…..And then…..But then

My little guy Cooter is sick.

He started running fever yesterday afternoon and woke up with the same temperature this morning.  I’m impressed that he’s fighting this on his own–I have yet to give him any medicine and it’s staying steady below 102.  I’m also *ahem* impressed that it doesn’t seem to have slowed him down at all.  So I’m thinking this is not the “three-letter word” stuff.  Last week that had his sister down for the count and not moving off the couch for two days.  So tonight I’m thankful it’s not worse…..

Cooter woke up this morning and immediately started talking.  I wasn’t quite as alert and ready to converse as he was, but I’m not sure he noticed.  He piled up on my bed and started telling me a story–or was it a dream, sorry I’m telling you I was not fully awake yet–about Star Wars characters, a battle, and some cheese.

I think.

The story moved pretty quickly from one thing to another.  The relaying of it included a lot of excited “…..and then…..and then…..but then…..”

All one run-on sentence adventure.  It was precious.

I was thinking about those words today as I prepared for the magic and beauty of tonight and tomorrow.

and then

but then

We have spent the entire month working our way to Bethlehem.

To the manger.

To the baby who was born to be King.

We read each day from a book about a little bear’s journey, following the star, and this morning he finished his journey and made it to the little baby tucked away in a stable, “no crib for a bed.”

So much preparation.  So much excitement.  So many good things–kindness, listening to others, caring, loving, sharing, giving.

All the way up to the day many of us will celebrate on December 25.

All that kindness, magic, goodness, caring, giving–

and then…..

but then…..

Tomorrow morning when we get up the first thing that will happen before presents or anything is Cooter will take Baby Jesus out of his pocket on the Advent calendar and place him in his manger, just as has happened each Christmas morning for the past 18 or so years.  We will have made it–the journey to the manger.  Following the Light.

And then?

All of our stories, if we sat and told them as Cooter did this morning, would be filled with lots of “and thens” and “but thens.”   And now that we have seen the best of human nature in others AND in ourselves during this time of waiting and preparing, the question begs to be asked–

And then?

Will we let it all go, this need to share with those who are in need?  This reaching out to other people with kind words, smiles, waves, hellos?  Will we stop digging for quarters in our pockets and looking for the red buckets?

See, people are in need all year long.

In need of quarters, clothes, food, shelter, safety, love

kind words

hugs

someone to believe in them…..

Now that we know, that we’ve had a taste of what that looks like, after we get up in the morning and spend time with those we love,

what comes next?

What will your story be?  How will it continue from here?

 

Merry Christmas!

and then…..