Ok, for some people it is still just 'cool'. Those people are weird. At 4AM it is downright COLD. Want to know how I know that? Because when I get up, (about 45 minutes later this morning because I just couldn't get out of bed) I'm moving quickly to get wrapped up in my blanket and prayer shawl to stay somewhat warm. AND, hubby, who is never 'cold', brought my coffee in to me and says, the fan (which we have kept on low just for air circulation) will be going off tonight - he was freezing during the night. And he asked if I had gotten cold during the night.
Now that is almost funny. Because he is so afraid I WILL get cold, this is what I have over me in bed.... a sheet, a quilt, a big fuzzy thick throw, another quilt, a lighter fuzzy throw, another quilt. And there might yet be another quilt, but I'm not sure. Yeah, I think I'm good. In fact, sometimes in the middle of the night my body gets so hot, I wake up and have to throw the covers OFF me for about 5 minutes to cool my body down so that I can go back to sleep. Because he insists on tucking the covers in at the foot of the bed, I scoot down about 6 inches so that I can pull the covers up around my neck. I sleep snug as a bug in a rug.
Unfortunately, when I am cold, my body goes into hibernation mode and I fall asleep. It doesn't matter if I am at work, or at church. Hubby can tell I'm cold when we are at church. I am pulling my jacket (which I nearly always wear, even in summer) or sweater close around my body, and I cross my legs.... and start swinging one leg. I have to do something or I will fall asleep! Does that ever happen to you? My body just shuts down. I don't care if I had a great night's sleep, and had ten cups of coffee that morning. My body will shut down and want to hibernate if it is cold. That's why it's so hard for me to wake up some mornings. The bear in me says NO, stay in hibernation mode! Winter and I do not get along well. Which is why I love Arizona so much, especially in the winter months here. I get cold, but I don't freeze.
Yeah, my stories of growing up aren't like my mama's (walking 2 miles behind the wagon to get to school, in two feet of snow, carrying two biscuits to have for lunch) but I can remember walking 3 blocks to wait at the bus stop for school and wearing shoes and socks and a knee-length dress.... my legs would be beet red by the time I got to school I'd be so cold. We weren't allowed to wear pants or jeans to school. I think it was a few years AFTER I graduated high school that they allowed jeans in the school for girls. No, I don't consider myself 'old', but it was just what we did during those times.
You make do with what you have. Which is what a lot of us do even nowadays. If you don't have something you need, and really can't afford to get it, or only need it a short time, you continue to make do with what you have. I have a thick robe (old, perhaps, but still wearable) that is long, and warm. I have no idea where it can be. I have a box of "winter clothes" (which is a joke cause I wear most all my clothes year round) that got packed and I imagine it is in it. I love that robe. It is warm, and dingy looking. It is comfortable. I will be looking for it. We should have all our boxes here now, so I am thinking I came across the box when it was over 100 degrees and seeing what was inside, put it inside a cabinet. I'm still working on unpacking boxes and making slow progress, but will back my car out of the garage this weekend and start going through the cabinets to see if I can find it.
I may even start pulling out my Christmas things and see what to keep and what to get rid of. I did go through the Christmas decorations a year or so ago, but now that we have moved, may do it again. I miss having a "grandma" tree. I hope my grandchildren remember it in years to come. It is a treasured memory for me when they would come and bake cookies, then we'd work on a craft for mom and dad, they'd wrap it and put under the small tree in the 'grandchildren's play room'. Christmas morning that is where the family would gather first so that they could give mom and dad the gifts they had made for them. So much fun, so many memories. As the number of grandchildren got larger, it got too expensive for me to buy the crafts so we went to just baking cookies. Hmm, maybe we just did the crafts when they were smaller. Seems like we started baking cookies after we quit crafts. Now I'm not sure. Oh well. If the memory is in their mind, that is all that counts. I miss those times when the grandchildren were smaller.
Today is another work day. I just could not get focused yesterday for some reason. Not sure what the problem was. Mid-day my 'big' boss did email me about the resignation of the other chief. And she told me not to share it until after the 'broad announcement' that would be made today, I think. Like who would I tell? It just kind of put a damper on the day, I think. I did what I needed to do, but I had so many meetings to schedule that it was difficult at times to remember whose meetings I needed to find time for. Had to create a survey, work on some other things, and schedule meetings. Couldn't wait for 4PM to come around. Hopefully today will be a much better day as I have much to get done today.
I read in my devotions today about how people like to blame other people for things they do. "Well, I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't done that!" Are you old enough to remember the comedian Flip Wilson? He always said 'de debil made me do it!' It was always good for a laugh when he said it, but the reality is that the 'debil' doesn't make us do anything. He may tempt us, but it is our choice to do it. God gave us the freedom of choice. We can choose to live a holy life, a good life, or we can choose to live in sin. I confess, my life has not always been great. I fell into the sinful temptation mode for a couple years. But God pulled me out of the depths and set my feet on His solid ground. The sad part is that sometimes we don't realize how far we have fallen. I certainly didn't have a clue. Oh, I knew what I was doing probably wasn't right, but because of my childhood, really didn't understand, I don't think. No excuses, I did what I did. But I am grateful that God loved me so much that He showed me the life I should be living. Yes, I still am not perfect, nor will I ever be. But I am loved by my heavenly Father so much that He will correct me when I fall, and pick me up, and set my feet on His path once again. Thank you, Abba.
And you know what? He is waiting to do it for you. Think about your life. Are you where you thought you would be? Are you the wife or husband you know you should be, the mother or the father that is an example for your children? I wasn't always a good example for my children and for that I am ashamed. But my love for them has never faltered. I got side-tracked in the 'it's all about me' mode. God rescued me, and He can rescue you as well, if you will let Him. Talk to Him. He's waiting to hear from you. Tell Him what is going on in your life and ask Him what you need to do differently. He's listening.
Blessings!
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