Christmas stuff(ing)

• Trompe L'oeil and Rice & Soup: Blogs that are all dressed up for the season!

• The Winterealm: Unrehearsed Christmas tunes; better than my bathroom singing anytime.

• Real Live Preacher: I was absolutely captivated by the sample chapter of A Christmas Story You've Never Heard. It was the simplicity of the story-telling, as much as the story itself, that touched me; no need for fancy graphics or special sound effects. Unfortunately, the online version (from iTunes) is unavailable for those of us who do not have a US credit card. (Man, you guys don't know how good you have it there.) I had a friend buy it for me anyway, and it was well worth every penny; all that was lacking was a fireplace for me to sit by while I listened to some old school story-telling. Beautiful.

• All I Really Want for Christmas by Steven Curtis Chapman: The Chapmans have three lovely adopted daughters from China (you can read more here), and their eldest, Shaohannah, makes an appearance in this CD. In some cultures, it seems that we adopt (children, pets, etc.) for our own purposes; in others, adoption is a gift to someone who needs a home -- the thought continues to confound me. Anyway, things have been a little rough at home, even if you don't see me writing about it (as of 3 AM last night, things kinda took a turn towards recovery, so I think we'll be okay), but this is one of those things that will make you believe in love (the real kind, not the Hollywood myth) again...
  


Well, I don't really know if you remember me or not
I'm one of the kids they brought in from the home
I was the red-haired boy in an old, green flannel shirt
You may not have seen me, I was standing off alone

I didn't come and talk to you cause that's never worked before
And you'll probably never see this letter, anyway
But just in case there's something you can do to help me out
I'll ask you one more time

All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
A shoulder to cry on if I lose, shoulders to ride on if I win
There's so much I could ask for, but there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas, is a family

Well, I guess I should go ahead and tell you now
If it's really true about the list you have
Somehow I always seem to end up in a fight
But I'm really trying hard not to be bad

But maybe if I had a brother or a dad to wrestle with
Maybe they could teach me how to get along
And from everything I've heard it sounds like
The greatest gift on earth, would be a mom

All I really want for Christmas is someone who'll be here
To sing me Happy Birthday for the next 100 years
And it's ok if they're not perfect or even if they're a little broken
That's all right, 'cause so am I

Well, I guess I should go, it's almost time for bed
And maybe next time I write you I'll be at home

'Cause all I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
Tell me I'll never be alone, someone whose love will never end
Of all that I could ask for, well, there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

-- "All I Really Want" by Steven Curtis Chapman