Happy July 4th....

I know it's been a while since I've written any blog....so many things I want to do and it seems that there is so little time for those "want" things.  Seems that as I get older, I feel restless....thoughts go through my head that there is not much time left to my life and yet, there are so many things I feel I haven't done, seen, gone to, spent time with, discovered, etc. 

Financially, I am forced to work if I want a roof over my head, food on my table, and money to pay bills with.  And it may not seem right to look forward to retirement because that is just wishing your life away faster!  Is there a happy medium?  I think that if I could afford to retire, then I would be able to spend time with daughter #1 in New York and enjoy her children; then do the same with daughter #2 in Connecticut; check in on my son and, oh so many ideas!! 

But I keep telling myself "One day at a time!"  One can't help having these thoughts when we see that some of our favorite people have passed to eternity right before our eyes.  One of my favorite actors, Andy Griffith, just passed away at 86 on July 3rd.  Now, some of you younger folk are probably thinking that 86 is O-L-D!!!  Well, it probably seems like it is, but the closer you get to it, it doesn't seem that old!!  Don't worry, some day you will understand what I am talking about.  Andy was Christian and knew where his final destination would be. 

I am thankful that, as a Christian, I too know where my final destination will be.  Every day is a gift from God.  He doesn't owe it to us, it is a GIFT.  Every breath we take is also a gift from God.  In these days so many people feel that everything should be "owed" to them. There are those of us who know that everything we have, every breath we take, every day when we open our eyes to a new day....it is not OWED to us, it is given to us as a GIFT from God. 

What are you going to do with your GIFT today?  There is no guarantee that you will have a "tomorrow".... so relish is what you have today, enjoy what you have today, and thank God for His graciousness of giving you that gift. 

Enjoy your Independence Day....

Dizzy as a Door Nail......Hmmmm

Okay, so what is a "door nail"?  I've heard that expression since I was a child, and still cannot figure out what a door nail has to do with being dizzy!!  I DO know, however, that the sinus canals on the right side of my face are smaller than the left -- and THAT is what seems to be causing the fluid to stay on the right side of my head causing my dizziness, vertigo, and wierd equilibrium sensations!  Ahhh, the joys of aging.  I am told that it will only get worse as I continue to age!!  Is there a pill to stop the aging process :-) 
Spring has finally sprung in NC and the weather has been wonderful!!  I hope your spring is just as great....get out and plant something, go for a walk, or eat a scoop of your favorite icecream....BEFORE dinner.  As the saying goes, "East Dessert First; Life is Uncertain"!!!

The Happy Friday Dance

Yes, finally, it's Friday!  I woke up this morning, appreciating the warm weather and wondering if Spring had finally sprung.  The temperature was nearly 60 degrees when I got up this morning and it definitely put a little hop in my step!  Even Maestro seemed to take on a Spring-like attitude, putting his nose up in the air and sniffing like "I can handle this"!! But, because of the lovely weather, and the day of the week, I just had to do my "Happy Friday Dance"!!  Just shake your booty and turn in a circle, arms up in the air.  Great exercise for the body and mood!!  I love Fridays.  I hope your Friday was a great one....and next week, don't forget to do the "Happy Friday Dance"!

AHH....SUMMER!!

i know...it's been a while since i've blogged....but this has been great golfing weather (until the very high humidity set in!)...what can i say!

i traveled to syracuse new york to visit my oldest daughter and her family over the 4th of july weekend...and had a great, great time! the first day there is got to a high of 69 degrees...quite a difference from the 90+ degree days we had been having in north carolina. the second and remaining days were in the high 80s, low 90s...but, from what i understand, now they are in the high 90s as well....just gotta love this weather! needless to say, the heat in new york brought out the slip and slide which, truth be known, i did have to participate in! yup, picture a 60 year old grandma running and sliding down that cool, wet slip and slide and having the kids laugh at the very sight of it! we had a blast getting the kids wet...and my daughter as well!! on the 4th of july we set off the sparkler-type fireworks in the back yard! that was pretty cool, too.

