Minutes are done and turned in.

 That's my 'claim to fame' this morning.  It felt so good finishing up the minutes yesterday - and they really weren't that hard.  I just have to get past my 'I don't want to do these' mindset.  I finally completed them and sent them on to my boss to review.  Tried to work on the board retreat yesterday too - not much luck on that - one facility didn't even bother calling me back!  That is the heavy thing hanging on me right now.  Got to get things confirmed and then I can let it do it's thing.

I stayed home last night and wrapped Christmas gifts - and watched movies.  Hubby did meet up with his friend so I was alone.  And it was nice.  There is this one movie that when I saw it last year I fell in love with it.  Well, this one part.  I should check and see if I wrote about it last year.  I forget the name of it - something like 'The Christmas Wish' or 'The Christmas Wedding Wish'... I don't remember.  Anyway, it starts off with three children playing on a Christmas Tree Farm owned by a grandfather of the two girls.  They run to him and he has a big red bow on this Christmas tree and tells them it is the 'Wishing Tree' and one should whisper their wish into it.  

It hit a longing within me last year and I bought a small fir tree and suggested to different ones to whisper a wish in to it - and some did.  I tried to keep it alive, but with hubby's watering schedule on my plants... well, it didn't last long.  I'm going to see if I can't find another fir tree and put a red bow on it with the words 'Wishing Tree' on it and set it out.  Depends on how big it is on exactly what I can do with it.  Sigh.  Stupid HOA won't let us plant but in our courtyard... maybe I could put it just inside the gate after the first of the year?  Or maybe one of my sons would like to plant it in his backyard if I get a small one.  Anyway, it would be fun to have a 'Wishing Tree', don't you think?

I also watched another favorite movie called 'Finding Normal'.  It's a cute movie - about a doctor on her way to the Hamptons' for vacation.... and she 'flies' through a small town called 'Normal' at 90 miles an hour - and gets pulled over.  She is taken 'in' to see the judge because she has 23 unpaid parking tickets.... and he told her the $$ of the fine.... and she had no cash on her; no checks.  The little town didn't take credit cards and the one ATM in town was broken.  She was given 24 hours community service as her fine. And that's all I'll share about it.  But it is one of my favorite movies, along with 'The Coffee Shop'. :-)  

I have been real 'pleased' with this yucky stuff that I've been dealing with - sneezing, coughing, etc. - that it hasn't affected my sleep at all.  And yesterday, during the day, no sneezing, occasional coughing, and I thought I was about over it.  But then, last night.  Ever little bit that slime would tickle my throat and I would go in to a fit of coughing - and that is what is happening this morning as well.  Guess I'll take another Allegra with hopes it will completely dry this 'crap' up.  So I didn't sleep well last night and now I'm annoyed.  What a way to start a day, right?

I'll be heading down to Mesa again tomorrow morning for the department Christmas gathering.  They are having a meeting, but having lunch (sandwiches) brought in around 11:30AM and will be having a white elephant exchange and a cookie exchange.  I'm already thinking I will bypass the white elephant gift exchange.  I never faired well in those.  I'd always make sure I'd take something nice - and end up with a couple dishtowels.  I don't know the majority of these people so I really don't mind staying out of it.   Am thinking I may do the cookie exchange... which means I need to bake cookies today.  I was planning on making gingersnaps for my boss (thinking because he has kids, it would be nice)... but can also make oatmeal raisin too.  I'll see how busy my schedule is - I may just do a few of each.  I don't get crazy with baking 'Christmas' cookies like some people do.  But I do love the little Mexican wedding cakes, don't you?  I'm feeling really out of touch with my baking anymore.  With not being in the office, I don't do much of it at all.  No one to give it to.  My neighbors are diabetics so don't want to take to them, and we definitely don't need it here!

I got a big box from my big brother for Christmas yesterday.  Of course he tells me I am not allowed to open it until Christmas morning.  I tried to get him to let me open it.... "it rattles" I tell him.  "Too bad" he tells me.  I have a suspicion... well, let's just say the box is the same size of a box I have bought something in... could it possibly be the same thing?   Wouldn't that be a hoot!  Hopefully come Christmas morning I will be able to tell you if it is - or isn't!  I would be excited if it is... just saying.

I have nearly all the Christmas gifts wrapped - and you know what?  I didn't buy as much as I thought I did... and yet, I sure spent a lot more money!  I've 'lost' a couple things so need to see if they rolled under the bed.  Need to get these empty boxes out of here too; break them up and put in the recycle stack.  UGH - Recycle doesn't come until next week.  Surely I am 'done' by now!  And yet, looking at the list... I may need to get a couple more things.  Or not.  On my mind is what I need to do for tomorrow's luncheon at the office.  I also realize I haven't bought that much for hubby.  Oh his stocking is full... but there is nothing he needs.  I did get him some Notre Dame stuff.  But, I sure didn't buy much.  Maybe I'll get him a gift card to Barnes and Noble.  I know, just what either of us need - another book!   Neither of us need ANYthing.  Pretty sad, isn't it?  

I think that is why I like asking for 1:1 time with my kids.  I'm so glad I did that years ago.  Actually, has it been about 7 years ago?  I asked for one time a quarter, have 1:1 time with each child.  My middle child is the only one who has pretty much stuck to the 1:1 time... and I love it.  My daughter and I usually meet every Tuesday evening now (unless we have other plans, like last night) and crochet.... but that is where Jailbreak Getaway was brought about - only instead of just the two of us, her daughter wanted to join us, and now it's four of us that go someplace each year.  My youngest... well, sometimes it is hard to get him away from his wife.... I guess she is afraid she might miss something... like hubby gets at times.  He commented recently that if I died first, he probably would be left totally alone, for none of the kids really care about him.  (was that a 'woe is me' comment?)  Personally I think the comment is sad... but he has NEVER lived alone so the thought of it terrifies him.  Especially the thought of my not being at home if something happened to him.  Gruesome thinking this early in the morning!

