Boxing Day

It's 9:30 a.m., and I am still sprawled in bed.

Unusual for me, but necessary, after two nights long past midnight in a row.  (Sleep issues mean I usually aim for bed by 10:30 at the latest, giving myself as long as possible to be horizontal and rest, knowing that I often struggle with sleep.)

It's kind of nice.

A few years back, my brothers and I would haul ourselves out of bed early in the morning, aiming to hit the sales at all of their favorite surf and skate shops.  (I was usually after a hoodie, or something I wouldn't normally buy in those shops where prices are higher.)  I asked them both yesterday if they would be shopping today.  One rolled his eyes and commented that he didn't want to be anywhere near places for shopping at this time of year.  The other commented that he was broke, but had promised to accompany a friend who wanted to shop, so he'd keep his word.  None of the three of us could convince ourselves that there was anything we needed badly enough to get out of bed and brave crazy lines and crowds in the cold.

So here's how my boxing day is going to look:

I'm going to lay in bed just a little bit longer.  And probably grab something to eat for breakfast.

Then I'm going to get up, do a load of laundry, and take a shower.

There is a stack of empty baking containers in my kitchen sink that need washing - remnants from the manic packaging of several weeks worth of baking into present form yesterday morning.

At some point I'll likely migrate to my parent's house, where the agenda will likely be either watching a movie, or one of the Plantet Earth dvds that my dad received as a Christmas gift.

Low key.

So good.

~~~

I'm thinking too, about the fact that the church recognizes the feast of St. Stephen today. 

I've always loved the story of Stephen, the first martyr.  It has moved me in ways I really can't explain.

I've loved, too, the introduction it offers to Paul - as the one standing there, offering his approval to this vicious killing, by holding the cloaks of those doing the stoning, so they wouldn't have to get dirty while engaging in such a dirty task.

So today, amidst my quietness, I'm thinking again about the cost of following... Not a bad thing to consider, I suppose, as I go about my quiet day.