It’s Friday! But you probably already knew that. Doubtless, you, like me, are acutely and bitterly aware of the passage of time. Still, because we have come this far into the week, even though there are no official Takes, how bout a few off the record. Just for Christmas.
One
Something or other is going on in Catalonia. Not exactly sure what it is because I’ve only been listening to the news in French and I’m so rusty that the only bits I’m definitely getting are the sportsing reporting (sports reporting is exactly the same in every language) and all the filler–the French umms and ahhs and how shall I say it-s. I guess I’ll go read the news in English now. Resolution for 2018–work on French.
Two
We have a funeral to do today. Christmas and Easter always seem to bring out the deaths and the family traumas. They are the cosmic signal for heart breaking troubles to destroy familial comfort and happiness. I always wish God would put a moratorium on death at the holiday. Except that I guess that is kind of the point. The very reason we celebrate Christmas and Easter is because Jesus expressly came to cope with that singular and devastating catastrophe.
Which does mean that Christians shouldn’t celebrate as those who have no hope–the fluffy, surface, selfish high of Christmas morning and then drop into post present, post dinner depression. Our joy has to be deeper and more poignant. We have to face the true darkness of the world and then turn to the brilliant light of Jesus.
It is wrong and terrible for a mother to outlive her daughter, for a parent to face the death of the child, of whatever age. However long and full of days one’s life gets to be, the intrusion of death is an evil, a darkness. What a mercy that God came to cope with death, that he crushed it under his heel, that we can grieve knowing that a feast that lasts forever is just around the next bend in the road.
Three
On that depressing note, I would love continued prayer for my dad. We are still coming up with zero insight about what might be wrong. Many more rounds of blood work haven’t shown anything and now we are waiting on an MRI of the whole spine. It’s rather discouraging, to radically understate our feelings to date, as his strength and movement are diminishing week by week.
Four
Besides the funeral and the general anxiety of health and Christmas bustle, Matt and I are going to rush our two oldest children off to see Star Wars this afternoon, before their little brother goes to see it with friends. Every year our third child gets to see the latest Star Wars movie with his friend, and every year he walks in the front door, spreads his arms wide with joy, and spoils it. He says things like “I’m not going to say Anything, but Han Solo dies,” and, “I’m not going to spoil it, but Everyone Dies.” Then everyone else crumbles to the floor in a heap of rage and disappointment.
But Not This Year. This year we’re seeing the movie at 1:15 and he’s seeing it at 4:30.
Five
Looking over the gathering storm of hours and tasks crowding themselves together into the next few days I think I will do the rational thing and take a short blog holiday. I might check in here and there, but overall I’m not going to push my mind to do anything but wake up and get people on to the next thing. And try to understand what on earth is going on in Catalonia.
Happy Advent Four! A Very Merry Christmas to you all! And see you on the other side!
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