2011!

I’m so thankful for the promise of the New Year and all that it holds.  The turn of a page of the calendar offers new beginnings to grow in love, to walk more fully in faith and appreciate and cherish those I love.

It also offers a special time to say thank you to all who have stopped by my blog and become true friends.  What an important part of my life you have all become!  Thank you for sharing tears and laughter.  Milestones and minutes with me. 

I wish you health and happiness.  Peace and joy.  I pray that at every turn in the road, no matter what lies ahead the Lord will guide and light you way!

Happy 2011!!!

Do You Meditate?

I was watching Oprah the other day, the end of the season show where she gives away her favorite things.  She asked the audience if they meditate…only a couple of hands went up. She said she has to meditate every day to be centered.  I think a better question might be, if you meditate, on what do you meditate?  The answer to that is so very important.
I’m not a  person who sets aside the same time each day for that purpose.  In fact I was in the bedroom the other day and Hal asked me what I was doing.  I told him I’m trying to meditate but my mind keeps wandering. Some days are like that. I really do meditate on the Lord,  but not on a schedule that is never broken, I think that would be a good thing to start though.   I do know when I take time to shut out the world and all it’s distractions, much more is achieved.  I wouldn’t say I’m centered like Oprah,  but I do feel peaceful, orderly, more sensitive to what the Lord is trying work in me.  Maybe that is centered.
I am more aware of what I think about, kind of like the expression you you are what eat..…only you are what you think.  I read these words the other day:

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habit.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

~Author Unknown~

I wish I knew who said that, it’s great advice.  Think I’ll meditate on those words.

This Chic Is Too Shabby

This header picture has to go.  I realize this information will not change the world, make me wealthy or erase the wrinkles from my face, but I just thought I’d share it with you.

Though I do like the way my Mother’s  crystal prisms look against my quilt, they are fighting  with this - in your face, red and white background; like bad kids after eating too many Christmas cookies.  Why don’t you just change the background you may ask.  Or you may not ask and really find this entire post to trivial to read.  For some strange reason, I am drawn to this background.  It’s so bright and not me.  I’m rebelling against my black, white and beige self.  That said, I need to get the camera  out and see what I can find around here that better suits the boldness of this background.

Don’t forget to come back and see if I find anything…it just may erase the wrinkles from your face, but  I’m not making any promises!

By the way…..taking the Christmas decorations down is on hold.  This takes priority!

After Christmas Thoughts…

If I haven’t already blinded you with my new background, and you can still see to type, tell me what you think of it.  I was trying to brighten up the winter surroundings with some color, but I’m not sure if I’ve gone to far with this red background.  Too bright, or alright?  Don’t hold back,  I can take your honest opinion!

I trust everyone enjoyed Christmas and is well fed.  Our family certainly did and is very well fed…very well.  I would describe our Christmas as soft and sweet.  Every one seemed to be in a happy yet very soft, gentle spirit.  I will remember this one in a very special way.  Even the events leading up to Christmas seemed to flow so easily this year.  No rushing, no frustrations.  Pure joy.

I suppose it’s time to think about “undecorating” the house.  Part of me is ready, and the other part enjoys the lights and decorations.  But..its time to push on toward the New Year, and think about what it will bring. January brings our 45th anniversary, and later in the month, a  trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan with my girls and my cousin Trish and her girls.  We’re going to see the Princess Diana exhibit at the Grand Rapids Museum and stay at the Amway Grand.  Should be lots of gal fun and laughs! 

Lot’s of plans in the works for the rest of the year, including a BIG trip in the fall.  Meanwhile, right this moment is what I have to work with, and right this moment…I need to take another look at this background and decide if I like it!

~Shalom

A Savior Is Born!

Luke 2:11

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!  Love,

~ Pat & Hal

Christmas Cookie Rules

 

1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.

2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.

3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free, (rule #1) yours is also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free.

4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.

5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.

6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!

7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street " have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.

8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking
Causes calorie leakage.

9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories
Rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate.
We all know how calories like to CLING!

10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. It's a rule!

So, go out and enjoy those Christmas Cookies - we only get them this time of year!     

1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.

2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.

3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free, (rule #1) yours is also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free.

4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.

5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.

6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!

7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street " have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.

8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking
Causes calorie leakage.

9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories
Rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate.
We all know how calories like to CLING!

10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories. It's a rule!

So, go out and enjoy those Christmas Cookies - we only get them this time of year!     

~thanks again Aunt Helen!~

Round Two

I thought I was pretty well over the stomach flu, but round two arrived this morning.

Going back to bed, catch you later.

 

Sunday Scripture

Matthew 1:23

“The virgin will be with child, and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”-- which means “God With Us.”

