family blessings. . .

Great weekend...had our decorating last night...so nice to hear a 16 year old boy say, "That was fun!" (Although he won't take a 'normal' pose for a picture) We ate, we listened to Christmas music and talked about the magi as I put up my 30+ year old nativity scene under the trees.

Snarfing all the wrong kinds of food ( I avoided most of that...had shrimp and eggrolls)
Got up early this morning, feeling GREAT (have gotten 2 good nights of sleep), got coffee and bible and turned on the newly decorated trees (three small trees surrounding the creche), baked wheat free pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, walked the dog in the early morning cold rain. It was fun...for her. Watching her bounce/walk, tail waggin' in the cold wet air was fun for me...she spies a neighbor's moving "reindeer" that they left on all night. Gracie thinks it's real and goes after it. Exciting....what did she think she'd DO with it if she'd caught it? It's certainly not a bird!

We decorated the little trees (we have several sizes, but the guys like the smaller ones so the animals don't mess with them) with small ornaments. Most of our family ornaments stay packed, which kind of bothers me...but not the guys. I still sift through the larger ones. Memories come back as I touch each one. Mom made this one, a star...that went on the tree. Aunt gave this one; a neighbor who moved gave this one years ago. Some of grandparents' old glass ornaments. They don't have to be hung, just remembered.
The guys decorated (and argued!), and I tied bows and added their baby photo ornaments. They recoil at that action. Sorry! I insist on those!

It's cold and rainy, but I know it's better than what some of you have.

I find a card from Connie in my Bible that she gave me a couple of years ago with a silky shawl she made for me. She called it a garment of praise and put this on the card:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me. . .
To comfort all who mourn...
To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes.
The oil of gladness instead of mourning.
And a garment of praise
Instead of a spirit of despair...Isaiah 61

For the first time in a long time, I have the Christmas spirit. . .before Christmas! :-D

Quick ramblings...

Pat has summed up something pretty special. Check it out.

We're decorating tonight. My guys love it....Christmas music, junk food, soda. The stuff we usually don't keep. You know it's bad when you buy cookies and they come in and sing "BEHOLD!! THE COOKIES!" and grab and run!

Had to get a cortisone shot and a chest xray Friday. Been having shortness of breath and now I'm freaking out over the weekend imagining every horrible disease. The internet is a blessing and a curse.
I often wonder why I can honestly encourage everyone but myself.

I didn't make it to the gym but once, today. I worked HARD. Grabbed some gum and water and hit it. I'm getting impatient with myself and my "infirmities." I did walk all week, though.

It's summer here. I wish I could send about 25 degrees to some of you. I have a Christmas wreath on my door---and leaves that need to be raked in the front. Texas.

Blessings and a wonderful weekend to you all!

The half century mark

AARP magazine has an article on the redefinition of age 50. Having hit this mark this year, I was tickled to see it. 6 "celebrities" who are turning 50:

Sharon Stone
Madonna
Viggio Mortensen
Prince
Michelle Pfeiffer
Ellen Degeneres

My singing group sang last night for an assisted living center. This sweet woman walked up to me to say "thanks!" She is 97. That means she turned MY AGE in 1960!!
Whoa! Inspiring!

Now-- which blog was I? ;-)

Not sure I deserve this award. . .but appreciative of it none the less...a few blog buddies have bestowed it upon me and I am passing the torch.

Not sure because I've had a secret from some of you....my new "Say What?!?" blog. I just didn't list it and some found it. My cohort in the women's website that I was a part of even found it! No secrets on the 'net, eh? I'm not ashamed of my "heretical" blog (which means "questioning" blog) but I needed to throw some of my questions out without too much interference in the beginning. We had some really good discussions here on some of my questions, but it got distracting from my day to day blogging, know what I mean? I'm ready now--I don't have all the answers....probably none of them...but that's okay--I have a place to focus on them. Come on over if you like!

I'd link my blog awardees but I'm too lazy.
First off--Pat at Pat's Place of Grace. Her blog is new, but there is no way you're not gonna get Pat when Pat does something. She rocks.
Connie at Picture the Word. Same thing. She's gonna say it and it's the truth.
Don R at Don's Search for Life. Don is like me...questioning and rethinking. My hat's off to him.
Joe at Joe Rants...Joe has a no-nonsense approach to life..very honest..I love that.
Chris at Christopher's Thoughts..his honesty and openness is inspiring.
Brian at the Beautiful Heresy...it is beautiful...what an open-minded and kind guy.
Dave at Dave's Place...Dave lets us in on his life and struggles. I enjoy him and Kriss so much!
Helen.....Tweenie World....Helen opens her life and stuff up to us, as well...with a rockin' sense of humor!
Gary Means.....ya can't get more honest than this.
Larry.....ditto above. Larry makes me think. A lot.
Paige...Paige's prose and poetry take me to another place...so transparent.
Okay...the rest of you have been honored (and deservedly!) once or eight times! Missy, Milly, KB, Codepoke, Robert, Barbara, Becky, Matt, Milette....and I'll be back after I recheck my link list!!!

Clean slates for everyone...

Thank you all who commented on my last post. I almost deleted it, but slept too late! If I had, I would have missed your blessings. It's hard, as you all know, for some reason, to tell our face to face friends some of this stuff...yet easier to put it out there on the whole world web! Why is that? It's so encouraging to have your support...I just can't say enough about that.

I got up and immediately broke my clean slate, so I got a new one. Kyle and I headed over to an Eagle project where I did, in fact, feel useful in that it was a painting project and I can be very helpful on those, particularly in the "resources and hints for success" department. It was a tough project; painting the US map on a playground, because the wind was wicked and it was rainy-misty.

They put up an awning thingie, and that wanted to blow off the face of the earth. Pretty exciting...but it was good to see a young man facing a tough project--and watch his face go from fear about his situation to a place of peace when he saw that everyone was supporting him in his trials.

I know just how he felt. :-}