We Want You Here With Us

Last night we left Uncle Andrew snug in his box on the porch. This morning, he was nowhere to be found. I immediately panicked. Panicked, as in, I sent an e-mail to everyone in our neighborhood, appealed to anything sovereign in a continuous prayer of frenzy, sat on the porch, waiting and crying, and maybe meowing a little. I texted Jesse at work in my despair. When he got home, he walked around to the back of the house, and emerged about three minutes later, Uncle Andrew in tote. Jesse attributes his cat whisperer abilities to the fact that he simply channeled his inner cat. Clearly, everyone has an inner cat. He thought like a cat, and he ended up under the back porch. I look forward to seeing Jesse's inner cat resurface in the future.

After the incident, we went to the pet store to get Uncle Andrew a collar (with a bell, of course) and a name tag. He's kind of a big deal.


This afternoon I made Christmas cookies.

After church tonight, some friends came over to enjoy chili, football and Settlers of Catan. Now the cookies are gone.

Today marks the beginning of Advent, the season of waiting for the Messiah. In a prayer at All Souls, someone spoke the words, "We want you here with us." I want Jesus here with me, in the same way I want my little kitten, my husband, my family and friends, a community of believers. I want their company every day, in every aspect of my life. I want that presence like a flood in my everyday life, bathing me with a sense of belonging and place. We want you here with us--Uncle Andrew, friends, community, Emanuel--we want you here with us.