Thank God.

Thank God we made it through today.

I knew it would be hard.

This pandemic.

Doing my best to make an annual Christmas dinner

as good as it could be while honouring the guest's request

to sit at separate tables. 

***

It about kills me.

My heart feels a lot of sadness at being so separated.

To not be able to even share a table together for

Christmas dinner.

***

Because we are committed to this family,

we made it happen,

even though it was difficult.

***

I made it as beautiful as I could.

And the meal was really tasty. 

That was a comfort.

And I sure enjoyed that mince pie with a bit of cream.

***

But I could feel the suffering of this family,

of how hard it is for them,

how the pandemic has lead to heartache 

that is in NO way their fault. 

***

I can tell that we are all really weary of all of this.

***

I really pray that next year Christmas can be

with family, with friends, all at the same table,

no more masks, no more fear, no more 

having to be so careful all the time.

***

But I know we don't know and we must just

try to do the best we can in the day.

***

And I guess, in the end,

that was what this day was about.

Just making the best we possibly can 

while honouring the needs of our guests.

***

Lord have mercy on us and save us.

Lord, please comfort us.