This week has played out much differently than expected.  We came home from our trip and quickly had two very sick little girls.  Abbie was admitted to the hospital with RSV which morphed into pneumonia.  Not what we thought we would be doing this Christmas.  But then again, there was another family on another Christmas who found themselves face to face with circumstances completely contrary to their plans. Surely it was no mistake that the first thing the Holy Family modeled for us was how to respond when life plays out totally differently than you hoped. 

So there are no cards in the mail this year.  There will be no parties and we will have to send half the family to mass.  This Christmas, like the first one, is all about caring for a small child. And St. Francis would say that this is perfect joy.  The only thing that God ever really wants from me, this season or any other, is trustful surrender. 

I hope your family has a most blessed Christmas. I will be back when the dust settles a bit. : ) 

scenes from Bavaria this winter