my daughter is a crafter extraordinare....she has a shop on etsy and creates the most fabulous things. since she is also an artist, creativity flows very easily from her...and she got me re-motivated to get my quilting juices flowing again. i showed her the trick of strip-quilting...she showed me how to do needle felting! another project to experiment with. so, of course, i can't be creative with my quilts until i clear out and clean up my sewing room. yesterday i spent just about the entire day reorganizing furniture and rooms. now i can get quilting again without feeling overwhelmed by the clutter.

i just have to show you the reaps of my harvest....this year i took a patch of my postage-stamp back yard and created a wildflower area. that was fun because in the bag of wildflower seed i wasn't sure just what was going to come up....turns out i ended up with several plants that produced wonderful flowers....my old brain cannot think of the name of the flowers right now (i knew the name just a few moments ago....)....okay, it came back to me...zinneas....beautiful colors that i just had to snip some and bring them into the kitchen...

and.....i also planted a peach tree last spring....this summer it has quite a few peaches on it...which i harvested today!!!

okay, laundry time.....hope you all have a wonderful day!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mom's out there!!! What is Mother's Day anyway? A day for mom's to feel guilty because we were not the "perfect' mother? A day for mom's to feel sad because our children neglected to contact us to wish us a Happy Mother's Day? NO, No, No!!! Did you know that Mother's Day started out as a religious holiday? I decided to find out just how Mother's Day came to be!!! In my older years I have found that history really intrigues me and I want to learn. Having the internet really helps in this area, as we can find just about anything on the internet!!! Gone are the days of those cumbersome encyclopedias!!! Thank goodness!!!

My thoughts wander....so to get back on track.....Mother's Day started as a religious holiday.

The history of Mother's Day is centuries old and the earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. In the early 1600s, the early Christians in England celebrated a day to honor of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. By a religious order, the holiday was later expanded to include all mothers and was named as "The Mothering Sunday." As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church". Over time, the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.

So the, how did Mother's Day get so commercialized? In the United States, the early settlers let the tradition slide and the celebration ended because the colonists were so busy. Julia Ward Howe (she wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic), an activist, started a movement to get "Mother's Day for Peace" to be recognized and celebrated on June 2nd, mainly intended to unite women against war.

Howe's idea was influenced by Anne Marie Reeves Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker who, starting in 1858, had attempted to improve sanitation through what she called "Mothers Friendship Day." Jarvis was active in trying to get better sanitation conditions during the Civil War. She was instrumental in saving thousands of lives by teaching women in her Mothers Friendship Clubs the basics of nursing and sanitation.

It was Jarvis' daughter, Anna Jarvis, who finally succeeded in introducing Mother's Day in the sense as we celebrate it today. After attending college and teaching for some time, she spent many years looking after her ailing mother. After her mother died, Anna missed her greatly. Anna felt that children often neglected to appreciate their mothers enough while the mother was still alive. Two years after her mother's death, she shared with friends her desire to establish a day for children to honor their mothers...living or dead. She hoped that Mother's Day would increase respect for parents and strengthen family bonds.

As a result of her efforts, the first Mother's Day in the U.S. was observed on May 10, 1908 by a churce service honoring the late Mrs. Reece Jarvis in the Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Grafton is now the home of the International Mother's Day Shrine. The first Mother's Day Proclamation was issued by the governor of West Virginia in 1910. By 1911, every state in the union celebrated Mother's Day. The House of Representatives in May 1913 unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the President, his cabinet, the members of both Houses and all officials in the federal government to wear a white carnation on Mother's Day. (The late Mrs. Jarvis was fond of carnations.) On May 7, 1914, it was resolved that the second Sunday of May be celebrated as Mother's Day.

"Now, Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the said Joint Resolution, do hereby direct the government officials to display the United States flag on all government buildings and do invite the people of the United States to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places on the second Sunday in May as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."

Nine years after the first official Mother's Day, commercialiasion became so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a major opponent of what the holiday had become. As the observance of Mother's Day enjoyed increasing popularity, this made Anna Jarvis disillusioned with her own creation. Though the original spirit of honoring the mothers remained the same, what began as a religious service expanded quickly into a more secular observance leading to giving of cards, gifts, flowers. Anna could not cope with this changing mode of expression.