Preparing For…

A short time ago, my daughter Sara, and I went to my other daughters church to attend the Women's Ministry Advent by Candlelight service.  Amy was speaking, and delivered a message about the meaning of Advent and our little cousin, and Trish’s granddaughter Emilee read from the Bible.  It was a lovely time of fellowship, each table was hosted by one or two women who provided all the decorations for their table, plus the desserts.  Each table different and beautiful. 

We all ate our delicious desserts,  at our table we had beautiful ginger bread cookies, a red and green Christmas  cake, and chocolate molten lava cake! We then listened to Emilee read the scriptures and next Amy delivered a wonderful message.  When she concluded, each table hostess lit a candle from the Advent wreath and proceed to light the candle of each one at her table.  Next we sang Christmas songs. 

Up until this moment, we had been in preparation to offer worship to the Lord. We had been in a time of Advent..waiting and preparing. The prayer, food and fellowship, the reading of the word and the message…all preparing our hearts to receive Him.  The room full of women started singing, each of us (over 100) holding our lit candle in the dim auditorium…Oh Come Let Us Adore Him, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Oh Holy Night. The beauty of the voices in worship flooded my soul, and I couldn’t imagine a heavenly choir sounding any more beautiful.  At one point, I had to stop singing as tears flowed down my cheeks and I just listened to the voices singing.  We need to  be in the spirit of Advent, always.  Anticipating, preparing and receiving!  What a wonderful holy night!

photos:Top:   Emilee with her mom, Amanda and Amy giving the message

Middle: Yummy desserts!  Our table

Bottom: Amy

It’s Hot In My Boots

After this weekends blast of snow and cold, I had to suck it up and go out.  My car is frozen shut, there’s snow and ice on my windows and I’m wondering where my boots are.   While I’m in the basement trying to find my boots, my sweet husband cleared my car for me and pried the frozen door open.   He’s a keeper.

Ok, I found my boots, shake them out in case some spider or other unwelcome guest has made it’s home in there since last winter, and put them on.  Oh yes, just as I remember, hot, heavy, up to my knees and everything else I don’t like in a shoe.  Next I put on my heavy coat, throw my scarf around my neck….to hot..getting too hot already…put on my gloves and knit hat.   I am now taking the mirror down that is hanging by my back door.  One look at myself in this getup and I wanted to cry. 

My movement is hampered by all this clothing and I find it a little difficult to navigate the seatbelt to its proper “click it or ticket” position.  There, I got it.  Now lets get rolling.  Wait!  I’m blinded by the sun reflecting off the snow…where’s my sunglasses?  OK. Now ready. Turn some Christmas music on the radio, put the car in reverse..rolling, stopping…there is a big mound of frozen snow behind my car.  OK. Put it in drive, go forward a bit, put it in reverse and STEP ON THE GAS!  No stopping me now!

First stop, post office.  No line….Has Christmas come and gone and I slept through it?  Nah, people are just way ahead of me this year.  Next stop, JC Penny’s to do some gift shopping.  I’m walking like a Neanderthal now with all these winter clothes on. Schlump…schlump.   I go to the jewelry section which is hotter then blue blazes because of all the extra light they have there to make you think their jewelry has more sparkle then the Hope Diamond.  One register is open for all of the jewelry, and to top it off, people are brings sweaters, food processors and other things that DON’T BELONG IN JEWELRY.  By now, beads of sweat are running down my back and my feet feel like hot coals.  I’m almost pushed beyond my limit here people!

I pay for my purchase and get in my car.  I notice I only have one key on my ring.  Where did the other 8 go?  Here’s the happy ending to this sad story.  It really is a sad story, don’t you think?  My key ring broke, which I didn’t notice because I had too much clothing on and I couldn’t hear, feel or move.    Fortunately it broke on the floor under my seat and all the keys were there. 

I love a happy ending. 

Glitter, Candles and Trees

I was determined to keep decorating to the minimum this year.  There are no small children or grands to ohhh and aww over the all the decorations.  Plus… and mostly its a lot of work!

Well, of course what I thought I’d do and what actually happened are two different things.  I will admit, I didn’t do as much as is in my thoughts to do, but more then I intended and I’m still working on stopping!  So, with all that said, I will now share with you some of my efforts, which I fear are still in progress!

Mercury glass candles  on the mantel & red berries in a vase.

Fireplace…needs more work, and the pictures is strange!

Nut Cracker guarding tree.

Pinecones and two Santa’s guarding the candy.

Big glittery reindeer I had to have.  Wreath above fireplace

Three little angels sitting on the DVD player.

All the above are in my family room.  The ones to follow are in my living room.

A few white poinsettias and my little tree glowing at dusk.

Music box manger. Mercury glass candle holder.  Love that mercury glass!

