Life's Defining Moments

It's not the days and years that go by so swiftly, it's the moments. Those little clips in time that we can pinpoint every detail of every facet of that precise second. Over the years, you remember what you were doing when you heard JFK had been shot, where you were when you heard Elvis had died and everything about the day the Twin Towers were hit. No matter how huge, how horrifying, or how trivial, we all have defining moments that stick with us for eternity. Thirty-three years ago today at exactly 8:00 pm, I was playing cards with some friends of mine. I went to pick up the Ace of clubs from the stack and felt that first grip of pain. That moment of panic. That oh my gosh! feeling you get when you feel your very first labor pain with your very first child. I can picture the kitchen, butcher block style table top and tan metal chairs with brown cushions (tacky, but so 70's-ish). I had my back to the stove and had on my favorite striped maternity top that said Baby across the front. As my hand reached across for the card, I froze. I felt the sharp stabbing pain but wasn't sure what was happening as I wasn't due for 4 more weeks. I glanced at the clock. I noticed my friend, Marsha, glance at me then glance at her watch. We continued to play as if nothing had happened. At 8:20, I felt that same pain. Marsha announced the game was over and it was time for our new game to begin. For as long as I live and as many memories as I make, that memory never fades with time and I am glad because it let to the best thing that ever happened to me....my twins.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I can't remember which Christmas cartoon (think it is Frosty) where one of the characters is busy, busy, busy. That is my life at the moment. I am one of those people that thrive on a lot going on. These next few weeks will be a whirlwind of excitement and chaos...and I'm loving every minute of it. The holiday season is so special to me because that is also the time of year I had my precious twins. This was their fourth birthday picture and yes, that is me standing up. But that was 28 years and 60 pounds ago.

In addition to the hoopla of shopping, wrapping presents, decorating, and writing Christmas cards, we have a big birthday bash for their birthday and mine every year. Our birthdays are just 3 days apart and it's a wonderful time for us all to celebrate together.

Over the next few weeks, I have two more church functions (Ladies Night Out & Sunday School Class dinner). We have three more practices for the Christmas program, two nights of putting the program on. We have the big birthday bash and I get to go to Caton's Chapel School to watch Garret and Alexis in the school Christmas program.

Somewhere in my busy schedule, I need to allow some time for work. LOL. How much longer till January?

How did Joseph feel?

Over the ages, theologians and laymen have pondered Mary and her role as the mother of Jesus. Books have been written; songs have been sung. Everyone has wondered how she felt, what she experienced, did she ever think about what her Son would go through and who He really was? But what about Joseph? He had to have played an important role in the first twelve years of Jesus’ life on earth? How did he feel when he learned of Mary’s pregnancy? Once Jesus was born, did he hold that little life in his hands and rock him gently. When he came in from work at night, did he pick up the Baby and place his finger in the tiny hand of Jesus? Did he laugh at the antics of the little baby boy as he took his first steps; said his first word? Did Jesus gaze up at him adoringly? When Jesus was young and inquisitive, did Joseph take him into the carpenter shop and teach him to build a table? Did they work together quietly or was Jesus full of questions for his earthly father? Did he take pride in his Son as he tucked him in at night? Did he stand in amazement at the words the young boy spoke, marveling at the child’s intellect? Would you not love to be able to sit down with Joseph and ask him, “What was Jesus like?” The world owes a debt of gratitude to Joseph for standing beside Mary, believing in God and following God’s instructions so that the perfect plan could be put into place that Christmas eve so many years ago. So, Joseph, thank you.