Today, Mother's Day is a day of honoring mothers. It is a day when you acknowledge your mother's contribution in your life and pay tribute to her, often with flowers and gifts.

JFK - Part 2

Okay, so as if yesterday wasn't enough of an adventure, today was just as "fun (?)". I slept a few hours in the hotel room...not soundly because I was afraid I would oversleep and miss the shuttle back to the airport. Since JFK is so busy, I wanted to make sure I was at the airport at least 2 hours ahead of schedule....now I ask myself "for why?".....

I tried to check in at the kiosk, but the kiosk didn't remember that I was there the day before and did not want to recognize anything I tried to enter. I was then directed to the lady at the counter...who...for 45 minutes...tried to get me a ticket. After looking at the paperwork I had -- which comprised of my boarding pass from Sunday (which, obviously was no good) and an "interrupted flight voucher" which I received from the UNhelpful clerk at the desk at gate 23 the night before -- the woman told me that my flight had been completed! Yup...that's what she said..to which I replied "if it was completed, then why am I standing here still trying to get to Charlotte, North Carolina!!" There was some consulting with the other ticketing agents who finally helped her issue me a boarding pass...which I hope would work once I walked the 2 miles (really, it seemed like it) to gate 23.

Again, there were delays. The flight that was to have left at 8:30 a.m. still had lots of people in the waiting area wishing they could get home. The weather was very gray and wet! But, again, we were told the delay was more due to the extensive air traffic than the weather.

My flight was to have left at 10:30 a.m.; however, at 11:30 a.m. we were still waiting to board the plane. Finally at 12:30 p.m., we were allowed to board the plane, only to find out once they had us trapped on it, that we would need to sit on the plane at the gate for a while. That "while" turned out to be one and a half hours. Lunch of peanuts and cookies was offered after about a half hour. The pilot told us that some of the airplanes sitting on the tarmack had been waiting for take off for 3 hours....one of them happening to be the 9:30 a.m. flight!! Oh joy!! Around 2 pm, our plane got in line with the others on the tarmack and with approximately 30 planes in front of us, we waited, waited, waited to take off. We finally landed in Charlotte at 4:30 p.m. And, much to my amazement, when I went downstairs to baggage claim, there was my suitcase waiting for me in the Delta Baggage Office!!!

One thing to remember....avoid JFK at all costs!! I'm sure many reading this blog has been through similar situations. Fortunately, this is only the second time I've run into delays. Most of the time my flights happen without incidence! However, I do think that Delta needs to get a letter informing them of this...as many on the plane were talking about. Oh, while waiting in the terminal to board the plane, a lady came around with a business card asking people if they would go on-line and rate the airline and airport. When she asked me, I gladly said yes!! They should know, after all!!!!

The Big Apple Adventure

Greetings from JFK International Airport....well, right now it is the Days Inn. I'm actually supposed to be in Charlotte, NC trying to find my car in the East Deck Parking Garage.....HOWEVER......

I had a wonderful time visiting my daughter Melissa and visiting with her and my 3 grandchildren. But, alas, the time came for me to leave and catch my flight out of the Bradley International Airport. Looking at my itinerary, it appeared that this flight was going to be direct to Charlotte. No mention of a connecting flight or lay over! Yay!! Upon arriving at the airport, we were all greeted with the notification of a delay. Not a long one, we all were told. It was just that there was so much air traffic on this particular day, that we would have to wait for a while. My flight was to leave at 5:30 p.m.; however, we did not board the plane until 6:15 p.m. Once boarded, the pilot came over the speakers to tell us that we would need to sit on the tarmack for another 30 minutes -- which turned into approximately an hour. No big deal, I told myself, this was a direct flight so there was no fear of missing a connection!!

