Sometimes you just can't make it on your own...

Today was full of surprises: amidst all the little details of getting things ready for Christmas Eve ...

+ a person from church stopped in to tell me about almost losing his mother this morning and how on fire his soul has become for Christ's love!

+ another church person sent me a note about a blog posting that touched my heart ~ so full of understanding and depth ~ it made me weep a little.

+ our church band is planning a little feast for after the New Year ~ and we're practicing at our house tomorrow night for Christmas Eve (going to work on Over the Rhine's, "Trumpet Child.")

+ I stopped by a farewell party for our out-going Mayor and felt a wave of deep love for the people of this strange little New England city struggling for renewal.

+ while sitting eating bean soup and watching a British mystery, another church person stopped by on a mental health day and stayed to help Di and I decorate the Christmas tree with LOTS of laughter and crazy stories of respective nutty families.

This has truly become our home and I very, very grateful. I hold some of my blogger friends close in prayer tonight as they wrestle with illness and recovery and the struggles of faith. I give thanks that there is so much compassion and creativity in this community.  And I am humbled that I have been allowed to be a part of it for a while.