Christmas Moments

I said a quick prayer yesterday, "Lord, I need just a little good news... Just a little! Please?"

I'm sick with this sinus infection that I thought was a virus, so I didn't bother going to the doctor's till yesterday. (Ah, antibiotics!)That left me at home all day yesterday, sleeping and wrapping Christmas presents. Because I love giving gifts, I've been kind of excited about one present - My sisters and I all chipped in to get my father a dobro (If you don't know what it is, it's a steel lap guitar. You've heard them played in country music. in addition, it's that watery-guitar sounds you hear on SpongeBob Squarepants - whaa, whaa whaa wa-wa, Whaaa, Whaaaaaaaaaa) Dave and I have plans to sneak it into my parents' house in broad daylight - masked by our other instruments. Dad will never catch on. If he asks, I'll say, "It's the Gibson... or the Ovation... Or maybe I'll make up a name... "It's the Newberg." (as far as I know, there's no musical instrument manufacturer called Newberg...) We'll stash the instruments upstairs and put a bow on the case... Then surprise!

When I called my mom to make the plan, however, she was extremely down about the whole Christmas thing... (partially due to her fabulous boss knocking her hours down to something less than she wants to work). She also reported that her uncle is feeling badly.

Now, I'm feeling horrible too. Really horrible. "Your boss is a jerk, Mom, to do this to you before Christmas... I need some good news..."

I hung up the phone and whispered the aforementioned prayer.

At 9pm, the phone rang. It was one of Jason's summer Vent Camp counselors. She was very excited. "Kelly, can you meet me on Thursday?" What Carol had done melted all the nasty parallels I'd been drawing between my mother's boss and Ebenezer Scrooge. "I've arranged a fundraiser for your sister... I'm sure there are some things she needs..."

Without any of my family knowing, she'd organized a bake sale. She called all of Jason's Pediatric ICU nurses, respiratory therapists, and miscellaneous "fans," to bake and donate for a raffle. Today, she'll be selling cookies and raffle tickets at the hospital - all for my sister.

I couldn't thank her enough - but decided I could donate to the raffle (which means I'm photographing a family portrait). Merry Christmas to Carol!

I've just decided this year - to really pay attention to "Christmas Moments," because I think we need them. I have one more to report:

On Monday, my band was at my house practicing. I was surprised to hear someone at the door at 9:30 pm. It was the UPS Holiday Late Night Delivery Man. I immediately asked him if he needed coffee (poor guy). He declined, but asked to listen to us play a song. I invited him in, and we gave him our best bluegrassy "Love Please Come Home" (which the band affectionately refers to as "Love Disease") - and then he told us about all the Bob Dylan performances he'd atteneded, and the badly planned Rolling Stones concert he'd seen in Hershey, PA...

Then wished us a Merry Merry and went on his way. Dave looked at the door and said, "Now, there's a real Christmas Moment..."

Yeah. I needed that too.