The flight attendand came around with bottles of water and snacks while we were waiting, waiting, waiting for air control to release our take off. Finally, we got the release and we would only be 7th in line to take off! We taxied out to get in line and waited, waited, waited! Finally, the speakers told us again, that we would now be taking off! The co-pilot informed us that this was a 30-minute flight to JFK airport from take off to landing. We got to what looked like Long Island below us and we circled, circled, circled waiting for permission to land. Again, we were told, all this delay was due to an extremely high volume of air traffic.

The flight attendant then came around and asked us what our connecting flight destination was to be. I politely informed her that I did not have a connecting flight, that I was staying on the plane and continuing on to Charlotte, NC!! The young gal that sat across the aisle from me confirmed that because she, too, was to stay on the plane for Charlotte. We both then were politely told back that we would need to get off the plane because this plane was continuing on to Rochester, NY. Oh, there must be some mistake we told her. We only had one boarding pass and it said "Hartford, CT to Charlotte, NC". Nope....we had to get off the plane and check at the gate desk for the correct plane to take us to Charlotte.

There were three of us on flight 6702 who stood helplessly in this huge JFK airport looking at the departure and arrival boards frantically checking for our connecting flight to Charlotte. There were none listed on the board. We finally got to speak to an attendant at another gate who told us that we had missed our connecting flight!!! W H A T?????????????????? We didn't even know we had a connecting flight!! It seems that with all the air traffic delays, we had missed the plane that was waiting for us at JFK. We were supposed to walk off one plane and board another and that plane got tired of waiting for us!!! The next flight to Charlotte would be on Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. And to top it off, we were told that we were not eligible for any hotel or meal vouchers!! (Delta just merged with NW Airlines and they have all this hype going on on how they are going to be better, blah blah blah....well, this is not a way to show it!) We were on our own...either sleep in the airport or find a hotel. My budget couldn't really handle a $100/night hotel room (yup...there were none found for less...), but there was no way I was going to sleep in those uncomfortable chairs in the terminal.

I headed down to baggage claim to get my luggage and found the belt where the luggage would be unloaded for flight 6702. I waited and waited and waited and waited. No luggage. Oh no!!! It was probably still on the plane! Yes, that is precisely what happened I was told at the Claim Office. My luggage would be delivered to my home on Monday sometime after 7:30 a.m. Hmmm, my luggage would arrive home faster than I would!!! I hope they leave it at my house until I get there, or who knows when I'll see it again!!!

JFK is a HUGE airport!!! In order to get to the Days Inn, I had to take an airport train to an area called Federal Station where all the hotel shuttles wait for you! I was asking all the "safe looking" people I saw (you know, the ones with kids in tow) if they were going to the same place and could I please follow them because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing! Some said NO and there were a few angels out there who said YES. Bless their heart!!

I'm in the Days Inn ... with no luggage. That means no make up, no hair brush, no clothes, etc. I did get a complimentary toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant from the front desk!! I've asked for a wake up call at 6 a.m. I hope they remember! Breakfast is available in the lobby, which is a GOOD thing!!

Fortunately, I won't have to take the airport train back to the terminal. The Shuttle Man will drop me off right at the terminal! Horray for me because I seriously don't think I would be able to find my way back!! Let's see what adventures await me tomorrow! Good night all!!

Snow Thunder!

Snow thunder, the weatherman said. I had never heard of it...have you? In any case, early this evening as I was sitting on the couch crocheting, I kept hearing what sounded like thunder...but it was snowing, so I thought I was imagining it. Nope. The weatherman said it was snow thunder! Huh, who would have thought!!! These pictures were taken at 10 pm. The snow flakes were huge (little snow?), and there was about 4 inches on the ground already! You can't make out the middle picture so well. I was standing on the front step looking up toward the corner light and it was snowing like crazy!! I was almost tempted to stay outside and make a snowman, but I wimped out!! This is the second snow we've gotten this year with any accumulation. The nice thing is that by the weekend, the temps are going to be in the upper 60s!! Yay!!!

