One by one

We decided to stay home for the 12th day of Christmas... because we could.  There is something wondrous about staying home in the cold and the snow.  Especially now that I have no parish responsibilities, particularly responsibilities to make sure the church lot remains plowed.  I do not miss that one At All.  I do not know whether I will venture out tomorrow.  That remains to be seen.

One by one

We decided not

To go to church

Even though the temperatures

Were not quite as cold

As predicted.

One by one

Each of us is home.

We watch the temperatures drop

From inside.

I consider making soup

Perhaps Indian food

From a microwavable package.

I consider

Reading all the books

I have in the stack

Next to my chair.

But first I watch

The temperatures drop,

The still-decorated tree,

The full Nativity with the kings

Already in place.

I remember the hymns

I heard from my office

Last week,

Hymns rehearsed on the organ

For today.

I hum them to myself

As my beloved

Blows snow

Outside,

My daughter has retreated

to her hidey hole

Upstairs.

One by one we chose

To stay home.