Between Christmas and New Year's

It's Monday morning and I'm off work for the next couple of days and at the time of this writing, sitting at Chaney's drinking coffee while reading, surfing and posting.  Christmas has passed and as always, was absolutely awesome!
     I hope yours was Merry and Blessed. Personally, I can not remember ever having a bad one. Even when bad stuff goes down during the Holiday Season, or when it's just been, "One Of Those Years," the magic of Christmas shows up. Like when Charlie Brown learned he had not ruined it and the Grinch discovered, it couldn't  be stolen.
     It marked the third year we've celebrated the Holidays with out my father. I miss him and long to have one more conversation, but it will not happen in this life. So, I've tossed it in the bucket and am holding on to having that opportunity in the life that's to come. If you believe in that, and I hope you do.
     The coffee shop is filled with people this morning because some folks are still on vacation, and  the rug rats and crumb snatchers are on Christmas Break. That being the case, I did not get a booth and had to  settle for the last available table. It's okay, though not as comfortable. The booth is easier on the TUSH, but I have plenty of cushion, so it's not that big of a deal.
     So, here I am. Drinking coffee at one of my favorite places and sitting somewhere between Christmas and New Years reflecting on what a year it's been and wondering what, or if,  anything will be different in 2015.
     The year that was: Tough, Rough and full of stuff.  Lisa, my wife, soul mate, and very best friend had a kidney transplant last January. Hallelujahs are in order, but it was a difficult process. Her disease went ballistic shortly after landing back in North Carolina and I watched Kidney failure rob my wife of precious life.  She landed in the hospital a year ago and went on dialysis shortly thereafter.
     Long story short, there was and is a happy ending. A friend came forward who proved to be a match and donated a kidney. Thank you friend. I would mention your name, but am reluctant because I did not ask for your permission. However, you and several others know who you are. We can never thank you enough. For this blog post, you're numbered among those nameless individuals in the scriptures God used to accomplish the extra ordinary, but for what ever reason, the Gospel writers failed to record their names. One example being, The Woman At The Well.
     Lisa coasted through recovery and this year, as we're sitting between Christmas and New Year's,  the sun is shinning on what was a very long and dark night. We are thankful and committed to never taking the blessing for granted. Phillip Yancey once said, "Those who pray for miracles and receive them soon forget."  We shall never forget.
     Last March, I resigned my position as pastor at the church we served. It became effective on May 31st and for the first time in 31 years I am not in the pulpit. I have often preached and taught on the danger of placing ones identity in unhealthy places. For example, Who we are is not defined by what we do, whether it be vocation, or calling. Yet, seven months after having resigned, I must admit, it has been a struggle. God has taught, and continues to teach me much during this time.
     In July I was tossed a lifeline by LOWES HOME IMPROVEMNET. I had worked as a kitchen designer and sold home interiors while in Alaska and that experience landed me a job seven years later. When it was most needed.  Amazing how that works.
     Currently I am designing kitchens, selling interiors and visiting churches when I'm not working. It has been good to visit, and receive from others during this time. I've also scratched out some time to pursue another interest. I've been doing some writing, which brings me to...
     The year that will be:  Those who know me and have followed this blog and my Facebook page know I am a passionate reader and lover of both poetry and prose. Even to the point of writing and publishing on Amazon.
     It has been quite the roller coaster ride with a few ups and downs. Some days were better than others. Like anything else, it requires time and work. I have invested quite a bit of time over the last few months and look forward to publishing some new material over the next 90 days.
     I have a meeting with a Cover Artist tomorrow and look forward to the creativity she is bringing to the table. In the past I had tried to put the cover art together myself, but it was a lame attempt. My sales numbers reflected it. I also have an excellent editor who makes me look much better than I am. She will be putting the polish on the writing, while the artist puts a face on the project. I believe the three of us, working in concert, can put together a really nice product.
     Well, that's my attempt at bringing you up to speed with where I'm as we're all sitting somewhere between Christmas and New Years. I just said, "No thank you," to the waitress as she attempted to pour my Ninth cup of coffee. It's getting late and I've occupied this table long enough and like the universe, my bladder is also expanding. I truly hope you had a Merry Christmas and my prayer is that you will have a very happy and blessed New Year.

