my boy's 'chats'.... he hasn't written in his blog since last Sunday.... I sent him a text on Thursday and he didn't respond.... maybe when he reads this, he will send me a text and let me know how he is doing. I saw some photos my DIL posted about her work's Christmas party, and I saw Mrs. Claus and the Grinch, but did not see Santa, and that made me sad. Where is Santa....and where is my son?
So glad today is Saturday. This week has been another busy one, even with Thursday being a sorta 'play' day with a run down to Mesa for the 'holiday party' with other employees. Today, I think, is the last of the gatherings we have; hubby's Wednesday bible study is having a get-together today at 1PM, I think it is, and they made it today so that I could attend as well. It hits against a great-granddaughter's dance program, but this was planned and I agreed to go (after all, they made it Saturday so I could attend) before I knew about the dance program. I still need to make a cheeseball this morning to take as that is my contribution toward the 'snacks'. I need to find a gift for the host/hostess as well.
This afternoon I hope to bake some as I will meet my favorite boss on Tuesday and exchange gifts. 95% of her gift is always baked goods and salsa, cheeseball, etc. Her kids grew up on having my goodies for their Christmas gathering, and I will not disappoint them! You know how I love to bake and give away. We have neighbors as well I want to give something to. Need to work on pulling that together. We have new neighbors too on the catty-corner lot. Haven't met them yet; might be a good opportunity, you think? "Welcome and Merry Christmas"? It's hard for me to go meet new people anymore... I always feel like retreating into a corner. But once I do step out, I am glad I did. This will probably be no exception. It's just doing it.
I am working Monday (but may shut down early if I can) and then I'm off work Tuesday (meeting my boss), Wednesday (finishing up everything for Christmas-joining the mad rush to figure out what food to have on hand), and of course Thursday, which is Christmas. Ironically, with my daughter in the rehab center until Christmas Day, our Christmas is once again all over the place. Last year we did something different and I'm glad we did - and I feel it worked out well for everyone. We have now implemented it for each year. Only it kind of got thrown out of whack with the daughter's injury. They were coming Christmas Eve - and now we don't know when we will get together. She needs to not push it when she comes home.
Last year the daughter and family came over the Saturday before Christmas; the oldest son and his family the Saturday after Christmas, and the youngest son on Monday after Christmas. It was really weird for hubby and I were alone the week of Christmas. Of course we do our gifts on Christmas morning, regardless.
This year we are uncertain on when for the daughter and her family; the oldest will come over Saturday after Christmas, and the youngest will bring his brood over the Sunday after church after Christmas. We may see about the daughter coming over that Sunday evening as I have to work on Monday. Still need to confirm meal plans, but since it's after Christmas, I don't have to get out in the mad rush right now. Speaking of, I did head over to Sam's Club yesterday; needed trash bags and thought I'd pick up a few things. It was only 11:30AM on a Friday - and the place was a madhouse! People EVERYWHERE! I got what I needed and I got out of there pronto! For me to be in and out of Sam's Club in about 40 minutes is unheard of - and I went down nearly every aisle! But I got everything I had on my list (that I left in the car) and that was a good thing. If I need anything now, I'll go to Frys or Safeway.
Today, after the party, I want to finish up wrapping and maybe get this bed cleared off. It's just bags and stuff now. Need to start filling up the stockings to make sure I have all I want to put in them. More than enough, I'm sure. Yes, son, I remember - no donuts for you! I'm still concerned I may not have much for a couple grandsons, but plan to pull all the gifts out from under the tree(s) and do some counting and try to figure it out. I'm in a lot of 'trouble' with myself because I didn't track things better. What I need to do, I think, is wait until I purchase everything, and THEN decide to wrap and record. Instead I try to stay up on the wrapping and forget to write things down when I'm 'on a roll' and forget what I have purchased. My oldest granddaughter has been difficult this year for some reason - I don't want to give just to give something, I want it to be something she would want or need, or could use. SO I asked her, and she gave me some ideas for the entire family. That helped, although I still feel I didn't get her much.
