I was only ten minutes late for the 'Turkey Trot' yesterday morning. I really should rename it 'Turkey Walk', I guess, cause there is a REAL Turkey Trot somewhere and lots of people go run in it. A friend, after I posted our 11th Annual Turkey Trot photo, commented her child had run in the Turkey Trot too.. then I had to explain it was our 'own' Turkey Trot aka walk. We only walked 2.26 miles but it was a good walk and it was clear and brisk out. The canal we chose wasn't that far away and very nice - paved all the way. I sure wish it was closer so that I could walk it on my own.... you know hubby won't go and he won't let me go alone... the boogie man might get me. I shouldn't scoff, I guess; one never knows what might befell us aa any time. I could also fall and if I was alone, and if few people do that area, I could be there for awhile. Oh well. Not going to imagine something that can't happen cause it ain't gonna happen to cause it to happen. Right? :-)
I turned the humidifier on last night when we went to bed and am grateful my nose isn't all dried up like it usually is. Hence, that is why I bought them last year. The humidifier puts water back in to the air that the heat takes away in the cooler months with the heat on. It does make a difference, so if you wake up with your nose all dried up and all, you might consider getting a humidifier... it does help.
I'm loving having today off work. I still have a busy day ahead of me. Our grandson and his fiancee are coming over at 8AM for breakfast and we are going to let them open their Christmas gifts since they will not be here for Christmas this year. I don't want to bother with shipping. Plus I like to see their faces when they open. Not that there is a lot, for sure. The great-grandchildren are the ones who made out like a bandit this year.
After they leave to get started on their day, I will need to get in the kitchen and get started with preparations for the evening meal as our friends are coming over for a Thanksgiving feast as well. I don't plan to over fix as I did yesterday for lunch at my daughter's (we had WAY too much food!), but plan to fix enough that any who want can take some leftovers home. Since they are single individuals, I don't expect any to take a large amount. With a 20 pound turkey, it won't be a problem to send home meat. I don't want to keep ANY. I'm 'turkeyed out' and don't want any. Now if I hear from someone who was teasing they may be coming for dinner....then I will know if I need to prepare a little more than I plan to ..... just saying.
I'm going to have to dig for receipts in the next few days - we have a very tall, somewhat large, individual in our family for whom I bought a couple shirts for Christmas for. I had bought 2XL Tall... but as I unfolded them, they seemed REALLY large. So I talked to his wife yesterday and mentioned it to her... yeah... it's XL in Big & Tall.... 2XL in regular sizes (to get the length. Ooops. I'm going to have to go through my orders... since I didn't go out and buy, it's al on computer so will have to figure it out - and then go stand in line with numerous other people who made the wrong choices. Maybe it won't be too bad just yet - it's still before Christmas. AND, I'm not doing it today either; got too much to do!
I do NOT go much of anywhere today...the day after Thanksgiving, aka 'Black Friday'. There is nothing I need, nor does anyone else, that can entice me to go shopping in the crowds today. Besides, 99.9% of my shopping is done online. Yeah, I sometimes pay a little more, but I do it all from my computer and home and it's nice. I remember one year I went out about 3-4PM and the stores were nearly empty of people. THAT would be the time to shop, for sure!
Philippians 4:12 (NIV): "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
That is verse I learned a long, long time ago that has kept me grounded over the years. Perhaps it has also gotten me to where I am now. There have been so many times over the years that we have been in need for specific things. But I learned not to allow it to get the best of me. I learned that to take those needs to God in prayer will bring about the results I could never expect to receive on my own. Because of choices - others who affect me, and my own choices, life at times has been very hard and very difficult. I've never tried to pretend all has been well over the years. But God has always provided - whether through other people, or just provision, all that we have ever needed.
I often say I learned how to cook from 'scratch' many years ago because we didn't have money to buy food that was already prepared. Go forward several years and times were so hard that going out to eat at Burger King was a treat that we all looked forward to. And now, in our latter years, God has placed us with the realization that there is nothing we really 'need'..... because of the above verse, I have learned to be content with what we have. I don't need a new living room suite every 3-5 years. Yeah, the one we have is about 5 years old now, I guess, and there is a 'dip' in the seat where I always sit.... but I've learned how to fix it... just haven't done that yet. It still looks fairly new, why get a new one? I think it is only at Christmas the entire sofa is filled. We really have more than we need, but it's nice to have if anyone comes over. :-)
I'm thinking of that I guess because my little sister asked for the rest of the money I was holding for her to keep her from spending it all. She is definitely a 'shopaholic'. I don't know what she is going to do when all this money is gone. But, her husband has not been kind ... and I won't go there... but she found she could buy Ashley furniture online at Amazon yesterday.... so her daughter in law helped her pick out the sofa and loveseat she wanted (curious, I may go online and see what she paid for it - wonder if it is cheaper there than at the store on sale)..... and she got the 'last' love seat! Whoo hoo! She's happy; she now has no money to fall back on... but she's happy. Just a side note, our little brother had sent us both a little money from our sister's insurance - which he and his wife got... I'm not complaining as I didn't expect any. Grateful he shared some with us. And no, other than what I used to pay for our airline tickets to go back there for the funeral and to help clean the apartment, I never told hubby how much I got. He can be like my little sister; if there is 'extra', let's spend it. I'm content to keep it saved, unless there is something that is NEEDED. I like having a cushion to fall in to - never have had one before, and I've done without to build up a small savings account. I like going to the grocery store and buying whatever I want to buy, without counting the prices as I go through the store. Ever done that? I've done that plenty of times, and then deciding what I should take back. It's nice to get what I want without counting prices.
Sometimes I think God allows us to go through tough times so that we will know what it is like to be in need. And, in knowing that, we can have compassion on those going through those same things. But the greatest part of having, and not being in need, is knowing that we are content. I think I can say that is where I am right now. Content.
I looked up the word Content in the dictionary. It is actually an adjective. Hadn't really thought of that. Well, the way I'm thinking of the word is an adjective. I am content. And another word to use is satisfied. I am satisfied with what I have. Just some tidbits based on the scripture.
I am content; I am satisfied. Can you say that about your life?
Perhaps that is weighing on me right now. I'm missing my big sister. I miss our weekly chats. Her life was saved once, why didn't God save her this time? Will we ever learn the truth of what happened? The family still thinks the son did it... but his mental state will not believe he did. It is just not something she would do, and that is what is so hard to accept. Antifreeze kills; even just a teaspoon of it. The pain would be hard to endure... but the more I've learned, is that she went into a coma shortly after arriving at the hospital. She never knew what killed her.
But the reason it is on my mind this morning is the question, 'where was she in her walk with Jesus?' If we asked her, she would say she was a Christian, that she loved Jesus, she was gong to heaven. But the painful part to me is that when the plug was going to be pulled at the hospital, and the chaplain came in and suggested to my little brother and sister that they remember the good memories as they 'let her go'..... my little brother said, "there aren't any good memories; she was evil". And my little sister just commented, "well, she was very giving." Those words torment me, and break my heart. How can one be declared evil if they say they love Jesus and are a Christian?
My heart is missing my family that are not longer here this morning. And those words torment me. Will I see any of my family in Heaven (as I intend to get there!)? Oh the thoughts that are going through my heart and mind this morning. I need my mama today. I need to hear her say once again, "this too shall pass".
Having a new home or new furniture may bring temporary joy and satisfaction, but that never lasts. The home will wear down, the new furniture will wear out. But what will last is a relationship with Jesus Christ. I choose Jesus.
I am content, because I have all I need, in Jesus.
Blessings!
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