The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares.
~ Henri Nouwen
So...yeah. The best laid plans...You know the rest.
Right now, Lily is in my lap purring like a machine. She's likely not missing Sly that much, but one never knows. Mike, the third cat and Lily's littermate, has been sweet as can be. Who knew?
So, what to do with all this time? Well, I made the video below. I'll be shipping some Christmas gifts. I hope to get in some reading. Oh, and there are taxes to pay. Right now, however, I'm enjoying a very good cup of coffee. Santa brought my wife one of those spiffy electric kettles for Christmas and it heats the water to several different temperatures including 195 degrees - the perfect temperature for a french press. Yes, we are those people. Why? Are you surprised?
I am forced to remind myself that it is the sixth day of Christmas. It is also the feast of St. Egwin (Follow the extended link below.), a Benedictine bishop who was unpopular among his ecclesial peers because he was rather strict. What does strict mean in the 8th century? I'm not sure I want to know. Anyway, it got so bad that they filed charges against the man with the Pope! Yes, the Pope. Can you imagine? Egwin was exonerated and returned to England where he founded yet another monastic center (named for Mary who, of course, appeared to Egwin in a dream). He later died there. Miracles were performed in his name. Thus, he's a saint.
It ain't always easy. Sometimes you have to stand before The Man and plead your case. But we do muddle through somehow. God is here in spite of it all.
Merry Christmas, y'all! Seriously. I hope it has been a beautiful holiday for all. 
