The Grandbaby has been talking for a week about her class's celebration of the 100th day of school this Thursday. While she was here today, she said to me, "Neema, I have to dress like an old woman on the 100th day of school. Let's look in your closet."
Ahh...the humor and honestly of a child. Makes me smile. Makes The Husband LAUGH. :)
There is the sound of thunder and the sight of a slight too-much-darkness-for-this-time-of-day feeling in my 'hood today. There is a tornado watch in effect for the next few hours.
I am reminded of many times in the past when these afternoon storms would come and send me and often The Girl to the hall for safety. Those times, The Husband was at work so we were in the house alone just waiting and watching. Today finds The Husband in the den so I am not physically alone.
The Grandbaby was to come here after school while her parents went to school for a meeting but all the after school activities were canceled for today so that didn't happen. We are all sorry about that as we would enjoyed having The Grandbaby visit us, even for a short time. She's a joy and a mess all smushed up together in one little girl and I love it and her. But you blog readers know that....I just had to repeat myself.
School buses came to school to head out early.
Tornado sirens have been going off to get our attention.
Flashlights are ready.
Prayers have been said.
Supper is in the works.
The whole scenario has made me feel like I need a nap.
We prepare for the unknown that is predicted even though it's unknown. I wonder if it's because of the past things we have seen involving tornados and storms. I have seen flooding, results and actions of big BIG winds, downed trees and power lines and so much more damaging effects. That makes me want to prepare and be cautious.
I was thinking as I often do that my spiritual life is a lot like that when the "spiritual storms" come. Storms of disappointments, fears, uncontrollable health issues, uncontrollable mental and emotion issues, sin, and that list and the damages left behind are so very great. I think, speaking for myself, I tend to make less preparations and take fewer precautions when it comes to those storms. Prayers have been said for the upcoming potential weather here but have prayers been said for those who suffer from these spiritual storms? Do I prepare early by reading my Bible and finding what the Lord has for me to help me when those spiritual sirens go off? Do I recognize the spiritual food that is available for me to eat should my "power" get knocked out? Or do I just want to go to sleep and forget about it all?
Those are good questions for me to consider, I will say. Maybe they're good questions for you as well.
Now I need to check the weather....outdoors and inside my heart.
Consider.....
I found this the other day written by Mother Teresa and it says all it says very well and can be applied to all of us.
TO START THE NEW YEAR
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you've got anyway
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Consider....
It seems that only a few short years ago 2023 seemed far, far away from me and now here I am. I was recalling the 60 plus years of New Years' Eves and New Years and they all seemed to involve resolutions which could signal new beginnings. This year I'm just looking at it all a bit differently. I will admit that I wondered how I arrived here so swiftly but then I was filled with gratitude that I was simply "here". So that's where I am on this third day of 2023. Here. No resolutions just a carrying on of "here".
One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies, Anne of Green Gables, was spoken by Anne's teacher one morning as school began. She said to her students, "Today is a day with no mistakes in it." That's kind of how I look at things a lot of days. Mistakes come and go. Sorrows come and go. Inside me, though, the joy remains.
With all that dissertation, I will say that The Husband and I were invited to join The Girl, The Son-in-Law, and The Grandbaby on a short trip to the mountains. We saw in the new year in the condo. The next day we spent at Dollywood Amusement Park. We arrived at 10:30. As we were walking along bringing up the rear around 1:30, The Husband said, "Maybe we would do better at this if we spent only half a day." I chuckled and replied, "Actually we've only been here three hours....that's not even half a day!" We both laughed as we realized the reality of the whole conversation. The old bodies are just not what they used to be. In spite of that, we had a wonderful time and actually rode a few rides and enjoyed it. Not many, but a few with The Grandbaby. Here's a pictorial of course...
New Years' Eve....
Happy New Year!
Christmas is past. It was a good one yet again. I've learned as I age that my anticipations change. In the past I looked forward to the presents. Now I just look forward to time spent in the joy of it all.
As The Husband and I headed towards our Christmas-Eve-tradition-of-the-past-few years restaurant on Christmas Eve, we found ourselves recalling Christmases past. Praise Jesus we still have some recalling minds. We reflected on the saddest, yes there is one and then happier times. I recalled childhood Christmas trees with those lights with the REALLY big bulbs as they shone brightly on our small live tree. And who remembers the silver "icicles"? Not the tinsel which draped around the tree but the silver slinky shiny "icicles" that hung one by one on the tree limbs. I was guilty of tiring during this decorating process and would hang a glob of them on one tree limb just to get finished. The ornaments were scarce but we had tinsel, "icicles", and the joy of Christmas. Praise Jesus again that the joy doesn't ever change.
