Christmas Blessings

LOL.  ROFL.

These acronyms come into play a lot in our internet world, usually to mark something as laugh-out-loud funny (LOL) or roll-on-the-floor-laughing worthy (ROFL).  Sadly, in reality, neither one happens with great frequency for me.

But then sometimes it does.

Like this morning, when I had a little snafu that I wanted to share with my family via Facebook, and I decided to share it with my whole Facebook circle, because it was a little silly and funny and I thought I’d brighten someone’s day with it.  My toaster, which I consider my favorite household appliance and that we got from my brother and sister-in-law for a wedding gift thirteen years ago, went belly up as I was helping my son fish his English muffin out this morning.

I took a picture of my dearly departed and posted it, with a little description of how I felt about its passing.  It was a minor inconvenience for sure, but thought I’d make a much bigger deal out of it, especially since everyone in my family knows it’s my favorite and everything. 

And also because I tend to like to make a bigger deal out of everything that is silly or funny.

Facebook friends played along, giving tongue-in-cheek condolences and expressing sympathies.   My family members chimed in too, offering up remembrances as if the toaster was part of their lives as much as it was a part of mine.  In ten minutes, ten people had responded.

Then I realized that the GFI switch on my outlet had tripped.  The toaster hadn’t died; the outlet it was plugged into was protecting us from an electrical fire.

I swiftly presented the information to the Facebook crowd, who I envisioned would be shaking their heads and wondering why I am so stupid and being thankful that they aren’t.

Then it happened.  As the goofiness of the whole scenario hit me, I LOL’d, and R’dOFL.  Seriously.  I fell out of my chair.  There was nothing for me to do but roll.

Tears streamed down my face as I typed “IT’S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE” and my brother responded “I hear the trumpets of Angels! Blessed be thou, Dualit toaster!”  One by one, the Facebook thread filled with exaggerated blessings and I was overcome with giddiness, embarrassment, and sheer joy that I didn’t have to get myself another toaster this close to Christmas.

All this on a morning where I sat at my kitchen table, tired and in pain from a particularly serious neck tweaking I did the day before and that had me up since 4:30 am, the stress of having only a few days before Christmas and the days and nights are filling up with things to do and places to go and WHERE AM I GOING TO FIND THE TIME TO WRAP MY CHILDREN’S GIFTS? and our nation’s collective sorrow steadily undulating about the senseless murders of 20 schoolchildren and 6 of their teachers.

God knows when I need to LOL and ROFL.

And for that, I’m thankful.  

Christmas miracles are everywhere.  You just have to know where to look.

Thank you, God, for your many blessings.  For the birth of your son, for encouragement from friends and family, and for laughter that you supply in so many creative ways.  My I never overlook the places where your blessings might hide.  Amen.