This is Dad’s third Christmas with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Cancer’s presence in our family reminds me how important it is to spend time together as a family enjoying the treasured family traditions of the holidays…especially Christmas.
Last night, we attended the Hyde Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC) Candlelight Christmas Eve service. I appreciate how HPUMC broadcasts most of its services each Sunday via live webcast. What a wonderful way to continue to minister to those who are homebound due to illness! It is important that the homebound feel connected.
Luke 2: 1- 7 The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Happy Birthday to Christ! This morning our family, dressed in our festive pajamas, gathered around the Christmas tree to unwrap presents with much anticipation. Our tummies were filled with scrumptious, traditional Christmas dishes including several favorites from The Junior League of Tampa’s The Life of the Party cookbook, Nanny’s famous Lime Jello Salad, and shaved Virginia country ham sandwiches. (Dad-in-law always hand carries the Virginia country ham on the airplane.) We wore our colorful paper crowns and shared jokes and trivia that came inside our individual Christmas crackers. We played our instruments, which had been stuffed into our stockings, to create a joyful sound! Mom and Granddaughter shook their tambourines while the men played their triangles.
Tonight, Dad donned his grey flat cap, which covered his reddish skin and new tumors, and his mask, due to his neutropenia, to attend the new national touring production of The Sound of Music at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Both, Mom and Dad, enjoyed the glorious voices of the cast and the magnificent notes of the orchestra. My 12 year old daughter (aka Granddaughter to Dad) and I “whisper” sang all the words to the famous Rogers and Hammerstein songs from “Do Re Mi” to “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”
As Husband and I were walking in the front door of our house after the musical, Husband mentioned how he enjoys The Sounds of Music more with each viewing of the movie and the Broadway show. The song “My Favorite Things” helps us focus on the simple things, our favorite things, when we are feeling down.
“When the dog bites, when the bee stings,
when I’m feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
and then I don’t feel so bad.”
Merry Christmas!
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