Christmas Day found us in church with THE day being on a Sunday. It was a blessing to hear the children sing "Happy Birthday Jesus" in their sweet little voices. It rivaled "Jesus Loves Me" as it made tears come into my eyes and run down my actual made-up Christmas cheeks and I didn't even care about the smears. It wasn't the traditional "Happy Birthday to You" but "Happy Birthday Jesus! I'm so glad it's Christmas....". There was the beauty of "O Holy Night" then The Pastor called all the children to the front, sat criss-cross-applesauce in the altar and read them the Christmas story. We came home to a meal of roast and potatoes, then The Grandbaby promptly fell asleep. Did I say that she and I had been recovering from the dreaded stomach bug? It's a doozy. It was a bit later when she awoke that The Poppa read the Christmas Story again from the Bible and we opened presents and had dessert which involved a Happy Birthday Jesus mini cookie cake and then played a game. It was a nice day. Most of all, it was a day full of Jesus!
Thursday night we did a nice time with my extended family at my parents' house. Laughter and joy was there as well.
Seasons come and seasons go and now on to a new season....but before that, I will share a few photos....as many of you readers expect!
Happy New Year!
The dessert and croutons are made. The roast is marinating. The gifts are wrapped. All the other things are either done or in the works. Tomorrow is THE day. Christmas. The day we celebrate Jesus' birth. All of you regular blog readers will know that Easter is my favorite "holiday" but what you might not know is that Christmas runs a close second to that. Of course, my birthday is big to me, too, especially if I'm here to celebrate it! :)
During the day today I have been thinking a lot of Mary, Jesus' mother. I went to the scriptures a bit ago....to the wonderful book of Luke, and read a bit. Sure I know the story. It's one that is precious to me, but I never tire of reading it. I encourage you to read it also. Often. I encourage you to begin in the beginning of Luke, not in the second chapter as most nativity readings occur.
I read tonight where the angel visited Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of the Son of God. I found two things that Mary responded. "How?" was the first question. Then after the explanation, she simply said, " ..be it unto me according to thy word." Really? That was it? It is my understanding that Mary was very young. After this revelation and acknowledgement, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and they had one of those "girl" moments. The scriptures say that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. My question is, "Where was Mary's mama during all this?"
I encourage you to read these passages from Luke 1 and 2. I was especially touched by Luke 1:46-55, subtitled in my Bible "The Song of Mary". This young girl who was just told she would be the mother of the Son of God via an impossible sounding way was simply praising God.
And Joseph.....he had a bunch of faith, too. I see these two youngsters as they head to Bethlehem to be counted in the census, Mary so very pregnant and soon to deliver. Then in Bethlehem the crowd was so big, all the motel rooms were taken. It's a good thing that the Lord chose Mary instead of me. I would have been fussing about all the rooms being taken.
That Christmas night, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable and she laid him in a manger. I just can't fathom how she must have felt. Then when the company started coming to visit....the smelly shepherds welcomed as much as the rich kings. Isn't that how Jesus is? His love is open to all who will receive.
I love the prophetic scripture from Isaiah 9 and encourage you to read it as well. Then follow up with the passages from Luke 1 and 2. And that, blog readers, is what Christmas is ALL ABOUT!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Consider.....
I had the experience this morning of observing The Grandbaby's program at her elementary school....officially called The Giving Tree Program. Children had been asked a few weeks prior to bring in unused toys for a local organization that would disburse the gifts to those who were needy. The representative who was at the program explained it to the children that the parents of the children these gifts would go to would be using their money to pay for housing, food, utilities and such, thus leaving little to no money for gifts for their children. I was thinking how that might be hard for some children to grasp, not so hard for some others.
The program began with the children--in this program time space--the K-2 graders marching in to their places on the gym floor. After that, the song "Let There Be Peace on Earth" began to play while gift bag carriers from each class marched in with their class's contribution. As these little ones marched in....not carrying little pretty gift bags but barely lifting heavy trash bag type bags and some even pushing bicycles, water started coming from my eyes and I could not help it.