There are a few more things around the house…but this is too long already! I’d love to see your pictures too…don’t forget to share!

Sunday Scripture

 

Psalm 72:11

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him.

Subject: Eating Tips For The Holidays

I received this in an email…had to share it!! (Thanks Aunt Helen!)

 

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet
table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see
carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum
balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can and quickly. You can't find it any
other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000
calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an
"eggnog-aholic" or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it!!!! Have one for
me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of
gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of
your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports
car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control
your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat
other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello???

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.
This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the
buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of
eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of
shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin and mincemeat - have a slice of each.
Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always
have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert?
   Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the
mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have
some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party
or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread
tips: Start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of
arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body. But rather to
skid in sideways, chocolate in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally
worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO what a ride!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!

My Brother and I Are The Same Age

I have one brother, no sisters.  Just us two.  My brother is about 5 years older then I.  Five big years….WOW!
I can remember when that was a gigantic difference in age. When I was about 8 and he was 13, he built a go-cart and he let me ride in it.  He pushed me around the curve on our cul-de-sac at a fantastic speed…so good I flipped over!   When I was 11, he was 16 and would occasionally let me ride in his car.  He was in High School and I was in Jr. High. I was the little sister, he was the big brother.
We did get married just a few months apart, the age gap seemed to be getting more narrow. Just a little.
A lot of time has passed since those early go cart years.  We now both receive Social Security!  Funny how the years have brought our ages closer together, it’s almost as though we’re the same age now.  Personally I like the way this has happened.  We are on level ground now.  We honor each others wisdom and share each others joys and pain.  He could pull his “I’m the oldest” card especially in those emotional times when we were dealing with our Mother’s illness and passing, and then settling her estate.   He never did.   Part of my earthly inheritance is having an older brother the same age as his younger sister.  I am thankful.

A Flower In Her Hair

After my usual slow start in the morning, I went out shopping, mostly to get my body moving!  I bought a few groceries and then went to look at all the “sales” for the holidays.  I picked up a sweater, and in front of me at the cashier was an elderly woman and a younger women who could have been a daughter or niece. 
The older woman had a poinsettia pinned in her very thin white hair.  The other woman who told me she was not related, but was her house keeper said they often pal around together.  The old lady couldn’t hear a thing, but that was her only physical  impairment that I could see.  While waiting to be checked out, the dear old gal sang, “In Your Easter Bonnet”, “The Dreidel Song” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”.  She and her house keeper pal were making plans to go to Kohl's, Olive Garden for lunch, then to Target and Burlington Coat Factory.  I then found out that she is 92 years old!
The woman behind the register was a young Muslim woman dressed in Islamic clothing.  After completing the sale, the 92 year old proclaimed..
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah…and peace on earth!
I liked her style~now  I need to pin a poinsettia in my hair!

Sunday Scripture

 

Psalm 91:4

He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge.

Follow Me….

Are you in the midst of Christmas Decorating?  Looking for some new ideas or  just admire the talent of others?
Follow me today to one of my favorite blogs, Hooked On Houses.  Not only does Julia always have the best blog for lovers of all things houses, like myself, she offers links to others who also share the same passion.  When you get there, be sure to look at all the other wonderful Christmas decorating links others have posted.  She’s also listed in my blog roll, and tell her Pat sent you!  Well it really isn’t necessary to say I sent you…just enjoy!!

Snowbirds

Cold weather has only begun and I’ve already had enough of it.  I can see why retired people want to leave these cold northern states and go someplace warmer in the winter. 

We’ve had a little dusting of our first snow this morning and the temp is 30 degrees.  That’s nothing, we all know it will go a lot lower and we’ll have much more snow before its all over.   I already feel the need to hibernate which only causes cabin fever. 

To all of you people who love the snow….bless your sweet hearts!  I have no problem with that.  In fact I say..more power to ya!  Just don’t expect everyone to feel the same way.  I do love to see the snow softly falling – on Christmas Eve.  I also like to see it all melted by New Years Day.  I never did handle  low temps very well.  I remember standing at the bus stop waiting for the school bus to pick us up for high school..in the dark…in the wind…in the snow.  I didn’t walk up hill to school – both ways, but it was back in the day when we weren’t allowed to wear jeans or pants to school and the wind whistled up your skirt till your bum was numb.  Then the bus came and you got to sit in a freezing bus.  Ahhh, those were the days.

I would love to pack up my flip flops and head south after the holiday, just maybe for January and February.  March isn’t great, but at least I would know the worst is behind me.  Hmmm, do I hear Anne Murray singing…

Spread your tiny wings and fly away

And take the snow back with you where you came from on that day.

You could call me a Snowbird….I really wouldn’t mind at all.