The good smell of them [pancakes] mixed with the good smells of fried salt pork and boiling coffee.”
–Laura Ingalls Wilder (The Long Winter)
Mornin’ to yuh, Pard. Yep, coffee’s ready and waitin’ for yuh. Been expectin’ yuh to show up. Goin’ to be a grand day and week. Soon as yuh leave, the missus and I are headin’ over to the youngest daughter’s house for a birthday celebration. Her husband is gettin’ up in years, an’ we need to be headin’ his way. Shore don’t want him to be throwin’ a hip out of joint celebration’; someone needs to be there to keep him in line. He’s gettin’ up there in age to be called a young, ol’ codger.
The quotation above reminded me of our traditional Christmas breakfast. I’m already lookin’ forward to it. Plenty of bacon and either beignets or donuts do go along with it. We started the beignets when we lived down in bayou country, Baton Rouge to be exact. Probably some cranberry bread along with other Christmas fixin’s. It’s almost better than Christmas dinner.
A couple of things I want to say to yuh, Pard. First, in this evil, wicked, and sinful world, remember that is the reason for Jesus to come to this earth. He came, not to rid the earth of evil, but to offer a solution–one for all of eternity, and Pard, let me tell yuh, if’n yuh don’t know, that is a long time. The Gift is given, so all folks have to do is reach out, repent, and accept it. My what an easy thing to do. Easier than I’ve seen some folk try to unwrap a present. My jackknife is always in use on Christmas.
The second thing is that in the midst of yur celebratin’ and it’s alright to be doin’ that, don’t forget that Christmas should also be a solemn occasion. Take a moment an’ think along with me. Eve was deceived, but sin came when Adam ate. That ‘Postle of old, Paul wrote, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12, ESV). God placed a curse on both Adam and Eve, but did yuh notice that the promise will come through Eve. It will be her seed that the Messiah, Jesus our Savior would come. It seems that the spiritual DNA is carried through the man. It would be the seed of the woman that would bruise the serpent’s head. Just wrap yur noggin’ ’round that thought. Then we hear the angels tellin’ those mutton-punchers, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” From the womb of Mary–the woman, came the birth of our Lord. Amazin’, simply amazin’ if’n yuh ask me.
So again, have loads of fun, but take time to ponder an’ contemplate the meanin’ an’ the significance of this wondrous event. And in the midst of all the fun, hubbub, hustle and bustle, and gobblin’ down the goodies and pies and cookies, and turkey that when yuh go out in the cold that yuh don’t forget to be checkin’ yur cinch. Shore wouldn’t be a good way to end the year. So Pard, an’ to all, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Vaya con Dios.