- Cam

  
   
  
  
  

Santa and The Nativity of Jesus Christ

When Santa was still living my world was simple and life was less complicated. I remember those days well. My dad worked and my mom stayed home. Most afternoons and weekends were spent playing with neighborhood kids.
      Back then, if we kids had differences, we worked through the problem without shooting each other, and if I had gotten out of line at a friends house, I prayed his parents did not call mine, or else I would have had a serious problem upon returning home.
     We still had the Christmas play which featured Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus. The school held no concern about being strapped with a lawsuit for portraying the genuine reason for the season. Christmas break lasted two weeks and the expectation grew like a giant crescendo each day in class with lots of singing. Some of the songs were found in church hymnals and others were traditional seasonal tunes about a Rudolph, Santa, and Dashing Through The Snow.
     The Christmas Tree was a big deal in our house.  And every year presented a humorous story of going into the woods, cutting one down and bringing it home. For example, the year my dad forgot the saw and whacked  a spruce with a butcher knife. When his arm grew tired, he dropped back a few steps and through a flying tackle on the thing. When that failed, he refused to be defeated and got in the old Ford, started the engine and ran over it. Then tied a rope to the bumper and jerked it out of the ground.  (True Story.)
     Both Charlie Brown and the Grinch were welcome in our house. I laid on the living room floor and watched every year as Charlie Brown learned he had not ruined Christmas and the Grinch discovered it could not be stolen.
     Come to think about it...Christmas was hard to mess up. I can't remember a bad one. Some years were lean, while others were fat, but it always had a way of showing up... even during the difficult times. It was magical.
     I am 52 years old and have just come through a very difficult year. I will not delve into the details, but suffice it to say, it has been a long one. I would say, I'll be glade when it's over, but...I would rather not rush Christmas. I am going to slow down, take a breath and worship the Babe in the Manger.
     I'm also looking forward to Santa stopping by our house to leave something special for a couple of precious little boys named David Benjamin and Abram. You see...they are coming into that age where belief and imagination still has the power to make all things possible.
     I remember the year my parents sat me down and told me something about Santa being a myth. Though I was not surprised, because I had my own suspicions, I remember it being a real downer. It was like something was lost. My dad told me it was part of growing up and now I could help him put together a Barbie House and some other stuff for my little sisters.
     We all are endowed with memory. For some, memory is a place of precious keepsakes, and for others it is not a pleasant place to visit. If you happen to fall in to the later category, I'm sorry. My Christmas wish for you is that peace comes to your troubled spirit and healing takes place.
     As for me, I am thankful for memories the Christmas season holds. They are precious keepsakes. And in the words of Longfellow, "Our today's and yesterdays are the blocks with which we build."  When sifting through the building blocks of my yesterdays, I find there are many keepsakes that I'm still holding on to. Some of them are sitting around a Christmas Tree with my mom, dad and two sisters.
     Others are from another time when I'm sitting around a Christmas Tree with my wife and our children, while living 5000 miles from the place we called home. In all of those memories The Nativity was present, and so was Santa.
     I believe Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem of Judea two thousand years ago. I believe he was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Though this has been one of those difficult years, I can testify it has been good. You see, good is never easy, but hard is always difficult. The difference in those two is often found in our attitude.
     I also believe in Santa. He was always good to me, and still is, though the gifts he sends my way usually come through one of his many different Elf's.

     I am off work today and sitting at Chaney's drinking coffee and rambling. I hope this finds you doing well on this first day of December. May The Lord bless you this Christmas season, and through the magic of imagination and belief, I hope Santa is very near.

Merry Christmas.

Cam