THESE WERE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

Reflecting back on this past Christmas Season here are a few of the things that meant the most to me (not necessarily in order of importance) :

1. The warm and rich feeling of two of my Russian neighbors from our Senior Estates, encircling me with arms of love at our local Shopping Market. I gave them each a kiss on the cheek as they hugged me. It amazes me how God's love transcends language barriers.

2. Our Bible Study Christmas Party...it is always one of the main highlights of The Christmas Season for me. My Beloved Sister Marge (and yes, you are all my beloveds) had drawn my name for our gift exchange this year and she kept it a secret (which is really unusual for our group). She bought me a gorgeous Cross Wind Chime, that I had fallen in love with when we were at the Oregon Coast last fall for our annual Women's Retreat. Unbeknown to me, my sneaky friend went back and bought it for me before we left Lincoln City. Bless you Marge! I love it!

3. Making out my Christmas Cards, Christmas Poem, and most years a Christmas Letter (which is a lot of work) but something that I thoroughly enjoy doing. I try to make every card or letter that I send out (no matter what time of year) a pretty package for the recipient. Don't you think it is nice to find something bright and cheery in the mailbox? besides bills and junk mail (though hey, I must confess...I love junk mail).

4. One of my personal preparations for the Christmas Season is that I always try to pick out one or two Inspirational Books (about a month before Christmas)...that will help to prepare my heart for the re-telling and celebration of The Birth of Jesus! This year I had 3 books and each one had it's unique part in making my heart ready to receive the Newborn King all over again.

 
  A.) "The Messianic Daily Devotional" ~ by Kevin Geoffry

B.) "Immanuel...praying the Names of God through the Christmas    Season" ~ by Ann Spangler

C.) "Christmas Cheer...Chicken Soup For The Soul" ~ by Jack Canfield and Vic Hansen

5. I love a great cup of coffee and Starbucks is usually my favorite place to get that (usually the Starbucks at Barnes and Noble...my Office! :+) But this year I found a fabulous blend at Borders Cafe (Seattle's Best) and it is called "Autumn Reserve".  It only comes out once a year...you guessed it...in The Fall! I am still enjoying a cup or two of the one lb. bag that I purchased in late November. ~ To Starbucks credit (and my son Chris) I found an awesome handle-less mug that is great for tea or coffee. It has a black 3 inch wide rubberized band around the middle of the cup to keep your hand from getting burned on the hot liquid.

6. This Christmas all our neighbors here in the Senior Estates (which I fondly call THE OLD FOLKS HOME) gave us cards, home-made ornaments and baked goods. The cutest part of all, that is that our two dogs, Sterling (8 yr. old Mini-Golden Retriever) and Bella (2 yr. old Shi~ Tzu Mix) also recieived their own gifts and Christmas Cards from various neighbors. ADORABLE!

7. God's Beauty is all around us and yet usually in winter we get the winter blahs... this year however I noticed many awesome and exquisite blessings from The Lord in nature:

A.) Blue Heron - in our wet lands

B.) A White Ingret - standing out in a soggy field

C.) A huge Owl sitting on a fence post in the middle of the day

D.) Many, many Hawks - both perched and flying

E.) Canadian Geese - fields and skies full

F.) A field full of pure black horses

G.) Fluffy Cotton Snowflakes

H.) Beautiful Sunrises, Sunsets, and mysterious cloud formations
THANK YOU LORD...I ENJOYED EACH HAND-MADE TREASURE!

8. Our Tuesday Night Craft and Gab Group (at the Old Folks Home) gathered together to decorate (and undecorate) our Main Lobby and Christmas Tree. As it always happens when you get a group of women together; we joked and laughed our heads off as we worked side-by-side. And all the other residents loved the results...which was our intent...to bring a little cheer in to our home and hearts.

9. I love, love, love receiving Christmas Cards and Letters from faraway friends. I enjoy catching up on their lives and what their children are doing now that they have grown and left the nest. It is that one special time of year where we are able to reconnect and share our hearts and lives.

10. I bought a HallMark "Night Before Christmas" recordable book and recorded my voice (Grandmama) reading the story to my grand-daughter Madeline. That was special for me and her. Her daddy got freaked out one night when the Christmas tree lights set the books motion sensors off and Grandmama was reading to them all, in the middle of the night. (So funny!)

11. One evening during the hectic part of the Season, Larry and I took a break and went out to dinner to a local resturaunt that we like. The table right by the fireplace was available so we sat there to get warmed up. We had a really great dinner (lots of protein for our diet) and we just relaxed, visited, laughed together and just enjoyed each other. It was lovely!

12. Larry and I took little Jayden his Chritmas gifts (Pat and Tanya's too), a couple days before Christmas. When we got there he was helping mommy bake cookies and he was so excited for Christmas. He had a gift for Grandma Pat (which is what he calls me...because I am Pat's mom).

So cute, huh? Anyway, he wanted me to open it right then...so he could help me. So, we opened it together. It was a small wooden musical jewelry case and on the top of it was a picture of Jayden at the Ocean (his first time ever...last summer) and the words "I Love You Grandma".

It is priceless...and it melted Grandma's heart.

13. Each year, like many people...I like to do something special for another child. It is my way of saying "Happy Birthday Jesus!"; I am giving in your name to a stranger. This year, I decided that I wanted to do something that would last longer than just Christmas; so, I signed up to Sponsor a child through Compassion International. I like this group better than others because they not only let you pick the country, the gender and age, and the very child you want; but they gaurantee that you are the only one sponsoring this child. Other groups have multiple sponsors per child and I have never liked that. I chose a little girl from Guatemala, she is 5 yrs old and her name is Yohana.   Larry and I feel blessed to do this.

14. On Christmas Eve Day, when Larry and I were leaving our Office (Barnes and Noble) all the kids working in the Cafe stood together and in unison said, "Larry and Peggy, Merry Christmas!" They looked so cute leaning in together in their Reindeer Antlers.  I wish I could have captured them on camera. ~ Vicki, the Manager of the Cafe, gave us a tin of home-made goodies, wrapped in a beautiful big red bow. So sweet of her!

15. CHRISTMAS DAY...HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS...IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU! ~ Christmas isn't about the gifts and the holiday hype; even though it is fun to give and receive.  IF the birth of Jesus taught us anything...it has taught us that it is all about the LOVE! The love He gives us, the love and adoration that we give Him, and the passing of that Love to our family, friends, and even complete strangers.  For Jesus, himself said that the greatest gift there was...is LOVE.  Amen and Amen!


In 2010 I pray that we will each sit at Jesus feet and learn from Him...how to love more...every single day. The World needs it and so do we!   HAPPY NEW YEAR BELOVEDS! 
             Please remember to pray for our Nation!