Packing It In

     Most years I pack away the Christmas decorations with solemn resignation.  The end of the holiday season means I am stuck with three more months of major winter and  minor holidays.  But this year January 2nd was a day of blue skies, sunshine and a balmy 40 degrees.  I packed the decorations in their boxes as if I were making room for spring.  Now if I could only pack the remaining Christmas cookies and candy away in boxes instead packing them in my mouth and storing them on my hips.  The Christmas tree is standing mostly naked in the living room, wearing only lights and fir.  It must know the end is in sight because for the past three days it has pumped out enough wonderful pine fragrance for me to be willing to keep the tree as an enormous air freshener.
     I fixed our traditional Christmas eve fondue, traditional semi-raw prime rib for Christmas dinner. (I thought having a convection oven would help, but apparently only if you turn that feature on.)  We had our traditional New Year's Eve party at my sister's house and blew up the gingerbread village--a new tradition I came up with.  And today was the traditional undecorating (spell check says that isn't a word, try dedecorating) of the house.  Though I tried not to mention my morning's efforts in front of my suggestible home care client, I wound up "un-ing" her apartment also.  (My choice of words is decorating this blog with red, squiggly, spell check lines.)
     But my main tradition for counting down to the new year is to count my blessings. I live in a warm, spacious, nearly-paid-for house with a Christian man who honored me by making me his wife.  We have three grown children who have become responsible, hard working adults and a son-in-law who answered my prayers for a godly husband for my daughter.  Since my husband values my company more than my income, I work very part time at a fulfilling job as a home health attendant.  Most days, before I leave my client says, " I had a good day today" and I walk to my car thinking they're all good days.  I have been blessed in every way imaginable in this life, and in ways I can't imagine in the life to come. In my life also there are seasons of joyful abundance and winters of discontent, but all are adorned with God's goodness and that will be all that matters when I pack it in.