ebb & flow

...or how I'm blessed.

My life has been stuck in the "ebb" part of the idiom this Christmas.  I nixed cards.  Then neighbor treats.  And now I'm planning to let JoDee help me make the Christmas gifts I (three months ago!) planned for my sisters.  When she comes.  The week after. 

But the beautiful thing about the universe is this:  when I ebb, others flow.  And how.  It's a magnanimous universe. After all.  And that magnanimity extends to the blessed minutia. 

Like yesterday when I was warming up a Costco tortilla, debating the viability of a quick-made salsa without fresh cilantro.  A knock on the door, and suddenly I'm sitting at the table with fresh homemade salsa from my Megan friend. 

And this morning I nearly called Mandi to make us some caramel (which she does divinely), but was waylaid by a call from Jim saying the Cook's dropped off homemade (you guessed it!) caramel that he stashed in a cupboard.  And, yes, it was divine.         

Yesterday morning Mandi and I hosted a brunch for ladies we visit teach in our church. And when they left, I thought about how blessed I am for the accident of living where I do. This was supposed to be our "temporary" situation, but I can't think of a better place to be "stuck". There are at least a dozen women in my greater neighborhood who would drop their day to help me through any need.

Then there was Monday night.  When I had a whole lot of baking to do.  But let me back up first to say how much I despise being downstairs in my kitchen at night when everyone else is snugly tucked into the upstairs world.  I steeled myself to the task, then dialed my Kelly friend as I walked down.  And she stayed on the phone with me for Kitchen-Aid noise, to-myself muttering, two bundts, marshmallows, and clean-up.  170 minutes of friendship flow.  Generous, indeed.

There was one other to-do nixed from my holiday list rather early.  I wanted a new Christmas mix.  With two requirements -  Michael Crawford's "O Holy Night" and Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.  Well, as I drove away from a soup & sandwich date last week, an April-made CD was popped into the player.  And on track 3 I decided mid-tears that Handel's Messiah is the most beautiful piece of music in existence.   A piece that borrowed words from a brilliant Isaiah, who clearly explains the source of all the generosity that ever was and is:  "And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." ...He who has the power to silence my pains, strengthen my weaknesses, bring comfort to my Ebb..and possibility to my Flow.

Comments

[Lucy]

Awesome perspective, Amy. The most amazing thing to me was 170 minutes of telephone time. Wow.

[amberly]

You put into words beautifully what I feel on a regular basis. I also am in a "stuck" position and deeply blessed because of it. And I also grumble quite a bit when the littles are tucked in bed and my work in the kitchen is not complete. Thank heaven for the kelly's of the world!

[Jill]

Wow, I wish my ebbs and flows were this amazing! It's cool that you recognized them and documented them here.

I think cooking on the phone with a friend is fun, but I've recently taken to listening to audio books on my iPod and that has made the long hours in the night rather great.

[Kelly]

This could have been your Christmas letter, Amy -- beautiful!

And the 170 minutes were definitely a pleasure! Really, the best 170 minutes of my Monday.

[Tiffany]

Love your thoughts...such a blessed few days.

(I wonder what I can nix?)

[lelly]

it really is an ebb and flow. and only recently have i been able to embrace the ebb, myself.

[jenny c.]

I loved this post and now feel like I should be popping in one of those tunes!

[April]

This was a lovely blessing post. And I really like how you call three hours of baking "ebb." That is all-out effort in my world.

[Marie]

This was a lovely friendship tribute. Look how many people love you!

[michelle]

Beautiful. This COULD be your Christmas letter! (If you were sending out cards, of course.) Lucky blog readers.

I too hate being in the kitchen when everyone else is snuggled away. Funny, because I usually don't mind it a bit if everyone is up and around.

The Messiah is brilliant and, I'm sure, inspired.

[sista #2]

What a lovely read on a Friday afternoon :)

[Shanon]

That is awesome. Everything you say is so perfect. I too love Michael Crawfords O Holy Night. It is my favorite Christmas song.

[carlo]

oh ebb and flow...i know it well. i have posted on it too and it is usually in relation to summer in my world

your blessed to have such friends. and i love to read your words. i feel as though we are sitting across the table

[Katie A.]

That was a beautiful post. How wonderful to have such great friends--a true Christmas blessing!

[crystalyn]

amy, this is so inspiring and just what i needed to read today. i need to put a little more trust in the ebb & flow and recognize it when it happens. you're amazing. happy holidays!

[Lezlie]

You're awesome! What a great idea to host a luncheon for the ladies you visit. I'm definately going to steal that idea!