

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Coco

When I sent my three-year old Garmin back to get a refurbished replacement last week, the very nice customer service guy told me that there would be a 90-day warranty on the refurbished model. I figured that would be a great incentive to keep up my outdoor runs through the cold, dark days of winter.

Well, my “new” Garmin arrived yesterday (only a week after I sent my old one back!) and it is going to be sitting on the charger for a few days before I test it out.

It’s COLD outside!

The temperature reading at o’dark-thirty this morning was in the low 20’s and that is not counting the wind chill. Hearing the wind whipping around our house and whistling through the cracks makes me feel colder even when I’m still snuggled under the covers. The forecast for the next few days isn’t any better. It looks like we will drop into the teens over the next few nights. Brr! It’s times like these that I appreciate my treadmill.

I promised myself that I would run outside again once it gets back up to the 30’s. Hopefully that will happen this weekend before the snow comes and makes my route dangerously slippery.

I know people who live in Ohio, Minnesota and Canada who manage to go out in much colder weather, but I am just not in the mood to bundle up that much–especially on a weekday morning. Now, if my in-laws were here I might give it a try, because it’s never to cold to go OUT for a run when my mother in-law is visiting. 😉

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