We’ve only just begun (and I’m already taking a break!)
Yep. I'm going to give myself this week with my kiddos in town to just enjoy them, so I'll see you on Saturday, the 29th. If there is an amazingly good grandkid story (there often is with Lilli in the house!), I'll pop in unannounced, but otherwise, I'm diving in to all things family. I hope you'll do the same, and breath thanks in and out, over and over and over. Relish your time with your own people and steep yourself in all your blessings. If we do, none of us will come out the same on the other side. And wouldn't that be wonderful? Happy Thanksgiving!
Caretaker
Typically, when I write every morning, I sit at my desk. However, when the house is decorated for the holidays, I take my laptop into the living room and sit where I can see the tree. Sitting in here gives me a different view and perspective. Not only do I see the decorations, but I also see paintings that came from my aunt's and uncle's homes, a table that came from my grandmother, a curio filled with mementos from three generations of both of our families, the antique armoire with which Kevin surprised me for one of our early Christmases, and two old windows, that now hang on the wall, serving as frames for old photos of Robinsons and Garmans. It's pretty (at least to my eyes) but...
Hands On
It took me all weekend, but it's done. My house is decorated for Christmas. And you know what? It's beautiful. Warm. Inviting. And it makes me happy. I'm sitting here by a fire that my man laid for me this morning, admiring my sparkling tree, and chuckling at my nativity scene that my aunt Mary Ellen gave to us on Maddie's first Christmas. It came from Sears (packed every year in what's left of its original box), and the figures are bisque. It's a set that most people would probably place out of the reach of little hands, but I never have. Because of that, we have lost a camel, a goat, one wing of the angel, a shepherd boy, and the latest casualty was just last year when a wise man...
His Words (for when you’re disappointed)
Every Sunday around here is for His words instead of mine. Sometimes the answer you've been praying for is "no," and you have to deal with disappointment. He has something to say about that. Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear...
A Little Christmas
You know what I'm doing today? Decorating for Christmas. Yes, on November 15, I'm decking these halls. Knowing, months ago, that my kids were coming in for Thanksgiving week, and that we'd be celebrating our Christmas with them at the same time, I knew I'd need to decorate much earlier than I typically do. And months ago I wasn't too excited about the prospect of it. I like to celebrate Thanksgiving and give it its due before the tree goes up. However, now? I need a little Christmas, right this very minute. I need some twinkle lights, holiday tunes and the smell of baking deliciousness. I need some gingerbread-house-building, s'mores around the firepit, and snuggling while Bing and...