Dear Reader:

Early Saturday morning something woke me with a jerk…the first thing I heard was my heart pounding in my ears…it was so loud it felt like my heart was ready to jump out of my body and run away.

What had awakened me? As the fog of sleep began to wear off I started remembering a dream…a nightmare I was having…it was already fading and it seemed only nonsensical now as I turned the bedside lamp on and checked the time. It was 4:30 in the morning.

I decided to get on up and use the bathroom before trying to calm my metabolism down enough to fall asleep again. This endeavor proved futile in its attempt.

Suddenly every noise in the darkened room had me sitting back up and trying to figure out what part of the room the sound had come from  and then  an explanation for it. This kept me busy enough for the early morning light to begin filtering into the room.

No need to try to sleep any longer…I got up and went to the early bird Belk Charity sale to retrieve an item I had left there for pick up yesterday…with an additional discount. Since part of the sales went to various charities I consoled myself that I was doing a “good” thing for the community.

When I got back home I was already tired from the restless night and plopped on the sofa to read some more entries from Quinn Caldwell’s book “All I Really Want.” His book contains an entry of wonderful, homespun wisdom and humor (Christmas messages) for each day of Advent… often I find myself chuckling out-loud.

This year Advent begins on Sunday, November 29 and runs through Christmas Eve –  Thursday, December 24. When I began to read the following Advent entry…I just shook my head and pointed upward…a big God Wink was lying on the page. The topic….Scary Nights!

December 3

Why is everything scarier in the middle of the night? A noise you wouldn’t think twice about if you heard it at noon can paralyze you at 2 a.m.

A dream you’d totally just laugh off during your afternoon nap leaves you staring at the ceiling, blankets up to your chin, in the wee hours. A window that has never looked out on anything but the side yard becomes the potential frame for a vision of horror when you’re on your way for your midnight routine restroom stop.

And that’s just for those of us who live in relatively safe houses. Never mind those who spend their nights on subway grates or cardboard, in fear of attack or invasion, in danger of spouses or temptation.

So what is it? Is it that at night, we’re more vulnerable or just feel more vulnerable? Is it that the dangers are greater or just look bigger in the dark?

 Against the shadows, against the night, against that which stalks the good and the bad, for those who live their lives in night-times of fear and for those who just wake up alone once in a while, Jesus promises this:

The night will end. The morning star will rise, and then the sun. The night will not and cannot ever win.

If you find that easy to believe in the daytime, but a little harder at night, Hang A Star in Your Room this Advent, a light-up Christmas star from Target, a glow-in-the-dark star stuck on the ceiling, or a starry night-light.

You can call it a Christmas decoration so your friends don’t think you’re weird, if you want. But don’t forget what it really is: A PROMISE!  

……………………..

A solution to my problem..I quickly pulled down my box of Christmas tree ornaments and there it was …my big star that hangs on the back of the Christmas tree. I already had little white lights woven in and around my corner shelves…I added a tack and placed my star on the second rung.

It has a glittery, sparkling decor with the  clear lights behind it…I will be able to see it when I need it at night..

“Star light, Star Bright- Sweet dreams only…none of fright”

So until tomorrow…“Lord, I don’t know how long this night is going to be. But with you, I know it’s going to end. Come, Morning Star, come. Amen.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*December 3 (today’s advent entry story date) is my little brother, David’s, birthday. He is in a place now where there are only peaceful, happy dreams that have become reality, forever.

*Besides my nightmare early Saturday morning there was another ‘scare after Halloween’ in Death Valley yesterday afternoon…Believe me I had no trouble sleeping last night and the star kept the bad mojo away. (That game against FSU about put me under…)

I put the purple mums beside the Clemson flag (early Saturday morning) for some added good luck and there they will remain now until the end of the season. You can’t mess up by rearranging good mojo… once it arrives…leave it alone!