28 December 2010

Blankets of Snow, Blankets of Grace

The past week the gifts have been too numerous to count. I lost track at about 218. ;) But some of the highlights are listed for you (and for me) here.

On Christmas Eve the snow started falling - hard - at near-dusk. It wasn't expected that we would get much - maybe an inch or two. So Chris and I took the minute to savor it. We watched through the window as giant flakes poured out of the sky. We went to worship and in the candlelight you could almost sense the snow blanketing the building. You could feel the festive weight of the holiday and the weather in that room. The Blanket of Snow demanded my attention, and I succumbed to the beauty of that night.

Three days later, at near-dawn, my Ella snuggled under our covers and up next to me. Within seconds she was sound asleep again. She slept there for over an hour. I was keenly aware that the clock was ticking, urging me to get out of bed and in to work. But I was keenly aware that the clock was ticking - that soon these days will be a memory. Soon she will be back with her mom. Soon she will not want to snuggle up to me. Soon she will have her own little one snuggled up to her. And so I stayed. I soaked up the Blanket of Grace. Beginning to count the blessings of God this year has taught me to slow down in moments like this one. It has taught me that all of life is Grace.





#63-81

The fear of being a mentor

The joy of a special relationship with a young woman a few years behind me on the journey

Respite
~ from work
~ from stress
~ from the world

Successive days of shutting out the world

Healing

Growth

"Celebrating" Christmas in a whole new way this year
~ December 25th at the shelter and with good friends
~ A snow-blanketed candelight service on the 24th
~ Feeling like the 26th was "our Christmas" with Ella

The joy on her face at giving gifts

The stage in her language and cognition that never fails to make me laugh

The sleeping mask

Watching her turn from baby to young woman in literal minutes

Being her "mom" there in the dim light

Deep conversations over the wall of the tub

That she is brave enough to share her heart

Her sleeping soundly beside me in the bed

Savoring the moments of family silence

Recognizing the Holy in our midst

And blessings too many to count this week!

2 comments:

Debra said...

Lovely post Erin! So full of love, grace - and a savoring of that precious, peaceful moment in time.
May the new year ahead hold many more such blessed and grace filled experiences.
Debra
http://debrasblogpureandsimple.blogspot.com

Greta Jo said...

you are so beautiful! I would LOVE to see wedding photos my friend. PLEASE! I hope you are well and think of you so often in this crazy world. One day we will see each other again :)
xoxoxo