The aftermath of Christmas

The best gift I've had in years was this year's Chrismas gift: two healthy daughters after their car accident.
Last year people living in our street were to be evicted from their home and they fled the arrival of the bailiffs on Christmas Eve. Their haste was such, they left a trial of domestic products in this street and the next. The microwave fell off their trailer on the bend in the road.
Difficult life changing events are hard enough to bear, but when they occur around Chrismas time the impression is greater still.

A blog friend of mine has lost all her worlly possessions due to a fire just before Christmas: Edie, a.k.a. Life in Grace. Take a look, read it: you'll be enlighted!

It's her birthday today! Happy birthday Edie!

She is a firm believer of a benevolent God, as am I, but not as firm. I'm more a doubter, though never of His presence. So what do I doubt? The benevolence of people? I can be very weary (due to experiences in the past!) But I'm sure we all have that, though I shouldn't even take that for granted!
We are all different and we all react different.
Edie is an example to me in all her optimism and her faith.

So what happens after Christmas: out with that tree, shedding needles everywhere.
And there it is: that big void of the aftermath of Chrismas ...
The big whole where the tree stood and all the rooms seem so bland because the Christmas decorations have been taken down, put in boxes in the attic.

I'm so glad this was the only fire we had!
Bye bye Chrismas tree:

So now the year has really begun!