The spirit of Christmas

Over the years at Christmas time, I have been one of the blessed few who has always had a child in the family at Christmas that "Santa" would visit. When I got old enough that he wasn't coming to see me, I had a baby brother who he visited. When my brother got "of age", my twins were little. As my children grew, my brothers and sister had children who were still waiting for Santa to come. When my youngest niece was moving into her final years with Santa, the grandchildren started arriving. Now, with 3 siblings, 9 nieces and nephews, 4 grandchildren, and 6 great nieces and nephews, Santa and I have been tight for 53 years. "Santa" has always been good to me, but I remember the best Christmas of my adult life. I have a book I read when I was in Junior High. It was called Karen by Marie Killilea. It is the true story of Karen Killilea, written by her mother. Karen was born with cerebral palsy at a time when most people believed children born with the disease should be put away in an institution. This story is about the first 10 years of Karen's life and the many obstacles she rose above. Written through a mother's experience and with a mother's love, this is the most touching, uplifting book I have ever read and I have read it many, many times. It was a best seller in 1952 and I could not find it in print anywhere. I mentioned to my husband that if there was a Santa, I wish he'd get me Karen for Christmas. On Christmas morning when all the presents were unwrapped, my hubby said "What is that under the secretary cabinet?" I scooted over and looked under it and there was a package in plain brown paper, tied with jute string. He told me to open and see what it was. You guessed it, it was Karen. My dear sweet husband, with no access to internet, had called and called until he located Karen at a book publisher in New York. I don't think a present before or after has ever thrilled me like that did. Over the years, I have come to believe that Santa is the kind spirit who exists in our hearts and minds and allows us to believe with a child-like faith. I remember one of my Sunday School students many, many years ago who was a teenager discussing with me about Santa and Jesus at Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes, "When we are little and we believe in Santa, we don't question the why or the how. We just know the IS. We have faith that he exists and that he will provide our every desire. Then, why, when we grow up is it so hard to accept that Jesus does exist and that He will provide our every desire. Why can we believe in the unreal when we have so much proof in the Bible and in our lives about Jesus and the fact He is real, but yet so many don't believe?" I thank God every day for sending His Son to provide for us and give us Christmas 365 days a year.

Christmas Crafts

Each year, my family loves to do Christmas Crafts. One of my favorites was one I did about 30 years ago with Mom and Mawmaw. Over the years, I’ve used it for many things. You cut a square (whatever size you want the basket to be) of chicken wire from a hardware store. We spray painted it gold and hot glued ribbon around the four sides. Then we pulled it together from two corners and used a darning needle and heavy thread to sew the two corners tight.

Then we hot glued our Christmas pick and bow. Since it is 30 years old, it’s a little worn looking, but I don’t want to redo it since Mamaw and Mom helped me make it. It was fun. We used to make all kinds of need things to set around.

Christmas Decorations

The decorations are up and the tree is done. Time to settle back and enjoy the season. As I decorate every year, I take the time to let my memories go back to Christmas's past. My oldest Christmas decoration is a little white plastic wicker basket of poinsettias. I was 5 years old and Mamaw Eden took me to town on the "town bus". She took me to McCroy's to have a hot chocolate and donut while we waited for the stores to open. When we got done eating, we were walking by the end of the aisle and there were these little baskets of poinsettias for 10 cents. Now Mamaw loved poinsettias. I remember every Christmas that her plastic bouquet of poinsettias was the first thing she would set out to begin the Christmas holidays. Mom had a bunch of them, too. It was always a family joke who would get their poinsettias out first after Thanksgiving. Some year Mamaw did and some years Mom did.

Loving poinsettias the way she did and knowing they are my birth month flower, she bought me my own little basket of poinsettias. She said I could start my own tradition that they be the first thing I put out at Christmas.

Well, every year when Mom got the decorations down, I would get my basket and set it out. Here I am 48 years later and it is still the first thing I get out. Mamaw has been gone for 21 years and I still compete with Mom on who got their poinsettias out first. Every time I place that little basket in a place of honor, I think of Mamaw and all the wonderful memories that little plastic basket evokes. I still miss her so much. I know every time I set them out she is looking down and smiling on me.

I've started a tradition with my grandkids of buying them an ornament to hang on my tree each year. When they get married they will recieve their ornaments for their first tree. I can only hope that I touch their lives in such a way that they, too, will have fond memories of me when they hang thier ornaments each year.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

I've been away from my blog for a couple of weeks as I prepared for the holidays. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had the kids and grandkids over and had a great time. As usual, I ate too much. But I counteracted the extra calories by walking all day on Black Friday as I scurried around to catch the sales. As we go into the Christmas season, I love the rush of fighting the crowds to find the perfect gift. Being a December baby, I've often wondered if that is why I love the holidays so much. This will be a busy month with Christmas gatherings, school programs and church plays. There is nothing like watching the little ones as they rehearse their lines or learn their Christmas songs. My oldest grandson who is 10 will be Tiny Tim in the Christmas play at Richardson Cove Baptist Church. He has his line down pat "God bless us, everyone!" Which when you get down to it, that is the bottom line. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we should count our blessings and realize that without His grace and love, we are nothing.