Time for Anticipation

( A quick apology:  it was time for a change, and so I tried. As my kids would say..."epic fail Mom!" Well, I'll try again later. At least I feel like red and white dots work more with the season than apricot colored hummingbirds!)

My lights and beads and icicles are still lost, but the holiday spirit is alive and well. We are walking around singing snippets from Handel's "Messiah," humming Christmas carols, and occasionally bursting out in memorized portions of scripture. Today is present wrapping day, at least as many as are here already. The stockings are beginning to be filled and we are SOOOO looking forward to our church's 4th Annual Christmas Song Along.

Sadly it seems we won't see Young Man till next week. Sigh... He is studying Missions Aviation and at the end of the term they are full with many projects, papers, tests, stage checks (university flight test) and check flights (FAA flight test). This means that ALL the flight students need planes and flight times on the same week. And, not everyone gets the slot, day or even week they desire. So, although dorms close on Friday, they retain an open dorm for flight students for another full week, at no extra charge, knowing that many (if not most) of them will still be there. So, although we had hoped to see him on Friday, then resigned ourselves to Saturday or Sunday, it now appears it will be sometime next week. This is part of the "learning to let go" stage... I am no longer his teacher, I no longer do his laundry or cook his meals, I have no real say in his school calendar and have just begun to realize that in 18 months this will no longer be his home. He'll be looking for a job and moving out; and then, Lord willing, when he has enough flight hours, he'll be applying to be sent to the missions field, and his hopes are for Africa. So, just learning to let go of this little bit... a few days during break... is all part of that process.

Senior Son graduates this spring or summer, and so although he'll also be looking for work, I think he hopes to stay in town, so he'll be "blessed" with my continued nearness. (ha ha ha ha!) At least he'll know he can come over for the occasional meal, for New Year's donuts and for his "hot milk" birthday cake.

So, there is much to anticipate: a break from our usual daily chores, a return of Young Man, more time with Senior Son, visits with family, but most of all, this is the time to anticipate the wonder of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us, willing to be the propitiation for our sins. Truly, not only a time of anticipation, but also of thanks!