The children, led by a fabulous music teacher, then gave some songs very mightily. It was a beautiful sight to see and hear. After many many many events in my own school past and then being a very active volunteer at all three of The Girl's schools through the years, I can truthfully say I had never seen an event like it. Blessed.
As all were dismissed we were able to say hello to The Grandbaby who, happily, still loves to hug. And yes, now The Grandbaby can sing that song, "All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth". :)
The morning gave me thought of how blessed we are to be able to give, not only at Christmas but every single day. Not only monetary store bought gifts but other gifts of the heart. My goodness, I even realized how many opportunities I miss to give such to others simply by my busyness and my thoughts on other things.
As I close this post on this blessed day, I wish you gifts both given by you and to you. Gifts that matter. Gifts of the heart.
Consider....
Thanksgiving Eve. The day before the official day of thanks. Usually I write my Thanksgiving post on THE day of. This year, I decided to mix it up a bit.
Yesterday, I was thinking of the phrase "grateful praise". I, being the Webster guru that I am, looked up both words. Grateful means "feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful". Praise means "to express a favorable judgement of". With these two definitions in mind, I can truly say that Thanksgiving means to me "grateful praise". To some it's the food, how good the turkey and dressing is, and various traditions that Thanksgiving holds. To me, it's giving thanks for ALL and praising Jesus.
My list of thankfuls tends to stay the same and to change from year to year. Just as my priorities have changed up some with age, so has my list. There is no way I can ever list every single thing I have grateful praise for....I simply can't count that high nor can I stay awake to do it even if I could. Through the bad and the good and all the messes and joys of life in between, I am blessed. As the scriptures say, "In every thing give thanks." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) I noted a few years back in my thanks considerations that this verse doesn't say "In everything give thanks" but it says "In every thing give thanks." I think there's a big difference.
So here's an abbreviated list of my "grateful praises"....
First and above all, the love and grace and mercy and salvation of an always loving Heavenly Father.
Secondly, a husband, a daughter, son-in-law, and grand baby whom I treasure beyond price.
And then....
...an extended family
...friends who love and care and pray
...a roof over my head, food on my table though pricey that it is, socks and shoes on my feet
...turtlenecks that warm my cold neck
...the comfort of pajamas often at times other than bedtime and the knowledge that the comfort of pajamas often at times other than bedtime is okay!
...a wonderful teacher for my sweet grand to teach her what she needs to learn in school
...wonderful Sunday School teachers and leaders who go to the loving church that holds the most precious of church families who show up for me in love, deed, and prayer
...healing from health issues of the past, at least for now
...grace to endure times of stress and fear. Yes, there are real times of stress and fear.
...deer in the front yard. Often during the day. Many at a time.
...Christmas decor amidst my pumpkins to remind me of joys of the season
...the aid and close finale in letting go of a long time company
...retirement and the success (so far) of being at home 24/7. With the husband and me. Constantly.
...paint by number, crochet, reading, Candy Crush, photography, and all those hobbies that calm my mind
....Isaiah 43:1 & 2 which, along with other favorite scriptures, calms my spirit.
...puzzles, Art, Barbies, Candyland and other fun activities that we share with the Grandbaby
...Gingerbread houses that come assembled and the provision of those that don't.
...laughter
...peppermint/mocha coffee but only if drank before noon.
...a better night's sleep (see above)
You see, the list goes on and on and on. Grateful praise. Praise the Father and giver of it ALL!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Consider...
Yes! It was one year ago on this day that I traded my old right hip for a brand new model! Last year it gave Thanksgiving a whole new twist for The Husband and me. (See "This is my Story" post, November 23, 2021.) This year, I recall the event with gratitude for technology that allows new hips, for provision to allow me to survive the pain of the first nine days of the event, and the joy of the last ten months of minimal to no pain in that particular hip. Many of your blog readers and/or friends will recall that I broke my left foot three weeks prior to this event and finally that healed as well. I also gained a permanent handicap mirror tag that I promise I do not abuse since healing. I have been tempted often but not succumbed. Truth.
So among my "thankfuls" this week is healing of the body.
Just sayin'....
Consider....
My birthday is this week. As one ages, the excitement of simply acknowledging a birthday is a joy! When that birthday is greeted with a special card, one realizes the true depth of the blessing. Here's my special handmade card...
Blessed.
