evening glow

Christmas is over,

and the trimmings are stored away,

but if you stop by our house tonight
it will still have that Christmas glow.

There was a time when I thought it was truly tacky 

(or if you'd rather, Mark, in poor taste)

to leave lights up beyond New Year.

Not any more.  

It's amazing how your perspective can change in a new environment.

The lighting in our house wasn't exactly wired for aesthetics.

There's not a warm, welcoming feeling when you flip the switch at dusk.

The naked bulbs are more akin to a deer and headlights.

So when I walked into my neighbor's house one mid-July evening, 

and realized how inviting it felt, I looked for the reason.

I didn't have to look far;

it was the strands of Christmas lights glowing in her kitchen.

I loved it.

So at Christmas I bought extra strands
for the kitchen, the bedroom,
the living room, and the family room.

And without a big fuss,

with no electrical rewiring,

the house now has an evening glow all year-round.

Thank you, neighbor, for showing me another way!

Have you found yourself intentionally doing something lately that you thought you'd never do?