Christmas Time is Here

Well, Blayne’s performance is over and now he is hard at work on his ethnography. This is him at his workstation which is occasionally our dining table. He is transcribing 2 hours of conversation and then he’ll be transcribing the music that was played (not just the notes, but every breath and ornament). Then, he’ll write 5,000 words or so to describe all of that and his impressions of Eamon’s playing. As far as his performance, he felt good about it. “Good... not great, but good.” Were his words. I know he’s glad to have it done and sees it as a learning experience. He’s going to get some sound clips ready for me so you can listen to some of it here on the blog. So, this week he’s working hard on his paper in hopes that we can take next week and travel around this lovely country.

Christmastime is here. I’m sitting in the coffee/cheese/rug shop as I write this. There’s not much traffic this time of day in here, but hopefully I’ll be interrupted some (it makes the time go so much more quickly). I’m listening to Christmas carols right now on my laptop and last night went out and rented “It’s a Wonderful Life” (they didn’t have “Holiday Inn” or “White Christmas” or “Christmas in Connecticut”). In other words I’m desperately seeking the Christmas spirit. You can see the photo here of our fabulous decorations :0) We went to a carol service this past Sunday at the main Church of Ireland here in town and it was really nice. I think we may start going there regularly. People in the congregation actually sing-it was a pleasant change :0)

I realize how much Christmas means family and friends to me when I’m so far removed from them. But the time to ponder the advent of Christ is something that I don’t have much of at home where things are so hectic during this season. And now I have the time to do that, so here are my thoughts right now. The world is a mess-poverty, death, war, hate, selfishness, deceit. And that’s the world He chose to come into-to bring us hope, healing and to save us, not only from those things in the world, but from those things in ourselves. There’s a tv special that will be on here about all the natural disasters last year and where that fits with people’s faith. It’s called “Where was God?”. I think it’s a great question and there’s not an easy answer. I’m not sure that I can give an answer except to say that He isn’t removed from it and this is the season that we remember that He actually entered into it. He loved, lost, wept, saw sickness, injustice, and death. He didn’t just observe-He became the object of that injustice and hate and the bitterness that comes from unfulfilled expectations.

So, I will celebrate Christmas far from “home” and many of the earthly blessings that He’s been so kind to give. And hopefully that distance will make me better appreciate not only the people and places that I miss so dearly, but also to grasp even more what the angels proclaimed: “peace on earth and goodwill toward men” and how Christ brings that. Love you and miss you all and wish you a very Merry Christmas.