The Gift of Time

I'm supposed to be playing in the backyard right now...I can see my son's little red face tucked into his hood through the window. We were delivering cookies to the older couple next store. They have boys my age and have enjoyed watching my boys grow up. It reminds them of when their kids were younger. As a matter of fact, my boys sleep under the comforters that my neighbor made for her sons...she always wanted them to go to another set of brother's. They sat, safely wrapped, for 30 years, waiting for the right little boys to cover up. Tonight one of my boys will be sleeping under a blanket made with love for someone who is no longer with us.

When my neighbor opened the door to accept our gift of treats, I learned that one of their sons passed away yesterday from cancer. They knew it was coming, but the grief and shock are evident. It was a mercifully quick journey through the disease, less than a year. He was a dad and a husband...his daughter is just a little older than Connor.

While my little boy is waiting for me to gather myself together, my heart breaks for a family planning a funeral instead of a holiday. Lord, help me to remember what really matters. Not how many presents or how good the tree looks, but to celebrate the relationships. We just never know how many more Christmas's we will have together.