This season is a joyful, but now difficult season for my family and me. Last year, my dad passed away 3 days before Christmas, so it makes this year a difficult one of "firsts" without him, except this will be our 2nd Christmas without him. Last Monday, the 19th, would have been my parents' 30th wedding anniversary, and this Wednesday, the 28th would have been his 52nd birthday. With those in mind and the anniversary of his death and Christmas on its way, it's a good time to be reminded of the things that make me smile. So these are just a few...
*fireplaces crackling
*watching the first snowfall at night sitting in my windowsill
*decorating my Christmas tree and listening to my favorite classic Christmas songs
*Christmas in the Chapel at LCC--it's not Christmas until I see it
*watching White Christmas and singing along, wishing I could dance like Vera Ellen
*getting Christmas cards from friends
*the book Cold Tangerines
*New York City on New Years Eve
*thinking about all of the BCG's (for those who don't know what that is, it's my dear "Bible College Girls" from our summer @ Christ in Youth Conferences 4 years ago)
*getting dressed up in fancy dresses for weddings
*adorable babies, like my nephew Evan...
*hilarious kids, like my niece Maddy
*romantic comedies
*popcorn with parmesan cheese on it
*the sound of beautiful piano music
*finding great bargains when I'm shopping
*giving people notes & gifts
*laughing with friends and my family
*playing board games
*road trips
*being in airports & flying places by myself
*discovering new music that I love
*driving around and looking at Christmas lights, wondering what peoples lives are like inside the windows
*good concerts...and not the kind where you stand the whole time...smaller ones that are more intimate
*sweet tea
*the smell of men's cologne
*taking a relaxing bath by candlelight with a glass of Moscato
*doing puzzles on snow days
*hoodies & sweatpants
*my cutout cookies...only my mom's/grandma's recipe
*the feeling of anonymity in a big city
*things that are new
*hearing Christy Nockels sing
*reading the thoughts of good writers on their blogs
*making a good homemade meal
*hearing encouraging words or getting a note or package from someone
*gospel choirs
*photography that isn't posed and captures a moment in time...someone in mid-laughter, people hugging, poster-like scenery, abstract things
*homemade vanilla ice cream
*seeing old people holding hands
*weddings of people that truly get what marriage is about
*dancing
*the sweet faces of the kids in Oradea, Romania that I'll get to see again in March
*listening to someone who can really preach...my faves are probably Jon Weece (Southland Christian Church in Lexington, KY), Mike Breaux (Willow Creek), and JK Jones (right here at LCC).
I could probably go on and on with some of my favorite things, but I'll save it for another time, and maybe next time I'll put it into a song. So while you celebrate this season, what are a few of your favorite things?
Tonight as I put up my tree, I'll be enjoying some of my favorite tunes, and as of today, this is my official playlist of favorites for the season. I think I'm going to name it the "So Cool It's Freezing Winter Mix." Here it is (in no particular order):
- Merry Christmas Darling (The Carpenters)
- O Come Emmanuel (The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir)
- O Come All Ye Faithful (Eliot Morris)
- Tennessee Christmas (Amy Grant)
- I'll Be Home For Christmas (Michael Buble)
- Mistletoe (Colbie Caillat)
- I Celebrate the Day (Relient K)
- Step Into Christmas (Elton John)
- Joy to the World (Jim Brickman)
- One Child/O Come All Ye Faithful (Natalie Grant)
- The Angels Medley (Avalon)
- Baby It's Cold Outside (Steve Tyrell)
- Lights On the Tree (Sufjan Stevens)
- Oh Christmas Tree (Jim Brickman)
- River (Rachel Yamagata)
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Bethany Dillon)
- This Christmas (Elliott Yamin)
- Christmastime (Michael W. Smith)
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Gavin DeGraw)
- Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child (Mariah Carey)
And that's that.
I'm off to trim the tree...whatever that means!
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