Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

It has been three months since the last major holiday.

In that time, I have not really done a good job of putting away the decorations. I did mange to (mostly) get them out of the living areas. I still occasionally find an M&M guy with a red stocking hat in the basket of baby toys. And it was only last week that I insisted the string of lights around the boys’ bedroom ceiling must come down and finally collected the extra nativity set from off the piano. Yes, a creche in April on my piano.

But worst of all has been the garage/dumping ground. Instead of wrapping them in protective paper and snuggling them in for a long summer’s nap, my army of nutcrackers has been forced to do sentry duty on a spare table. Plastic kids’ cups with gingerbread men on them, miscellaneous ornaments in various stages of wholeness, and the stray felt reindeer candy cane cover were piled nearby.

A bag of lights – do they work or not? A Christmas music CD – where is the cover? This package of 12 ornaments has only 10 – I know we started out in December with a full collection.

I firmly resolve, with your help, to do penance (clean the garage), to sin no more (I swear I will do better next year), and to avoid the near occasion of sin (except for the Easter baskets, I’m not getting out any other decorations).

Have mercy on me, Lord.