Order in the Court

Okay, so I left you hanging regarding my jury service (they no longer call it "duty" because they would prefer you look at it as a service [positive] to the system rather than a duty [negative]). Let me say, first, that Mecklenburg County has a beautiful court building. The facilities are state of the art! At 8 a.m. I reported to the 5th floor and was signed in. The area where we signed in -- all 119 of us-- was the jury assembly room. This was the "holding" area until we were called in by groups of 30-45 to be interviewed by the court lawyers and judge. There were 3 large seating areas with 42" plasma TVs, a mezzanine with pinball machines and pool tables, and a cafe area with snack/soda machines, popcorn machine, and tables to sit at. This was the area I mostly spent my time until the group was "called to attention" when more names were chosen to be interviewed. I met a very nice young lady, Genea, and we talked and talked, played cards, went to lunch together....this really helped pass the time! There was one calling in the morning (I was not called), one at 2 pm in the afternoon (I was not called...by this time thinking I was off the hook), and then the last calling at 4 pm. Guess what....I got called! Thirty of us were lined up out in the hall and roll call was taken. Made me think I was back in school! We were then marched off to one of the courtrooms. We were all seated on bench seats in the audience section of the courtroom. The court clerk then called 12 names and they were assigned seating in the jury section. They were interviewed in front of the rest of us. The case being tried was for DUI. One by one, the selected jurors were interviewed ... were they or any of their family been arrested for DUI...was anyone in an accident caused by a DUI driver...was anyone associated with MADD or SADD....etc, etc. As individuals were eliminated, more from our seats were called to replace them. By 5:30 pm, the jury had been selected and there were 6 of us remaining on the bench seats, of which I was one of them. So, the 6 of us had fulfilled our "service" for the next 2 years (before we could be selected to serve again) and the selected jurors had to report back to court the next morning! This was fine by me because at work we were trying to get all paperwork done for end of year reporting! But I did make a friend out of it, and we plan to get together soon! All in all, it was a very interesting procedure...one that I had always wondered about and wished I had been called for.

Snow..Major Headlines

Yes, we got snow. More in some areas than others. The max just southeast of Charlotte hit, I think, about 5 inches. There has been more news on the local tv channels about the "snow storm" than about the inaugeration! Since it was such a news headliner, I just had to take a picture of the mounds of snow outside my house.

I half expected to see that the birds made a snowman out of the snow in the bird bowl when I got home this evening but, to my disappointment, they did not ! And, by the time I got home, the snow had totally diasppeared!

Winter Weather Alert!

School's
Now
Out
Wow!

Yep...all the schools are closed today because of the major news headline....SNOW!!! Yes, all 2-4 inches of it...yes, I said inches!
I'm heading out the door to go to work in this "major blizzard"!

Jury Duty

Well, I can't get out of it! About a month ago I got a Jury Summons that said to call the day before my scheduled jury service to see if I was still needed. Today was the day to call....and, yup, I've got to show up at the Mecklenburg Court House at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning....in uptown Charlotte...at the height of rush hour...to find a spot in the parking garage. I know that this probably sounds trivial, and I probably wouldn't be freaking out if I knew how to navigate around uptown Charlotte...BUT I DON'T...MUCH LESS DURING RUSH HOUR!!!!
This should be very interesting....I'll keep you posted.

Birthdays

Well, in approximately 50 minutes, it will be January 7th and the birthdays of today will have passed! For me, I'd rather forget that I just celebrated my 59th birthday. The cliche, "you're only as old as you feel" has some truth to it, because, fortunately, I am in good health and do not feel 59 at all! The best part of each birthday since 2001 is that my first-born grandchild, Emmalee, was born on my birthday! She turned 8 years old today! She was full of excitement when she called me this morning to wish me a happy birthday. She was exuberant as she recounted that she was served breakfast in bed and got to open her presents first thing this morning....Hannah Montana gifts, Taylor Swift CD, pj bottoms, jewelry, watch, etc. What a special time for an 8 year old!! I am so glad that we share the same birthday! Thank you, Andrea and Melissa for calling to wish me a happy birthday...thank you, Dan, for the email. Thank you to my friends for the birthday greetings, and to those who bestowed gifts. However, take notice that this is the last birthday I will be having....there will be no more...I refuse to turn 60 next January!!!!

