Emanuel, God with us

Some mornings it seems that God peels back the merest corner of the fabric of Heaven to allow the light of His Shekinah to illuminate the mundane details of my life. I catch my breath at the revelation of the landscape in such perspective.
These four children entrusted to me by my Creator, are important in the face of Eternity. My housework becomes Holy, my love for this husband becomes worship. My life is infused anew with Purpose.
It is true every day, though I am not always mindful of it.
How beautiful it is, how powerful, to feel the weight of Providence upon my plans for the day.

We spent our first Christmas together yesterday. As a blended family seeking unity, we gave a great deal of thought to new and old traditions. Our planning bore fruit!

We cautioned the children not to wake us before 7. At 7:03 there were feet on the stairs, and wispers in the livingroom. Tim had never done stockings for his kids before; I had four grotesquely overstuffed stockings laid out before the hearth. The children each scooped up their loot, and came to open them on, (and in), our bed. We lingered with two adults, four children, and lotsa stuff, for the longest time. All of the children were laughing and anticipating presents to come, and Tim and I sat there sipping coffee with hearts full to bursting.
The presents were perfect, the livingroom littered with paper.
Michael got lacrosse stuff, Faline got a camcorder and a bike, Don was on an Xbox 360 theme, and Aaron was thrilled with Legos and Nerf guns.
In the afternoon, we went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie, which I loved.
By evening, we were all mellowed out, and content to eat leftovers.

Now, I am jonesing to put away all the Christmas clutter, and take down the tree!