​Last Thursday, I spent 8 hours with someone who tested positive for THE virus on Friday morning, after which I spent the past 4 days in quarantine.  Thankfully, I had a blank calendar.  This morning I, along with three friends, went to the portico of the local hospital to take a rapid antigen test.  I was one of the three who tested negative.  The fourth had experienced some very mild symptoms a couple days ago tested positive and will need to self-isolate for a few days.   
 
Now I have a clean bill of health, I can start baking Christmas cookies for the neighborhood; I can answer the door without a KN-95 mask; I can go to Detwiler’s Farm Market for groceries; and I can……  Fill in the blank with your favorite, normal activity. 
 
This Christmas I am thankful for all the people in the healthcare industry who encounter infectious diseases daily.  I am thankful for the scientist who develop rapid tests to relieve our anxiety.  I am thankful many people who test positive for COVID-19 have minimal symptoms and those who fall seriously ill can receive medical treatment.  I am thankful the vaccine is being distributed. I am thankful, although my local grocery store had no powdered sugar for Christmas cookie frosting, the store down the street sold it in 4-pound bags!
 
And, I am thankful our God so loved the world, He sent his only Son, Jesus the Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, so everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
 
What a Christmas gift! Merry Christmas all!

​My family, especially husband Alan, can attest to my resolve birthday gifts and cards are to be opened on one’s official birthday not a day sooner.  The same applies to Christmas gifts – one gift can be opened on Christmas Eve, the stocking upon awakening Christmas morning, and all other gifts when as many people as are in the house are gathered around the tree.  And this year, everything has changed!  We are receiving boxes, padded packages and fancy cards envelopes directly from the sellers.  It is impossible to know from whom we received the gifts without opening the packages. Gifters, also new at the direct-from-seller methods of gifting, need to know the seller did as promised.  Case in point:  our daughter and son-in-law gifted us with a certificate sent to us by the seller.  Although we received the certificate early in December, I determined not to thoroughly investigate until Christmas Day.  Our daughter was understandably concerned we received their gift and since I had not let her know, checked in with us.  I was embarrassed for not letting her know as soon as we received the card.  Sigh….
 
Can I change with the times?  Is my expectation gifts must be opened only on THE DAY reasonable?  Yes, it is the way we have always done it, but is it the only way? 
 
This morning I realized – of course I can change!  Besides, what could be more exciting than nearly a month of receiving gifts of love from friends and family!  We can start today planning excursions to all the Florida State Parks!  And what new wines can we discover in the wine club?  And what do we think can in the Amazon package?  And who is it from? 
 
I sure miss gathering with friends and family for celebrations in this crazy year of 2020 – the hugs and laughter!  I can celebrate with them the gifts of love received throughout this entire season! 
 
Celebrate the greatest gift of all time, the gift of perfect love come in the package of a baby, the Gift from God to draw us to Himself.   Merry Christmas All!