Three Beautiful Things 12/25/12: Anglican Still Waters, Brunch, Chez McBata, BONUS Chez Troxstar BONUS Kellogg Christmas

1.  As I've probably written (literally) 50,000 times over the years, I love the regularity of the Episcopalian/Anglican liturgy.  So, going to church this morning, I could count on hearing  and reciting the same words during much of the service that we all speak and hear during every season of the Christian calendar.  Yes, it being Christmas Day, hymns were appropriate to the day and so were the scripture readings and so on, but I love that the liturgy has this constancy, that the regular rhythms of the Christian life remain the same.  It might seem odd that I would say this, but I was the most moved by today's service not by anything extraordinary, but by the reliable and reassuring ordinariness of it.  What did Mr. Exum always used to say about his favorite type of student?  Still water runs deep.  Those were the waters I worshiped in this morning. 

2.  Rev. Betsy Tesi and her husband Martin generously provided us Christmas worshipers with a splendid brunch after the Eucharist.  Not only was the food delicious, but the buzz of conversation and gratitude in the room added more joy to this already joyous day.

3.  Russell and Sonie and I decided to go for an afternoon stroll with our cameras, but no sooner did we hit the Amazon Creek trail, but the rain started to fall.  We laughed at our lousy luck and had a good time telling stories and trying to understand puzzling aspects of our lives and returned to Russell and Anne's house where Anne was skyping with her brothers and sisters and I was very happy to get to say hello and Merry Christmas to Mary, even though she was thousands of miles away in the Catskills.  Conversation continued in the house with the help of Lynn Tullis' spectacular egg nog,  until I got a phone call -- which turned into a BONUS Beautiful Thing!

BONUS:  The Senior Warden called me from the front porch of Chez Corgis (where I live!) and used his ecclesiastical authority to summon me to his presence on my porch.  I hurriedly said my good byes and Merry Christmases to Sonie and the McBatas and within minutes the Troxstar and I sat down for a beer and some conversation which led to the splitting of La Fin du Monde which led to us walking to Chez Troxstar for Christmas dinner and some Senior Warden home brewed stout as well as (a little too much) B & B French spiced liqueur and cognac -- and four slices of four different smashingly scrumptious fruit cake. 

BONUS #2:  I talked for over forty-five minutes with my mom and my sister Christy and got quite a wonderful account of their Ukraine Christmas Eve dinner, church service across the street, and how Christmas afternoon was shaping up.  My family's Christmas was packed with people, friends and family members, and with stories, laughter, near disasters, and a ton of good cheer. 

Today, I would have loved to have been several places at once:  in Kellogg with family and friends, in New York with the Deke and Adrienne, in Groveton with Molly and her family, in Portland with Patrick, but I was in Eugene where my fellow parishioners and great friends and I had a very Merry Christmas.  Blessings to us all!