"On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me - 4 colly birds ... "

Most of us recall this is "calling birds" - but the historians are saying it should be "colly birds", for "coal", as in "black as coal". That's mostly of interest to the linguists and doesn't appear to be significant in any other way.

4 days into Christmas, and it is getting more challenging to keep up the focus. But, our family has been spending an extended time together this year, and it has changed our holidays. Growing up, I always had an extended Christmas - various parts of the extended families would gather during Christmas break to celebrate and share. I whole-heartedly recommend you try it.

So, what of the '4'? It has taken us 4 days and a several hour drive away from our routine to shed our day-to-day encumberances and begin to get closer to a real Christmas. For you, it may be different. But, we also have 4 accounts of the birth, life and death of Christ - the Gospel writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each lend their voice to telling the story. Perhaps, there is strength in these numbers.

We all seem to shore ourselves up for the days before Christmas, which are much more numerous than the 12 after. How are you doing on your fourth day of Christmas? Do you need to hear the stories again?

Do you see what I see?