Merry Madness

It's been a couple of days since I last wrote but the house stuff and holiday preparations both reached critical mass and every moment I wasn't working was spent painting cabinets, doing laundry and stuffing dufflebags. Although Hubster turned the corner on his sickness, he's still coughing up a storm and burning through our Puffs stash, so I've been trying (even as my throat started getting sore) to keep from getting sick. I have had the throat issues for a couple of days and they haven't progressed so I'm cautiously calling this a win. If I'm sick on Christmas I think I'll cry the entire day. Cry and eat cinnamon rolls.

Anyway, on a happy note, I'm blogging from In-Law Central and we're leaving tomorrow morning for extended family, the aforementioned cinnamon rolls, and festive times. I hope you all have a delicious Christmas. May the true gravity and depth of God's Incarnation give you a break from the mad rush of life and refresh your wonder for another year. I'll be singing this lovely carol, my favorite at the moment, long into January.

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung!
From Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter
When half spent was the night

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind
With Mary we behold it,
The Virgin mother kind
To show God's love aright,
She bore to us a Savior
When half spent was the night

The shepherds heard the story
Proclaimed by angels bright,
How Christ, the Lord of Glory
Was born on earth this night.
To Bethlehem they sped
And in the manger they found him,
As angels heralds said.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From Sin and death he saves us,
And lightens every load.