Merry Christmas (past) and Happy New Year (future) 2009

Yes, I can definitely tell that Christmas is over. As Maestro and I walk through our community, there are very few Christmas lights left up on the houses. The weather today hit just about 60 degrees, so we could see more families removing Christmas lights....even my friend, Mary, started taking her decorations down today. Christmas is definitely over!! It was fun driving through not only our community, but nearby ones, to see the beautiful display of lights! Very festive...and I even got into the spirit of Christmas by putting my little country tree in the front with white lights on it! I trust everyone had a wonderful Christmas and wish for all a blessed, healthy, prosperous, loved New Year to you all (y'all).

I purchased a metal wire "all occasion" tree when I went to Blowing Rock a couple months ago. It's a great tree that stands approximately 36 inches tall. (I'd show you a picture of it, but for some reason, my computer does not want to read my Kodak card...bummer!) Not your typical Christmas tree, but I love it!! On each holiday, it will be adorned with proper attire. I am presently on a search for Valentine decorations for it.

Now that January is here, it seems that already the days are much longer and I can just tell that Spring is just around the corner. Why, even the forsythia bushes have started to bloom! Crazy!!

Surprise! Surprise!

Babygirl has pretty much resigned herself to living upstairs; Maestro lives downstairs. Once in a while Maestro will venture upstairs to check out things. Once in a while Babygirl will venture half way down the stairs to see if the "black beast" is still hanging around! I think Maestro thinks Babygirl is a big, fluffy squirrel!! When Maestro and I take walks and he happens to see a squirrel, he just about dislocates my shoulder as he makes a bee-line for it. Well, the same thing happens if he sees Babygirl peeking down the stairs. I'm not sure just how to convince him that she is not a squirrel. If I am upstairs and Maestro follows me up, Babygirl dashes under my bed and hisses at him. He is very curious about her and sticks his nose under the bedskirt to get a better look. When I go upstairs each night to go to bed, I tell Maestro, "Go to bed" and he pretty much understands and finds his spot in the kitchen or livingroom to curl up in and that is the end of it until I come down the next morning. He really is a good dog--even if he and Babygirl don't get along....yet! Babygirl, on the other hand, sleeps on my bed, starting out on my chest, and then curls up next to me. The other night, I was awoken by loud barking and chasing! It seems that Babygirl decided to get off the bed and, lo and behold, Maestro had decided that he was going to come upstairs and sleep on the floor next to my bed!! When she jumped off the bed, she landed on Maestro; Maestro began the chase! Babygirl didn't know in which direction to run--first down the hall, with Maestro in pursuit, and then back into the bedroom!! After much barking and hissing, I managed to convince Maestro that his rightful place to sleep was downstairs!! Now I better understand the term -- Scaredy Cat!!!!

The Nutcracker - Ballet

Our Red Hat group went into "uptown" Charlotte today to see The Nutcracker! I had never seen it before...and I didn't realize what I was missing! The ballet was mainly performed by the North Carolina Dance Theatre with music by Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. We went to the 2 p.m. matinee and I wished that my granddaughter Emmalee could have joined us! There were so many young girls in the audience, totally enjoying the show! Emmalee has taken ballet for several years now and I am sure she would have been very familiar with the beautiful and graceful moves by the dancers! My, oh my, those dancers were so light on their feet...they looked like feathers floating down to the stage! After the show, it was fun to stand in the lobby and watch all these young girls (and even some young boys) prance around imitating the ballet they had just seen. There were young students included in the production...some even younger than 7 year old Emmalee!! If you ever get the chance to see the live production of The Nutcracker...I encourage you to go and take your children!! This "young" woman thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the fantasy!!

Just One More Poem...

I've always enjoyed writing, but as I got older, other things distracted me...quilting, crafts, etc. This is the third poem I wrote and found in my papers recently. As we are in the holiday season, I cannot help but wonder if the majority of people realize what it is we are really supposed to be celebrating. The emphasis from retailers and media is materialistic "things". Things we think we need...must have; but after we have them, we tire of them quickly. Just look at the toybox of toys your children have. I'm sure alot of them were "must haves" at the time, but now they are stored in a box and mostly forgotten. I get tired of the commercials that say that in order to be happy we have to have this pair of jeans, or that car, or this special perfume. That was the reason for composing the following poem.

