Sunday has come and gone, almost a week of break has flown by as well. Autumn has officially left us here in the northern hemisphere and winter has come. The days are no longer shrinking here but rather expanding. Two weeks is all that is left then once more I will hit the books for school. Oh it is a time of change, a time of reflection, and a time of anticipation as Advent draws to a close and Christmas draws near.
Sunday marked my return to the “pulpit”. The first sermon since becoming healthy, 22 months and 4 days after the last one I gave. I think, and I hope, that it went well and that at least someone, be it I or another there gained something from it (well my hope is fulfilled as I know I gained from it). The days leading up to the sermon and the sermon itself were a wonderful experience for me and a much needed one as well.
Yesterday was a day of adventure. I went and got my hair cut and then went exploring. However I explored a bit more than I planed. I had an item I needed to return to a store. Rather than take the main highway down to it, I decided to take the “back way” to avoid part of the traffic. So after stopping and checking my mailbox at the school, I left through the back exit of campus and started my adventure. However, I had a slight problem, perhaps two. First I had never taken the back way, I just knew it existed, and knew the road that would head south that I wanted and that road was to the east of where I was. let’s just say it was an interesting trip, and it definitely was longer than if I had known which roads to take. Coming back was equally interesting, as I took a slightly different but similar way back. A few times though, I wish I had my laptop so I could use its map program and GPS to map the shortest, quickest route from where I was to my destination in order to save fuel, though I probably used just as much as if I had stayed on the overloaded main roads, just more than if I had taken the more direct back way. Need to look at a map sometime and figure out the best way, or take the laptop out with a destination entered, start out that way and hit F3 and see what it thinks… (Or I guess just plot the points at home and have it show me on the map, but what fun is that?)
This week has flown by. Each day I say I am going to clean, each day little cleaning is done. Tomorrow I plan to go to Westerville, lead the advent portion of the service, embrace the rest, and afterwards head north (perhaps after lunch), stop and get gas on the way, and attend the Christmas Eve Service held in the Kirtland portion of the Temple. Then, most likely turn around and head home… Only time will tell if that is truly how it will turn out. This will be my first Christmas I will celebrate without being able to physically see my Sister, Mom and Dad, and the first one since my nieces and nephew were born with out them…
For all those who celebrate the seasons of Advent and Christmas, Happy Advent and Merry Christmas. For those that celebrate the changing of years, Happy New Year, for those embracing Winter or Summer, happy Winter or Summer. For those who embrace other holidays, seasons, events (even a birthday) Happy/Merry that as well. Let us go forth in this time of change, with open hearts and minds ready to share love, peace, joy, and hope with all who we encounter, no mater how similar or different they are to us.
Peace be with one and all
— Lyle II