Absence...Makes the Heart Grow Fonder.

The house is quiet.

Too quiet.

Much too quiet.

You see, last Thursday my whole family - minus myself - drove out the lane and down the road. A very long road. And they won't be driving back in the lane for another three weeks.

And - I don't believe it makes me one wit less a man to wholeheartedly admit this - I miss my family. In fact, I think I started missing them before they'd even left. (My mom almost made me tear up...)

(No pities, or condolences please - sometimes it's a good thing to feel lonely. :D)

Anyways, the life of a newly knighted bachelor... begin the escapades.

You know, I'd determined years ago I was going to skip that stage of life, but, well, at least this is only a taste and not a stage.

So I sat down at breakfast the next morning. At a long table with seven chairs around it. Six of them empty.

Munch, munch.

Clink. Tink

Tick tock, tick tock.

Munch munch munch.

Screech.

I pushed my chair back and walked over to the living room CD shelf.

Whaddya know, most of the good stuff went with the travelers.

So, shall I pick one of those ridiculously giddy Mozart flute concertos, or a gritty Handel harpsichord sonata, or...hey, here's a George Beverly Shea album...better choice.

For some reason, breakfast seems to take whole lot longer than usual. And for some reason, it just doesn't taste quite the same.

Well, just because my mother isn't here doesn't mean that I'm going to look like it, so today I commenced the task of washing my clothes. Laundry, they call it.

Now, I'm not a total neophyte in domestic duties, so I'd better prove it. Yes, I separated the colors and took everything out of the pockets. And yes they got washed and dried, as only a machine knows how.

But that's not all there is to laundry, of course. Once the clothing is back in my hands it must be made fit to wear. And believe it or not, I do know what that means. So I pulled out the ironing board, and plugged in the iron.

So, eventually, the result is presentable, and the tools get put away.

But for some reason, this takes a lot longer than when the experts do it. And for some reason, it doesn't quite look the same.

I fold the shirts up.

But for some reason, it takes so much longer. And for some reason, it doesn't look quite the same.

And then the phone rings. And it's my mom, of course.


"Hi Mom! How are you all doing?"


"Oh, good," she says, "But it just isn't the same without you".


So, I'll say it again. Yeah, I miss my family!

2008!

... is upon us.

Happy New Year!

Several hours ago, we crossed the line from 'the year of our Lord - two thousand and seven', into 'the year of our Lord - two thousand and eight'.

We've had one more year of blessings, of grace, of testings and tryings; one more year of opportunities, experiences, and conquered frontiers. And I know that I've received a portion of blessings of which I am profoundly undeserving - and a measure of grace which I cannot claim. I've been brought through dangers, toils, and snares - some of my own making, others of my own earning. 'Tis grace, my friends, that has brought us safe thus far - and grace will lead us home.

And most of all, we're one year closer to that day 'which no man knoweth, no, not the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but only the Father' when the Lord will return in clouds of glory, with all the holy angels with Him. Lord, haste the day, when our faith shall be made sight.

This, my friends, is reason to celebrate. Reason to give thanks and reason to rejoice, for we can enter this day, this year, and the days and years to come, with a great hope which others may not have, because it is truly 'the year of our Lord.'

May the Lord bless you abundantly. May He guide your steps and direct your paths. May He go before you as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. May He cause His face to shine upon, to protect and defend you, to keep you, and give you peace.


So rejoice! Give thanks! And celebrate the year of our Lord - Two Thousand and Eight! :D