"Tis the Season"

Yes, it's come around again

to that time of year

When, as you look around you,

the world is "selling" cheer

The brightly colored decorations

all glimmer in the store

The trees, the lights, all catch our eye

commercials say "You NEED more!"

We make up our gift lists

and check the papers for a sale

Only 15 more days 'til Christmas

have the cards gone in the mail?

We're sure to do our baking

for there's parties to attend

The children's Christmas program --

Oh, not old Scrooge again!

Yes, this is the time especially

we find ourselves "strung out"

But wait a moment, take a break

What IS Christmas all about?

Reflect upon that wonderful night

in Bethlehem, so long ago

When a certain babe was born in a stable

and the stars had a special glow

The stars shone so very bright

the shepherds stopped to stare

Then angels told them to begin

their journey over there

Little did the shepherds know

this child was born to die

That He'd be punished for our sins

but then, rise up and reign on High

Yes, Christmas time IS here again

and the world would like to see

Us focus all our attention

on just the festivity

Oh, there's nothing wrong with enjoying

the holiday and festivities

Just remember WHY we celebrate

I'll tell you -- listen, please

What we really need to realize

as we celebrate Jesus' birth

Is that He came to offer salvation

to everyone on earth

The greatest gift ever given

was to all of us from God

Accept His gift -- You'll be glad you did

He's Jesus Christ, the Lord!

Jesus truly is the "The reason for the season!" May you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas 1975

Well, I wanted to scan the picture that goes along with this poem, but I seem to have misplaced the printer driver disc. You know, this getting "older" stuff is for the birds!!! Anyway, a while back I shared a poem that I wrote quite a few years back and told you that I would share another one. Since it is now December, I decided to pull out the poem that I wrote a couple of years after I gave birth to Melissa (our middle child). Andrea, the big sister, drew a picture that goes with the poem. Andrea, the artist, drew a beautiful picture of me holding the baby next to the decorated fireplace and the Christmas tree next to it. Stockings are hung on the mantle and a fire is blazing in the fireplace. Melissa decided to come into this world on Christmas Eve day! Andrea was being cared for by her grandparents, and I wanted to be home for Christmas for her. And, guess what........ ta da........drum roll........the doctor let me go home the next morning as long as I promised not to do a thing (like I would be able to...HA!).

CHRISTMAS 1975

I still remember it so well

so now to you I'll tell

My story of Christmas 1975

When the true meaning of gifts came alive.

My Christmas shopping was finally done

Right down to the very last one.

Each gift selected with the greatest of care

I sighed as I plopped into my favorite chair.

Preparations had to be made weeks before

Decorations, the tree, and -- yes -- vacuum the floor.

The cookies, breads and mince pie were all made

And each piece of clothing in my suitcase I laid.

Plan ahead -- freeze your meals, the information sheet read

So visions of meatloaf danced in my head.

The names and phone numbers were all written down,

The goodie bag, lollipops, and a brand new nightgown.

I had everything in order, so I took a bow

Even the doctor said "Any day now!"

Would I be early, or would I be late?

Like a child waiting for Santa, I just couldn't wait!

Tom was instructed where the gifts he would find

And then I said, "Dear, I think it is time!"

So Andrea was taken to Grandma's -- everyone's eyes were a-blurring

At 2:30 Christmas Eve morning, not even a mouse was a-stirring!

Christmas Eve morning, at 10:05

Melissa Joy Goodwin finally arrived!

Our gifts to the family would all be given...

But this was God's gift -- sent from Heaven.

Our tiny baby girl was perfect through and through,

Mom and Dad were exhausted, but very happy, too.

Andrea, too, would have a gift that would please some...

A sister she could love for many years to come.

The second gift that came our way,

Was being able to go home on Christmas Day!

