SILENT NIGHT

It's almost Christmas!  My time does fly.  

This is a short post today because I have a short time.  I have just read the daily devotion in my email inbox and as a gift to me, it was written by one who has become my favorite of the devotion authors. It spoke so well to say much that I feel and agree with, I wanted to share.

The title of the devotion is "How to Find Hope on a Long Silent Night" by Alicia Bruxvoort and is today's, December 21, 2018.  You will have to type this in, I am sure as my computer technology is not strong enough to give you a link.  Here's the site:

https://www.proverbs31.org/read/devotions

Give it a whirl....and consider....

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Now that vacation is done and I am back in the normal world I live in, I find myself surprised that Christmas is not so very far away!  I feel like it's just kind of slipped in on me this year.  After I considered the closeness of it, I determined that if I was going to follow through with a new Christmas tradition for The Poppa, The Grandbaby and me, I needed to get hopping so I purchased a gingerbread house kit.

I have always the best of intentions as a mama and always intended to make a gingerbread house with The Girl but just never did.  I would love to be one of those mama homemakers that do all this fun stuff but the time just slips away.  Ain't it funny how that happens?

A date was made for The Grandbaby to visit on this past Friday morning to construct this house.  Imagine my delighted surprise when The Poppa opened the box and the gingerbread house was already constructed!  It just needed to be decorated.  Am I blessed or what?  I could hardly contain my excitement at this unexpected wonder.

After The Grandbaby asked her popular question, "What we do-ning, Neema?", we got prepared.  Protective covering for the table was in place packages of candies were opened, and the icing (already prepared, too!) was kneaded well.  The decorating began and went like this:

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Concentration...

The question after we were done was expected also.  "Can it go to MY house?"  I said that it certainly could and it decorates "her" kitchen table for the season.  A success, I would say.

This past Sunday was also the Christmas program weekend at church.  I was designated to sit on the pew and keep the angels quiet until their time to appear near the end.  I enlisted the help of The Poppa for this as well.  Sometimes angels just look like angels and don't act like angels.  You know what I mean?  All in all these angels were pretty good.

The program was The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a well known play and I can say that our church kids have some kind of acting talent!  I enjoyed watching these kids whom I'd see grow up from babies as they performed so well.  They are good kids.

I thought you might enjoy seeing some pictures of my little angel along with her angel buddies.   Yes, this little angel's mama has worn this angel robe or another just like it many times as a child.  Take a look.

The fact that we use vintage angel robes pleases me.  I hope they last a very much longer time.

This would be my little angel on the right with her a few days apart in age buddy.

 The little angels........

Sweet Mary/Lucy....what an amazing job as Imogene Herdman....

Wanna put our fingers in our mouth?  And keep them there for the rest of the time we are onstage?  Sure, let's do it!

Boy, that is a scratchy halo.  Angels can't be angelic all the time.

In fact, it might be fun to crawl around on the floor.  Let's do it!  And yes, that's my little angel crawling around onstage.   Ahhh.....

I need to check out this baby Jesus....

Even though this picture was a little fuzzy, I love it so much.  It's exactly as we should be with Jesus...on our knees in awe, worship, and wonder.  Well maybe, we could intersperse the awe, worship, and wonder with a giggle or two!  

As Gladys Herdman would say, "Shazam!"

FRIENDS OF THE HEART

My "friend", Mr. Webster, defines the word "friend" as a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection. 

When I consider my friends, I realize I am blessed with so many, longtime friends and short time friends.  

A few weeks ago the news came that one of our company's past employees had been diagnosed with brain cancer.  This diagnosis came suddenly and a quick surgery followed.  This was quite a blow to him and to all who know and love him.  He is married to one of my very oldest friends.  His wife and I went to school together from first grade and lived in the same neighborhood.  (Yes, there was no kindergarten back in those days so it was since first grade.)  We rode the bus together for all our school years and had a circle of girlfriends who did the same.  Yes, those were good times.  As I saw her as we visited her husband in the hospital, I thought of how we looked different and had not talked in a long while but that mutual bond was still there.  We exchanged phone numbers so we could keep in touch.  The next week was my birthday.  One of the texts I received that day was from her.  She had remembered my birthday after all these years.  Obviously her memory exceeds mine and I was totally impressed.  As we texted a bit back and forth, I mentioned how I found it amazing that she remembered.  Then in the back recesses of my mind, I thought, "May 24".  I texted and asked her wasn't that her birthday.  Wonder of wonders, it was!  So here I am and can't remember things I did yesterday but remember HER birthday.  As I considered that, I realized we were "friends of the heart".  

Last week, I went to Christmas lunch with my Lunch Bunch.  We are five women who have been going to lunch often for 25+ years....sometimes monthly, sometimes every other month and lately with stresses of aged life, less often.  We had a wonderful time together and I realized the blessing again of these "friends of the heart".  They are the friends who know your fears, share your joys, make you food if you are sick, and know without being asked if you need your toilets scrubbed....and are willing to do it. 

