2008-12-24

Christmas Eve! The magic of it swirled around me as I sat in Morning Offering and beheld the day! Delicious! Afterwards, Melissa, Mick and I descended upon the kitchen. First Mel went through our freezers and fridges – we have two of them, for use when we have a Gathering – to make space to store the food we were to cook. She pulled out a package of beef that was past its eat-by date.

So before we got started on the cooking for today and tomorrow, I cut some onions, carrots and celery and stewed the patties to make beef broth. I firmly believe in keeping homemade broth handy. It makes a good recipe better when you can use broth instead of water to cook rice or make gravy or soup.

Then we pitched in! Mick created mashed potatoes for Christmas Day dinner. Mel created the meat loaf for the same meal. I tackled the chicken chili for late-night supper tomorrow. Mick re-potted the curried wild rice and the parsnips with herbs which Gary made last Friday for the occasion tonight while Melissa finished up tomorrow’s meal by making green beans with French-fried onions.

Mick finished his good work by going to the grocery for yet more things we forgot – biscuits for Christmas Day’s feast, potato chips and deli meats and cheeses for late-night sandwiches tomorrow. I, who kept having to rest between stages of cooking, took on the turkey hash for tonight and at last finished it. Mel and Mick manned the kitchen clean-up. And we were ready to relax!

Melissa sat down with Traitor, a film which Mick and I had viewed last Sunday. I came upstairs to read and, hopefully, nap and Mick eventually joined me to invite me to a bath. We came back upstairs after we got all scrubbed and napped together until time for dinner, a meal which we thoroughly enjoyed!

We three conversed until the Gaia Meditation, at which Mick offered the closing prayer. Then it was time for me to go to St. Luke’s for the practice before the midnight mass. The choir worked its way through the many pieces we were to sing tonight, and then, all at once, the wonderful service began. Melissa and Mick came to hear all the music, which tickled me no end!

I felt present with Christ tonight, and I felt also that Christ was present with me. I was lifted to a spacious, glowing place of light where every sensation of ear and eye registered with supernal clarity. My throat opened and I was able to sing the high notes of my parts in several baroque anthems surely and cleanly. Praise the Lord! The service was riveting and sparkling but long, lasting until 12:30, so when Mick picked me up at the chancel steps in the wheelchair, we could say, “Merry Christmas!”

I will sleep well tonight – no sugarplums, just thanksgiving and joy dancing through my head!