This morning I woke up before everyone else and prayed and thought about yesterday's events. I thought about the way my wife's uncle brought a great deal of faith to the event in the midst of apathy. I wished I could have acknowledged this more to him for edification. I also thought about how this as a role model for me in spiritual leadership of my family. I also thought about how we all made a lot of insignificant small talk about sports and news events. I thought about how I could lead a conversation about the real meaning of the holiday. Perhaps I could play a game of questions leading everyone to talk about what and why we celebrate the birth of Christ and why it is important. I thought about how this could get everyone to answer from their differing perspectives and be a learning experience for all.

I also thought about how faith got me through my trying experience in the end. In the past I would have gotten overwhelmingly upset. I would have had to place an inordinate amount of blame on someone. I would have made a furious and rash decision probably to go home rather than spend the night as we did. I thought about what God was trying to teach me through this experience.

When we got home we had Christmas with my sister-in-law and nephew. It was a delicate situation as my parents did not choose to join us. I had to advise my wife that we could not control their actions, and we can control our attitude toward this, that we can have serenity and allow them to resolve their own relations. I then realized the significance of the serenity prayer as describing the fruits of the program.

This evening I got to go to a meeting. Our topic was the carpet slippers and the bottle. I shared about my two relatives who gave up drinking without a program. I tried to contrast this with meaningful sobriety but couldn't come up with adequate words. I think that I did ok but afterward I thought of some very good insights that I would like to write about, perhaps in my blog.

I suddenly realized that God is blessing me with many spiritual gifts this Christmas.

Thanks be to God.