Sunday's Song

Craig Wayne Boyd is one of the singers vying for the chance to become The Voice.  He is by far my favorite but this past week, his performance blew America away. He not only did a spiritual song, but an old Southern Gospel standard...The Old Rugged Cross. He brought tears to the judges eyes and even had Pharrell Williams saying To God be the glory. You could tell this song was done because he believed in every word of it, not because he was trying to put on a show. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Please take a moment to listen to the coaches comments at the end of the video. I loved when Pharrell asked him "What does it feel like to be at the top of your game and surrender it to God in front of the whole world?"

My special day...

I have been blessed my entire life by having a spirit of joy and finding pleasures in the small things. Today is a celebration of my life. My special day. I turn 58 today and I am excited about it. I believe birthdays are magical days...no matter how old you are. I have had a life of love and family that have meant the world to me. Those moments of magic to remember over the years. 

I was a curly haired little girl who loved and worshiped her Daddy. This is one of my favorite pictures of us together when I was 2.

I went through a stage where I wore nothing but dresses and saddle oxfords. I loved my dresses. Now that is something you will rarely see me wear unless it is a very special occasion.

I grew up with an older sister and two younger brothers who mean the world to me. We have always been close and still are today. Mom and Dad showered us with love and we never knew there was any other way to be in life except happy. We didn't have a lot of money, but we didn't know that because Mom made everything so special for us. She and Daddy gave us plenty of wonderful memories.

We had a hoard of cousins and got to see them all the time. It made for some awesome fun and lots of giggles and girl time.

One of my fondest memories is when my Uncle Charlie took me to Sears to sit on Santa's lap. I don't remember my siblings going so I am not sure if they did. I don't recall pictures like this of them. I wonder if he may have taken me for my birthday this year? But I do remember having so much fun that night. Check out the corsage on my coat. We ALWAYS got a new corsage to wear at Christmas.

I remember clothes hanging out on the line and all those years with the inflatable pools. So many sweet summertime memories.

I went through the nerdy stage with the cat eye glasses when I was in 4th grade. Here I am sporting one of my favorite shirts Mom made me. I guess red has always been my favorite color.

When I grew up, I married my wonderful hubby and have had over 33 years of being spoiled. Oh how I love this man of mine.

Nothing ever made me feel as blessed as God trusting me with a set of beautiful twins. I always said I wanted a boy and a girl and that is exactly what I got...all at once. Since they were born 3 days before my 21st birthday, I would have to say this was the best birthday present I ever got.

Just when I thought my life couldn't be any fuller, the grandbabies started coming along. I have three very handsome grandsons....

And two beautiful granddaughters.

I am trying to grow old gracefully like my Mom has. She is one of my inspirations and one of my best friends. To this day, when something happens in my life...good or bad....I call Mom and discuss it with her. At 84, she is still going strong. She still loves to craft and read. 

So this may seem like a conceited post to some, but it isn't. I am just so truly, wonderfully appreciative of every moment of the life God gave me. So I usually take this day to celebrate my birthday. I'm just a big kid at heart and I think it is okay to be happy to be another year older. 

Hubby outdid himself for my birthday this year. We finally got a HDTV and one of those electric fireplaces I have been wanting for several years. Thank you, Allen, for always making me feel so special.

Busy, busy, busy....

Well, it is going to be a busy weekend around here. How would you like to have my schedule this weekend.....

Direct TV is coming to change install new Genie boxes on the TV's. We get a free upgrade since we have been with them for two years.

I need to run and get my hair cut after he leaves if there is time.

Tomorrow I have breakfast with my daughter and a little shopping to do. We are going to do the Shoney's breakfast bar. Best place to get full on a good budget.

From there, I will go straight to start lining up everybody for the annual community Christmas Parade. Somehow I ended up in charge of this when we started it four years ago and I still am the main organizer. But everybody is so easy to work with that I don't mind. 

After I send the last float or group out to the main road, I will hop in my car and go the other direction and circle around to our church. I always time it so that I get there as the first of the parade arrives so I can actually get to watch it and not just organize it. 

The parade ends at our church and we give everybody time to come in and then we perform the our annual Christmas program for the community. So as soon as the parade is over, I hurry inside and become a quick change artist to go from jeans and a sweatshirt to pants and a sweater for the program.

After the performance, I will hurry home where my family will be waiting and we will have pizza and a birthday party for me and my children since we all three have birthdays this week.

Sunday morning is Sunday School and church. Our morning worship services will be our Christmas program again for our church family. 

