Chasing Contentment

Tuesday, December 6

I've lost a book, which is maddening to me. It was a book of Christian short stories - romantic Christmas stories! - that a friend gave me last year at Christmas. I'd been looking forward to reading it this week, and now it's nowhere to be found. I feel a little disoriented because it wasn't where I expected it to be. Sometimes, I think that my spiritual life is like that... I get all out of sorts when things aren't exactly the way I anticipate them being. But I know from experience that God has more for me than I expect if I'll just wait for it.

Maybe there's something else I need to be doing during this week other than reading my missing book. Maybe there's something I need to be reminded of this Advent season... that waiting for God - the anticipation of wonders untold - is really a priviledge. I should revel in it rather than wishing the waiting time away.

As I wait, I'll reread my own little story...



The Christmas Card by Chel... part three

Everyone in town knew Gram, and most folks called her that. Being from a small town helped in times like these, Ellie thought to herself as she stood in line at the local coffee shop waiting for her chai latte.

Taking care of the arrangements for the funeral had been as easy as those sorts of things can be, and the services were scheduled for following afternoon.

Sipping her tea, she got into her car and drove again to the big white house. She turned the car off this time as she stared at the house where she'd grown up. The tree in the front yard had her initials carved into it, and the front steps still had nicks in them from where she stomped up and down them wearing roller skates. This was her home. In her heart, Ellie knew that.

But she just couldn't open that door without Gram on the other side. Not yet. And so she drove back to the hotel for her second night in town.

---

People from her childhood spilled into the small room at the funeral home, all wanting to pay their respects to Ellie's Gram. Ellie held up well, having done something similar far too recently.

People shook their heads and spoke in hushed tones about what a pity it was for someone so young to have lost so much. Ellie saw the pity in their eyes when they hugged her, when they spoke their words of comfort.

But despite the whispers, there was something genuinely comforting about the presence of the people from her childhood, from her life, really. Mac and his new fiance, Shelby, were there. Ellie thought how well the two of them fit one another. Percy was there, too, but he didn't speak to Ellie, didn't make eye contact.

--- (to be continued...)

[  posted by Chel on Tuesday, December 06, 2005  ]
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