#8

Midnight God Sighting Reflections,  Dec 24^th– 25^th

I got Santa to pause to sit down for a cup of tea after the gifts were placed under the tree – I appreciate this year – I appreciate the time now to sit and have a cup of tea and bask in the glow from the lighted tree – an undecorated tree – but lighted – and so fragrant and soothing. It’s almost midnight now – all is still and quiet – I am going to work hard this next year to keep this Christmas spirit alive in me all year round.

I did the most important things at Christmas – but not all the things you normally want to do…  the tree is up but barely ten ornaments?  I did hang one this year – one of my kids together as babes in arms – really that is the only ornament I need to hang on my tree – they ARE my life – my tree is rooted in loving family and I never want my kids to forget how much their family loves them and how much I love them.

My God sightings for today are a selection of miracles – earthy miracles that I have witnessed with my own eyes:

1)  I delivered a poinsettia to a woman who has been battling an incurable disease – on her second liver and no one is more of a fighter than her.  Today when I brought the plant to her and her family, she was cleaning her oven…  last time a similar situation, I visited her one week out of the hospital with doctors baffled at her recovery off her deathbed – after a moving prayer service for her – well, I visited her and when I recounted her condition later to friends, they gravely asked “how is she?” – I said: “she’s doing laundry!!!”… up and kicking…  laundry, cleaning the oven – preparing Christmas dinner for a family who needs her so much…she is my hero…

2) I sat right behind another medical miracle in church today – a survivor of a rare heart surgery – only very few have had it done – his whole family was together for Christmas – pure, pure joy to see them all together!

3) I sat near another miracle near me in the church service – a young man who survived a life-threatening infection just months earlier – such a scary time for his family. Today, the joy of seeing him – a miracle.

4) Another miracle at the living nativity – I met a young man recovered from a terrible accident… a man on “Bonus time” as he puts it.

There were likely so many other miracles right around me that didn’t occur to me to notice today – miracles so commonplace that we forget they are miracles, but they are…

I so appreciate the miracle of laughter and love – the bonding in families and in our church families. we are truly blessed in how we feel so much a part of THE family – especially this time of year when we see so many friends. I even had real sit down conversations with some great friends over the last few days – that feels like a miracle – to pause and talk.    I so appreciated the hugs – I must have had at least 25 tonight alone – plus the hugs from the whole week – I had hugs at work – hugs at church – hugs with friends – hugs at home.  If a picture can speak a thousand words, then a hug – placed at the right time can speak a thousand pictures – that’s a million words. Hugs of hello – hugs of love – hugs of understanding – hugs of sorrow – hugs of good bye…

Reflect on the miracles, reflect on the hugs. Then be ready to see some more – because God is good ALL YEAR…

Thanks for allowing me to share my God sightings and I am sending a virtual hug to you all!

Merry Christmas.