After church, I need to hurry home and make something to take to a Christmas party for my Thirty-One friends. I need to leave the house by 2:30 to get there for the party and gift exchange at 3:00. Around 5:00, I will have to change again into my dress clothes and drive about 20 minutes to a sister church who has invited us to perform our Christmas program. They do not have a choir so they have invited us in to sing for them. 

After that, it will be back home and time to put on my warm socks and crash on the couch. I am hoping to fit eating and sleeping into my weekend somewhere.

Did you miss me?

Life is full right now. Still trying to get ready for Christmas and keep up with all my obligations. I missed blogging totally yesterday. Time just got away from me. But I did finally get my living room decorated and my tree up. I love an old fashioned tree with tinsel (garland) and icicles. 

My mom made me this adorable Christmas runner for my birthday. I love it. 

I got my new soup bowl from Pampered Chef. I broke it in with ice cream though instead of soup. 

I also got some Pampered Chef recipe cards that I can't wait to try. 

I'll have more updates later in the week. But for now, have a happy Tuesday...what's left of it!

Sunday morning Christmas songs...

Finding Santa

Saturday my daughter and I went shopping. My 6 year old granddaughter, Shelby, was with us. As Diana and I were talking about our Christmas lists, Shelby asked to borrow a pen and a notebook. She worked studiously as she asked us occasionally how to spell a word. When we arrived at Walmart, we took her to the toys so she could get some Christmas ideas of what she wanted. As she walked up and down the aisles, I was the official secretary and she would look up and ask me to add certain things to her list. 

Once we were done and were going around the store, she kept looking at her list and grilling me:

"Where does Santa get his mail?" 

"Does he go get it himself or does Mrs. Santa get it?"

"Does he read every letter or does his wife help him or does he have a secretary?"

I answered each question as best I could.....He gets his mail from the mailbox...I guess it depends on who goes out anywhere on who picks up the mail...I believe he reads them all himself. She seemed to be thinking it over. She gently removed her list from the notebook and folded it perfectly in half and handed it to me and said....

"I don't trust the mail to get it right to him. Here, you take it to him and tell him it's from me."

I looked at her and asked, "Shelby, how am I supposed to give it to him?"

She looked at me like I had lost my mind and said, 

"Duh. You live right beside him, just walk it over there."

How could I have forgotten. Santa and Mrs. Clause DO live right beside me. So I went home, knocked on the door and explained the situation. Santa gladly took the letter. Then he asked me pop back to the house and get my camera so I could show Shelby proof that yes, he DID read her list. So I did exactly that and as I took the photograph, I stood right there on Santa's front porch while he made sure he could read each word she had tenderly written and he instructed me to tell her she had been a very good girl this year and he would see what items on the list he could leave for her on Christmas eve. She was one happy little girl when I gave her a full report and showed her the picture of Santa with her list. 

And yes, there is a Santa Claus and yes he does live beside me.

A Christmas Story

I wrote this poem back in 1999. Mom had a manger like this one and some years I would sneak and put it under the tree and just lay in the floor and gaze at it. My memory of this sweet little plastic manger was my inspiration for A Christmas Story.

Packages wrapped up with ribbons and bows,

Stockings over fires with embers aglow;

A tree in the corner strung with tinsel and lights;

A soft falling snow on a cold winter night.

Under the tree on a soft woolen skirt,

Sat a nativity scene of the dear Savior’s birth.

As I knelt down close to take a good look,

My mother would read from an old worn book.

She told of a mother, weary and worn,

Looking for a place for her child to be born.

The inns were all full, no room could be found.

They were shown to a stable with hay on the ground.

She read how the shepherds were watching their sheep

When angels came to them with voices so sweet.

She read of their messages of tidings of joy

As they told the shepherds about the birth of a boy.

We’d listen intently, eyes glued on that book

As she told how the shepherds went to go look.

How they found the sweet baby in a manger that night

And how they gave praise to God for the sweet blessed child.

We hung on her words, the picture so clear,

For this was a child the world would hold dear.

She flipped back some pages as we knelt at her feet,

While she read of some wise men and a star in the east.

She told of their journey to see the small babe.

She read of their worship and the gifts that they gave.

We heard about the frankincense, the myrrh and the gold,

As Mom quietly finished her story of old.

As she closed the worn book that she’d just read,

We’d get our kisses from Daddy and scoot off to bed.

As she tucked us all in and kissed us good night,

We’d think of that story as she covered us tight.

For we had been raised to know the Lord’s love,

And we knew that sweet Child was a gift from above.

We knew that a great sacrifice had been made,

That started with the birth of Jesus that day.

So forget all the presents, the ribbons and bows.

Forget all the stockings and lights all aglow.

For the greatest gift you’ll find on your Christmas morn,

Was given by God, the year our Savior was born.

Brenda Garretson Keefer ©