Merry Christmas!

From Isabel's Christmas Letter to Friends and Family ~

A Christmas blessing for you all:

May the eagerness of the shepherds,

the joy of the angels,

the perseverance of The Magi,

the faithfulness of Mary & Joseph,

and the Peace of the Christ Child

Be yours, this Christmas and always.

Love Isabel

"So what are you doing for Christmas?"

The old "So what are you doing for Christmas?" is a familiar question from Isabel's visitors or Christmas correspondents. And once again, we reply "Christmas is a season"!

The Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love of this Advent Season has come into Mum's life in so many ways since our family launch of the season in late November. We rejoice in:

* a surprise CD full of Orcadian images and music created by friends who live on Orkney.

* the artistry of one of Mum's first students, Rudy (1948), in his depiction of the Christmas Lights of Vancouver in his card for "Miss Robertson".

* Lynn's creative birthday card with its Hawaiian theme and photos of Isabel in Hawaii (1952).

* the surprise phone call from Mum's childhood friend Lil from Chase, BC.

* success after a 10-month search for the whereabouts of an Orcadian-connected friend who had lived in Bredenbury and Regina, and who has now been discovered living in a care home in Central Butte.

* the jazz renditions of old familiar carols played by Larry & Marj at the Wascana December Birthday Party. And during "Angels We Have Heard on High", a sudden deep bass singing The Gloria. The beautiful words were sung by a resident who no longer appears to have words (as the result of a stroke). But his choir-trained voice found the GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO and he sang in perfect harmony while we listened in wonder.

* two days later ~ on a sunny Sunday morning on the Wascana Veterans' Unit, our family friends Ron & Joel led a guitar singsong of Christmas carols and songs. Isabel brought Rufus' Jingle Bells and for the first time in four years she felt able to sing the familiar words. Among Joel and Ron's complicated finger patterns that created lovely arrangements, we told stories of the meaning of different carols in our lives. Isabel & Doug (Ron's father-in-law who is another Wascana resident and Mum's daily friend at therapy) recalled the names of their Jingle Bell horses over the years.

"There are many ways to enjoy this season and they don't all include eating and travelling", says Isabel.

Gratitude for it all....and for all your letters and cards and visits. We can't begin to name all the ways we are touched by your kindnesses.