For the past few years I have received an anonymous gift from someone in my church at our after Christmas program gift exchange.  These gifts always have a bird involved.  Now for all of you that don't know, birds speak to my spiritual heart.  They amaze me.  Obviously, this friend giver knows this about me.  Last night I received an advent calendar with red birds at the bottom.  Here's some gifts I have received from this anonymous giver.

I have an idea who it is.  She would be a "friend of the heart"....one whom I know prays for me and those I love.  I hope she is blessed by the giving as I am blessed by the receiving.  After all, God does love a cheerful giver...especially one who loves birds as I do.  So, a grateful shout out to you, cheerful giver!

I consider the friends that I don't have room to mention--those I've met through my work, through volunteerism, through church/worship, through my girl's friends and college life, and all the others in between.  My life is very blessed with "friends of the heart".  All of my friends remain in my heart and touch my life more than anyone can imagine.  

One of my many Christmas wishes is to be the "friend of the heart" to others as they are to me.

Consider.........

"MAGIC"

The Husband and I returned a couple of days ago from a week long trip to the "happiest place on earth".  Now most of you will know that is Disney World and that is one of their "slogans".  To me, the happiest place on earth is here in my own "world"; however, the week at Disney was a very close second and memories were made to last a lifetime.  The Son-In-Law had planned the trip for his parents, us, The Girl, and The Grandbaby over a year ago and we had anticipated it for a long, long time.  I will admit I was a bit concerned about The Husband and I keeping up with the youngsters as we are much slower than we used to be, but I did realize it's me that's slower.  The Husband still can walk pretty fast, even faster than many of us others that were along.  It was a WONDERFUL time.  I was able to have the camera around my neck most of the daylight hours and some nighttime hours.  I had not done that in a long time and reaffirmed my love of photography, especially when it's photos of those I love so.  Maybe I took 800-1000 pictures?  And no, I won't bore you with all those, but I will give you a good long sampling here.  So sit back, get your computer and cup of coffee ready and enjoy!

We began the trip at the Magic Kingdom.  On Main Street, we had a photo session showing the beauty of our shirts made by The Girl.  You all know that I am not vain, but that Florida heat was not a friend to my hair.

After the pictures, we headed to the Crystal Palace for a breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and his friends.  It was absolutely delicious and meeting the Winnie and friends a treat.

After the breakfast, our group waited in line to meet The Mouse.  During the whole time we anticipated the trip, The Grandbaby called it "going to Mickey's house".  It was important for her to see him first.  Now at Disney, you wait in line to have a couple of minutes to meet, greet, and take a picture.  We got lucky.   Of the three groups we entered the area with, our family was the third and last of that group and we were the last before The Mouse took a break.  When he met The Grandbaby, they had a great time.  He must have spent 5-6 minutes with her and the photographer was just snapping and snapping pictures as well as the Disney worker in that are snapping with The Girl's cell phone.  Hence, with my snapping, we have a "world" of pictures with The Mouse.  He danced with her, hugged her, talked to her without words as they do and gave an atmosphere of beauty.  There were many "oohs" and "ahhs" from our group and the Disney folks.  One of the other workers out with the people waiting actually came to check on The Mouse's status and he had not even gone to break yet.  Oops.  It was a truly magical experience for us and for The Grandbaby.  Here's a big sampling of that mouse session.

She waits with her autograph book....

The Grandbaby shakes all over when she is excited.  She was excited meeting every character.

The Disney folks said he only twirls Minnie but he twirled The Grandbaby.  Would Minnie be jealous?  Nah.

Mickey also liked her sparkly shoes.

Rides were enjoyed on the trip, especially those that whirled and twirled.  The popular question was "ride again"?

The Grandbaby related most to the characters and the princesses.  Her autograph book was full and seeing them "live" was a treat she enjoyed most.  I will begin with her favorite, Ariel Mermaid as she calls her....

Ariel taught her the art of the pinky promise.

and the others......Cinderella...

 Sleeping Beauty...

Anna....

Elsa...

 Rapunzel...

Belle...

Elena of Avalor....

Snow White...

Tiana...

Jasmine.

The Grandbaby marched in "parades"...restaurant parades, that is.

And of course, there were autographs of many others....

 One of my most favorites pictures of the trip...

We saw a mega gingerbread house...

and a visit with Ho Ho...

and another family photo session at MGM Studios.  (Yes, a couple of days were VERY cold.)

The Grandbaby had a fun time with The Granddaddy and The Poppa and their hats.  They were very tolerant.

Happy times...fun memories...

There were some stubborn moments.  Uh huh.

 "Yook"!  It's Mickey!

The "Belle" show...meeting Belle.  Note the "soldier" in the background.  Recognize her?

An unforgettable treat at Epcot was the reading of the Christmas story and music.  The celebrity reader was Robby Benson and the choir was made up of many talented singers and musicians.  A real treat...

So for this trip as Bob Hope would say, "Thanks for the memories!"