A Long Winter’s Nap

I took a nap. It was several hours long. It was a wonderful, sleep lines on my face, hair messed up, maybe even a drool-spot on my pillow kind of nap. And I deserved it.

(Sunday Night Check-in requirements dictate that I talk about it here, rather than on Facebook. Join us at 8:00pm, Utah time tonight, here.)

So you would think that having a few hours of sleep would cause me to awaken with stellar ideas for blog posts ready to be shared. And it did. However, naps make me feel groggy and unproductive, so this is what you get.

Why the nap? I deserved it.

Yesterday was a busy day, had to go to work for a few hours, then come home to yard work, errands, prep for Sunday, etc. By the end of the day, I was exhausted.

I knew that this morning was our annual Stake High Priest Quorum meeting at 6:00am, so I knew I would be sleep deprived. There was a day when 6:00am meetings were the norm, rather than the exception. I have gotten old, and soft.

So, early to bed – right? Nope. We have a teenager, so we wait until he gets home, which is supposed to be midnight. Supposed to be.

Then it was off to sleep – until about 1:30am, when another son knocks on the door.

“Hey Dad – The garage floor is covered with water…”

“Are you kidding me?” As I pull on my slippers.

Luckily it was not the water heater, rather it was the water softener. I gratefully unplugged it, and cleaned up the mess.

Back to bed for a few hours. I lay there contemplating how long it has been since we had babies, and what a total wimp I have become over the years for crying “sleep-deprivation” while still getting three entire hours of sleep.

So I came home from church, had a piece of cinnamon toast with Biscoff spread on it. (Seriously delicious.) Then, I turned off my phone, unplugged the home phone, told the kids to be quiet or else.

At this time of year the term “glorious” is used frequently. It is the perfect word to describe my nap.

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After I woke up, I started feeling guilty about not writing. Mostly because Monique will persecute me now for weeks. So I relented, and decided to share a couple of Christmas thoughts:

I am loving this Christmas season more than I usually do. I am also doing less. The shopping and decorating got resolved early and easily this year. I have skipped a couple of Christmas events that I normally participate in. I have spent less time actually worrying about Christmassy stuff.

And I love it. It has been more peaceful and rewarding than usual. I’m not feeling the pressure that the holiday so often brings.

So here’s the rub: I’m not sure if the enhanced Christmas peace is a result of apathy, laziness, or simplification.

But I like it.

Christmas is still going on, and going strong around us, but it doesn’t seem to be so demanding.

Right now the very best thing is that all of my kids are home, for the first time in years. That classic longing for gathering is being fulfilled. The older I get, and the more far-flung my family gets, the more significant that idea becomes.

We attended Church, listened to messages of Christ, and sang songs of Christ – much as we are supposed to do every other week of the year. It is just easier at Christmas time, because the focus is handed to us all gift-wrapped and shiny.

Next, I’m going to go make a pot of clam chowder and take it to an extended family gathering and share the season with more loved ones.

Christmas time is often chilly. This year it is just kind of chill.

And I am relishing the peace of the season.