This year has really flown by - we've been saying that all year long. And here is the end of it. I feel like I have not accomplished much. I did work out and get a lot stronger than I was at the beginning of the year. Speaking of getting stronger, Morgan is to be induced this morning to have her little girl - which means 6 weeks of maternity leave - and hubby and I have to do our own training to keep the progress we've made. We don't get six weeks maternity leave excuses.... we have to keep building the muscle. I'm not sure about using equipment at the gym... I'm always so self-conscious - and I shouldn't be. But I can do my core exercises here at home as Morgan doesn't use equipment for that - and I can remember it. And since I had core Thursday morning, my core is reminding me of some of the exercises.
Luke 2:1 (NKJV): And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Can you even imagine what chaos there would be on the highways and everywhere if we were told that we had to go get registered in the city in which we were born? I think we can pretty much assume that the world as it was then, was not as populated as it is now. It is about 80 miles (yes, I looked it up) from Nazareth to Bethlehem and would have taken Joseph and Mary anywhere from 5 days to 10 days for them to travel it by foot, especially if Mary was starting to feel the approaching birth of her baby. I imagine that trip helped 'move' baby Jesus along! I cannot even imagine walking that far - let alone being heavily pregnant and walking it! Or even riding the donkey! Pause a moment and think about that! Technically, we ARE registered when we are born and receive a birth certificate, if you think about it.
I often wondered where my mama got the phrase 'This, too, shall pass' - and I think it is derived from the beginning of this scripture. And it came to pass..... which often assures me that things will come, and things will pass. That beginning of the sentence is in a few other places in the Bible, and I always think of my mama when I read it. And I am reminded that when I'm struggling and in a not so good place, I can tell myself 'and this too shall pass' because I know it will. Perhaps not in the timeframe I choose, but always in God's timeframe. His timing is so much more important.
I think of my daughter's fall and all the things that have been put on hold because of it, all the things that have been postponed, all the things that will change over the next few months as she recovers. Her move to New Mexico has been delayed a little. Her Christmas shopping about came to a halt (except for Amazon, of course). She is behind on her wrapping. She didn't get packages shipped out. She didn't get to go have Christmas with her son and his family as planned for last week. Everything was put on hold. But you know what? I truly believe tis is God's way of telling her she needs to slow down and let Him lead her. We are told in the Bible not to make plans for tomorrow, for we do not know if tomorrow will even come for us. We make all these plans for the future, and yet, we don't know if they will even happen. I'm not saying we shouldn't make plans (you know I have to!), but perhaps we need to pause and have a back-up 'just in case'. Maybe now is not the time for her to move away. Or maybe I'm just coming up with excuses and letting God take the blame for 'letting' it happen because I don't want her to move.
But I also remind myself that I moved away from my mama when I married my children's dad. I moved even further away when I married hubby. But in my case, moving away made me grow up and become independent on others, and more dependent upon God. Especially the move way out here away from family. It was extremely hard on my children and on myself. I missed my family so much, and as we didn't have the money to drive or fly back, it made it even more hard. It broke me in many places and I had to grow strong. Life was truly hard; no one knows how hard it really was. Not only for me, but for my children. I tried to send the kids back for a couple months for a couple years, but I didn't give thought to my siblings working and not home to take care of the kids. After all, they took days off when we were there for vacation. I just didn't think about it. Until one year a comment was made that I sent them back so that I'd have a babysitter - which was not true. But that comment hurt, and all I had wanted was for the children to know their cousins, aunts/uncles and grandparents. After that comment, we never sent them back.
And my mind is wandering this morning so I'm going to get off here and take my remaining time to read some. Did not make my goal in reading this year. My goal will remain the same for next year - and perhaps things will calm down to where I can meet my goal. I need to try to complete it in 10 months as the last two are always so busy. And with that, I hope you have a wonderful day!
Blessings!
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