John 11:25 (NKJV):  "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live."

Do you remember where that scripture comes from?   Remember the story of Lazarus in the Bible?  The brother of Mary and Martha?  If you recall, Mary and Martha had sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was very sick - and He stayed for two more days where He was!  THEN, He tells the disciples, "Let's go see Lazarus" for he's asleep... so the disciples think Lazarus is getting better if he's asleep, but Jesus had to explain to them, no, he died.  So Jesus gets almost there and Martha goes running to Him.  She cries out to Him "If only You had been here, my brother could be alive".  But Jesus tells her.... He is the resurrection and the life.  Just believe.... (yes, there is more to the story... go read John 11).  We all know how the story ended, Carmen made a song of it - remember?  

"Lazarus, come forth!"  And Lazarus came forth, completely bound in linen burial cloth.  And Jesus told them to loose him.  

And that is what Jesus tells us today.  "Son, Daughter, come forth!"  Step out of those dead linen cloths and step into the new resurrection of life!  Oh, so many times we allow 'things' to get in our way of following Jesus, and yet we know that we know that we know.... that following Jesus is the ONLY WAY to live.  It really isn't hard, if you think about it.  Would you give up something for your spouse, your child, if they asked you?  Jesus doesn't ask you to give up the things we enjoy.  He just asks us to believe in Him.  And by believing in Him, we CHOOSE how we will live for Him.  No one tells you how to live; it is between you and Jesus.  We all make wrong choices at times; trust me, I've been following Jesus since 1983, and I still make a lot of mistakes.  But I choose to continue believing and continue following Jesus.  Life is Him is the only way to live.  

Something to think about.

Blessings!

The Christmas Wishing Tree....

 I finally remembered what it was that I wanted to write about.  I don't remember exactly WHAT it was that I wanted to write about.... but the main topic has resurfaced in this brain of mine.

We watched a movie the other night called 'A Christmas Wedding', I think it was.  Lands, I don't even remember now.  But in this movie three children (two girls and a boy) were playing in this field of Christmas trees.  The grandpop (of the two girls) was there and he had put a huge bow on this one fir tree.  When they asked, Grandpop told them it was the Christmas Wishing Tree, that they were to go, one at a time, to the tree and whisper into it their wish.  And one by one they did.  And they never told what their wish was.

Several years later one of the sisters was getting married, but going to do a Fiji destination wedding - and her sister was a successful wedding event planner in New York, I think it was.  Anyway, as they sat around talking with the parents one evening, they were discussing the Christmas Tree farm (which the family had owned, but the father had sold it after he had inherited it as he didn't want to work it).  The sister getting married remembered that was her wish - to be married at the Christmas Tree Farm - just as her grandparents had done.  Her lucky beau said it could be anywhere she wanted to be - so the plans were set into motion and the other sister, the wedding event planner - was told SHE could plan the entire wedding!  In just a week or two's time!

Long story short.... the boy who was their friend growing up ended up buying the Christmas Tree Farm when their father had sold it.  The wedding planner sister went up to check out the small town and the availability of having the wedding at the Christmas Tree Farm.... admidst a lot of snootiness by the 'wedding planner sister' in the beginning (afterall, she had become a successful wedding event planner (top notch) in another big city), she began to see people as people in this little town and what their skills really were and that they were as good as anyone in the big city.  So the wedding got planned, the sister had her wish wedding.  She was married at the Christmas Tree farm just as her grandparents were.

And the wedding planner sister fell in love with the owner of the Christmas Tree farm.  Yeah, you knew that was coming, didn't you?  They finally shared their wish that they each had put into the tree that day.  The boy who became a man and bought the Christmas Tree farm wished he could someday have a Christmas Tree farm... and the wedding event planner sister?  Her wish was to stay there at the Christmas Tree farm and marry the boy.   Yeah, you knew that was coming too, didn't you?

But I wasn't thinking of the entire movie the other night as I thought about it.  I guess the longing to have a dream and that it just might come true, was really my thought.  I think we all have that longing within us to be more than we are; to have more than we have; to love like we've never been hurt.  My dreams were shattered years ago, but I still long to dream.

I want to stop before Christmas and pick up a small fir tree that I can perhaps leave in its pot year round for awhile - as I can't plant it here.  (Reminds me when my very best friend died years ago, I sent a fir tree in lieu of flowers to her son... I hope they planted it in her memory.)  And when I get it, I am going to put a big bow on it.... and I hope that everyone will play along with me if I (remember, first of all!) ask them if they want to whisper a wish into the tree, one that they can't tell others what it is.  And see if it gets answered.  The Christmas Wishing Tree.  It's just for fun.... maybe it is to satisfy the longing within my own heart to have my wishes come true.  

It was a great movie- romantic, of course.  But, one I would suggest you watch.  For fun. For whatever you want to get out of it.

Of course wishing doesn't always mean they will come true.  I can ask my Heavenly Father for things and He will bless me with answers - maybe some I don't want - but sometimes wishes are withheld for my good.  But I know He only wants the best for me so will give me only the best.  And, sometimes He allows me the things I do ask for - only for me to be disappointed in them.  That happens too.  So be careful what you wish for!

Have a busy day today - a 6:30AM meeting, and 8:20AM doctor appointment, run by the pharmacy... and still put in 8 hours today.  But I am off work tomorrow!!  YAY!!  My boss and I are heading up north for the day to do some shopping and lunch with a friend who has retired.  My boss will be here at 8AM tomorrow morning  to pick me up so it will be a fun-filled day.

Hope your day is a blessing!