m,

I experienced a pang when reading your last letter, because your desired church experience was a near match of my actual church experience. If only you had been here. The service was full, but not overly packed, which was new to me, but nice. The choir can actually sing, some string instruments were also present, and each member of the congregation was given a candle upon entering. Service started with the lights out, “Silent Night” and all candles lit by passing the flame. We kept the candles lit through opening and then blew out/returned the candles during “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” The rest of the service progressed as usual, though with night fallen outside… Some nice song choices, including “In the Bleak Mid-Winter,” which I feel you never hear anywhere. And the sermon addressed incarnation as relevant to our lives in three particular ways: our relationship to the earth, to others and to ourselves. Etc. I’m still mistaken for a visitor there, but I suppose you’ll have that. Overall: peaceful, reflective, pretty beautiful night. I would do that again.

When did we start talking so much about church on our blog?

In the meantime: Christmas! I loved your pictures of the Eve. Between last night and this morning (mostly this morning), I snapped around 200 pics, which the mind boggles at, but regardless, I have to sort. K.Lo slept in her bed the whole night, but Management was antsy… More information and photographic evidence to come shortly on Lo.Co. I unexpectedly received a netbook, which is a tiny computer that I have coveted for months now, on condition that I sell my rattly-fanned computer to compensate for cost. Then we’ll be cookin’ with fire. Until then, it is pure technological sweetness, and I was totally surprised. 

Intents on my mind this week: awareness and enjoyment of where I’m at, physically, emotionally, etc.

Tonight: a good dose of cynical cinematic holiday fare before the season fully dwindles. I’m thinking “The Ref” and perhaps “Home for the Holidays.”

Merry Christmas,

pen