Wow, it will be 33 years ago...and it seems still like it was last year! How the time does fly. Now Melissa has three children of her own! Andrea, I wish I could have scanned your picture...even at such a young age, you were very articulate in your drawing!

Poetry

Okay, like I said yesterday, I've been sorting through "stuff"....and I came across a file folder with some of my poetry that I wrote YEARS ago! I bet some of you didn't know I dabbled in writing poetry. I'm not sure about my son Dan, but I do know that my two daughters do not like the cold north weather. In fact, my oldest, Andrea, and I were talking about how depressing winters in the north can be. I struggled with the winter doldrums as well, which provoked (or should I say "inspired") me to write the following poem (as well as inspired me to move south!!). I never gave the poem a name!!

Lord, the summer has gone

and now Fall has left

all the leaves on the lawn ...

to be raked.

The mornings are becoming a bit cold

but the afternoons are warm,

and I'm getting too old ...

for all this work.

The trees are now all bare

of its leaves and the sky grays

but I don't care ...

I try to convince myself.

Lord, all Your beauty around begins to die

yes, to die, and You know me --

I get depressed and want to cry ...

and wish it were summer again!

And colder now the days do grow

the air so crisp

then comes the snow ...

Bring back the warmth!

Then, as I sit and contemplate,

and complain to the Lord

He says -- "WAIT ...

Focus on Me instead!

As you see the leaves

falling from the trees

Think of the tears that fell

as I was praying on my knees ...

in Gethesame.

As the days turn cold and the dew

turns to frost,

Remember My love for You

Will never grow cold ...

You are My child.

And as you look at the trees, now bare

remember the tree I bore

because of my care ...

for every one of you.

And, yes, it seems so painful to see

the beauty around you die.

But new life comes from Me ...

for I had victory over death.

Let the snowflakes that fall and blow

serve as reminder

that I have washed you white as snow ...

forever."

My friend, look all around you

and thank the Lord

for winter, fall, spring, summer too

for in each season

you can find a reason

to praise Him for all He's done ...

for you.

"Love Deeply"

I've been unpacking stored boxes, de-cluttering, reorganizing, sorting through, etc. etc. and have come across some interesting things I had forgotten about. I took the time to read through some of the papers that had been packed away and wanted to share this one. There have been times when I've questioned just what "love" is...in the human sense of the word. I know what God's love is, and nothing we can do or feel can match the love of God ... the "abba Father" love ... but, at times, I question the "eros" and other "loves". When you have loved and that love isn't returned, when you have loved and lost that love, when you love your children and they do not love in return...do you stop loving? Do you shut yourself down to human emotion? I'm being human in saying this...I'm sure there are times in your life when you have questioned the same thing...so do not judge...leaving the judging to God. In any case, I had kept this excerpt from a book as a reminder to never stop loving. The words are powerful as well as the concept behind them.

"Love Deeply"

"Do not hesitate to love and to love deeply. You might be afraid of the pain that deep love can cause. When those you love deeply reject you, leave you, or die, your heart will be broken. But that should not hold you back from loving deeply. The pain that comes from deep love makes your love ever more fruitful. It is like a plow that breaks the ground to allow the seed to take root and grow into a strong plant. Every time you experience the bitter pain of rejection, absence, or death, you are faced with a choice. You can become bitter and decide not to love again, or you can stand straight in your pain and let the soil on which you stand become richer and more able to give life to new seeds. The more you have loved and have allowed yourself to suffer because of your love, the more you will be able to let your heart grow wider and deeper. When your love is truly giving and receiving, those whom you love will not leave your heart even when they depart from you. They will become part of your self and thus gradually build a community within you. Those you have loved deeply become a part of you. The longer you live, there will always be more people to be loved by you and to become part of your inner community. The wider your inner community becomes, the more easily you will recognize your own brothers and sisters in the strangers around you. The wider the community of your heart, the wider the community around you. Thus the pain of rejection, absence, and death can become fruitful. Yes, as you love deeply the ground of your heart will be broken more and more, but you will rejoice in the abundance of the fruit it will bear."

(By Henri J. M. Nouwen, From The Inner Voice of Love, published by Doubleday)