Christmas Eve, morning thoughts

It is Christmas Eve.  As is my habit, I am up before dawn.  The house is dark and quiet. The Christmas tree provides the only light in the room. The smell of the last, late-night batch of cookies is just barely discernible. My wife and children are still sleeping and I am being as quiet as possible so I don't disturb their restful slumber. I hear the low rumble of the furnace working.  The chill from the night air is slowly being overtaken by the warmth that has begun pumping through the floor vents. There is just the slightest hint of dawn approaching over the trees to the east. I am sitting at the kitchen table this morning with a cup of hot coffee attempting to count my blessings.  It is in the peacefulness of these early morning hours I am most grateful.  I consider some of the challenges I face, but when they are listed on the ledger against the things that are wonderful in my life, I realize that am well in the black with large reserves for the tough times should they occur.  It is, perhaps, this gratefulness that that connects one's spirit to God. This moment is both a gift of love to me and a my prayer of thanksgiving.

Through the window I see the diffused light of morning begin to brighten the yard.  It is a chilly overcast day and a few snow flakes are visible blowing around in a light breeze. Wild turkeys are pecking the ground around neighbor's bird feeder.  The world is beginning to awaken.  My youngest daughter, already filled with the excitement of the day bounds into the room.  With tussled hair and sleepy eyes, she give me a hug and moves off to a big comfy chair by the tree, pulls a blanket over her legs and flips open the Kindle that quickly occupies her attention.  Her brother, my eldest, is sleeping on the pullout couch nearby.  He stirs slightly, sensing the new presence in the room, pulls a blanket up over his shoulder and returns to sleep.  I will take just another moment now to slow down and enjoy this new entry in the credit column and then begin my day.