On the twelfth day of Christmas . . . in the Burke Home

On the twelfth day of Christmas it seems like this season of celebration has gone by so quickly once again.  It is time to pack up the decorations.  The Christmas goodies are all eaten.  We no longer turn the pink sparkling lights on out front.  Christmas is . . . well . . . over. 

Except that it's not. 

Christmas is the celebration of God entering his own creation.  That is not over.  Christ is present.  The Holy Spirit is within each of us.  God the creator continues to create each and every day.  The celebration of God entering creation should continue each and every day.  A wise friend of my said recently, "don't put Christ away with the Christmas decorations."  She is absolutely right!  So many times we just put Jesus back in the "symbolic" box that he is supposed to stay in.  Instead, we are called to let him have free reign of our lives, our hearts and our minds. 

As Christmas ends and we wake in the light of Epiphany may we each seek out the light of Christ in ourselves, in others and in the world.  May we keep Christ in our hearts each day and may we reflect the love of God to all others.  Amen.

On the tenth and eleventh day of Christmas . . . in the Burke Home

On the tenth and eleventh day of Christmas God has blessed us with . . .

eleven animal outfits made out of socks

ten pieces of toast (thanks grandpa!)

nine false smoke alarms (from the making of the toast!)

eight containers of Chinese food

 seven sets of chopsticks

six Christmas thank you notes

five (more) games of Uno

four girls eating snow

three batches of dishes

two handmade hats

and one loving Savior in a manger!

On the ninth day of Christmas . . . in the Burke Home

On the ninth day of Christmas God has blessed us with . . .

 nine people eating doro wat

eight hours cooking

seven Christmas cookies

six loads of laundry

five little monkeys in a book

four girls dancing

three instruments practiced

two tops a spinning

and one loving Savior in a manger!

On the eighth day of Christmas . . . in the Burke Home

On the eighth day of Christmas God has blessed us with . . .
 

eight plates of lefse

seven plants watered

six new table legs

five comfy naps

four ships sunk

three Back to the Future movies

two violins practiced

and one loving Savior in a manger!