Saturday, December 15, 2012

Dearest God,

You came to us in the midst of our family Christmas gathering.  You came bringing love most of all.  When we circled round sharing our celebrations and prayer concerns faith emerged again and again.  We spoke of you because you were speaking to us.

Twenty years, it had been twenty years since our cousin had come home for Christmas.  I decided it was time to bring the family back together.  After praying in a large circle in our kitchen, we ate delectable farm foods like we used to eat down on the farm at Grandma's house.  And then we moved into the living room where we took out paper and pencils and played two very fun games that my cousin and I had created.  Jim sang the first line in Christmas songs and we had to write the next line.  And then I lead the game of the Hughes Christmas Eve Gathering trivia where they had to answer questions about the time we spent together with our grandparents when we were growing up.  We laughed, argued in good fun (who recalls things the same way?) and remembered cherished moments with family.

But the best part was when we each shared what we were celebrating and something or someone we wanted to lift up in prayer.  There were tears of joy and sadness but most of all we sensed your living presence among us. Again and again your name came up along with our grandmother who we all acknowledge as the one who led us to you.  There was such a sweet spirit as we took hands and prayed.  Not only were we full of familiar family foods, we were full of you.

Gracious God,
what gifts
you provide
when we lean
in your direction.
Thank you
for getting us together
and loving us
so much.
Thank you
for precious memories
that still
warm our hearts
fifty and
sixty years later.
What blessings
you give.
What joy
is ours.

Love, Andrea