'Tis the Season!

Hello my friends!

Today I want to talk about the Christmas Season!  This is my favorite holiday by far.  I love the hustle and bustle at the malls, the sound of the Salvation Army ringing its bells every year, and seeing the decorations at Crocker Park – these are near the top of my favorites list!  I love going for rides at night with my best friend, my husband, and our precious pup, Daisy, to see all of the light displays, and the businesses decorated and doing their best to draw us in to “come see what we have inside!”  I love listening to Christmas carols on the radio, shopping, cooking and watching the Weather Channel to see if we will have a “White Christmas!”  And I love all of the heartwarming Christmas movies – watching them with a box of Kleenex next to me!  And I really don’t even mind as people complain, “this has become such a commercial nightmare” and that we forget about the real “Reason for the Season,” and I don’t believe that Jesus minds either.  And the reason I believe this is because at this time of the year more than at any other time, we take ourselves outside of ourselves, and devote ourselves to thinking of and doing for others.  And to me, in whatever form that takes, the message becomes the action that continues to be – LOVE.

For what is love if not taking our eyes off of ourselves and thinking of ways to make another person happy or to meet their need, or to just spend time with them? It is at this time of the year that families get together, healing takes place, and fellowship abounds.  It is at this time of the year that, whether we understand it or believe it or not, we become what the season is all about – “Love one another as I have loved you.” When we give our change or a few dollars to the Salvation Army, it feels good because we know we are doing some small thing to make another person’s life better.  Other displays of love are shown in caroling at nursing homes and hospitals to bring some joy to those who are hurting; making a food basket for those in need so that a family can celebrate the season; and hearing heartwarming stories of love that abound at this time of the year.  And as we think about how to help another or others, it reminds us of how very many things we have to be grateful for in our own lives.  We appreciate the friends and family we are blessed to have in our lives just a little bit more.  And we are thankful for the simple things in our life, like a good meal and a warm home and a few extra days from work to spend with our friends and families.

So I say, Rejoice, and again I say Rejoice!  Go ahead and decorate the Christmas trees! Bake the cookies! Turn up the music and dance, for this is truly the most wonderful time of the year.  And know that somewhere in the hustle and bustle of this very busy time of the year, the real “Reason for the Season” is still at the heart of it all, for the message from the One Who came as a tiny babe, fresh from heaven, and gave His life to save a lost and dying world still resonates and is celebrated throughout the world – that we love one another- and is that not the real “reason for the season?”

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Ode to Uncle John

Hello, Friends!

Today I would like to share a story about a very interesting family member, Uncle John. A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went to visit Uncle John. Now Uncle John is in his late 90's (our best guesstimate is 96), and while we are not sure of his exact age, we do know that he has lived life to the full. I love our visits with Uncle John; he cannot hear much of what we say anymore (we don't take offense that he is ignoring us!) but his eyes still twinkle when he shares pieces of his life story with us. He tells of the days he and a buddy went hunting in a remote location in Alaska, and that the plane that dropped them off would come back in a couple of weeks for them - if they survived! His garage with an attached room - today it would be called his Man cave- is full of all sorts of heads of animals that he has hunted and captured. He handcrafted his own rifles and guns, and made his own bullets. And many an award was given to John.

He tells of his early years, when he left home, at about 14 years, and hitched a ride on a train, and his wanderlust took him many places as he pursued his life as a hobo (please do NOT call him a bum, for hobo's worked for their money, no begging, making enough to tide them over till they hitched a ride to a new and interesting place), and he laughs as he shares his many stories, and we are glued to his every word. At 90, he complained to us at Christmas that he wasn't worth a darn any more, cause when he went hunting he had to come home by noon!  When Uncle John talks about his time in World War II, his eyes cloud over with sadness, and only recently did he share with us that memories of the war still haunt him, as he fulfilled his service to his country.

And as Uncle John shares His stories, he always near the end of our time says, "I have lived a good life, the Lord has been good to me. I have no regrets," and we are enchanted with his humility and gratitude for the life he has chosen to live. But you know what he has said that buried itself so deeply in my heart and soul? He said, "It is a wonderful life, but it takes work. It doesn't just happen, ya know. You have to work at it." So Uncle John, I take your advice, and on days when I feel down or don't feel like doing much, I “do it anyway,” so that I can create another interesting and worthwhile day in the life of ME. And I am grateful to have had you in my life, as an example of the life I want to look back on at 96 years young, and with a twinkle in my eye, say, “I have lived a good life, the Lord has been good to me, and I have no regrets..."