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.

Who knows?

We recently did a Ladies Bible Study on Queen Esther. There was one thing that really made a profound impact on me.

In Esther 4:14, Mordecai is telling Esther to remain silent, he said "For who knows, whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this."

Truer words were never spoken. Who knows why God places us where he does at the times he does. Who knows what lives we might effect just by being in a certain place at a certain time. Look at your Facebook friends for example.

I get blessed daily from the people I grew up with and went to school with. I haven't seen many of them for years, but I see their Christianity, their family values and their faith in God daily on their Facebook page.

When I joined Facebook, I would never have thought I would learn so much about my friends or be so blessed by them.

But God had a hand in even that. He has a master plan and we just need to follow the blueprint He has given us by following in His word. For "who knows" where and when we will be in a moment "for such a time as this".

Goal Setting

Each of us have dreams and hopes that we want to see come true. We think of things we'd like to have, be or do. But do we strive for them? Do we work hard to make them happen? Or do we sit back an just wish they would drop in our lap. In order to achieve your dreams, you need to set clear defined goals. Many times in my life, I have made a goal list and fell short of achieving them. But just as often, I have been able to reach the pinnacle and obtain the goal. It just depended on the route I took to reach the goal. The key to goal setting is to have a plan of action and follow that plan. It is not just enough to WANT it to happen, you can MAKE it happen. This is the best plan that works for me:

• Determine what the goal or objective is
• Prepare a plan of action on what steps to take to reach the goal
• List any obstacles that could get in your way
• Decide on the best steps to take to bypass the obstacles
• Set yourself a reward for reaching your goal

Every time I follow these steps I have either reached my goal or exceeded my goal. So today, I will set my new goals. I'll decide the best steps to take, then I'll implement them with the knowledge that I CAN succeed.

Whatever happened to seasons?

Is it just me or does everyone have a hard time deciding what season it is. When I was growing up, the white shoes, sandals and flip flops were put away until after Easter next year. We bought new "fall" shoes and "fall" jackets. Lightweight with a little lining for those chilly morning. Sweatshirts and blue jeans were the norm to go outside and play in the leaves. Now we see flip flops in the dead of winter. One day it is so cold we are wearing sweaters and digging our winter coats out. The next day it is short sleeves and open toe shoes. It is 63 degrees outside and beautiful. But if you are inside looking out and didn't know the temperature was 63, you would say it looks like it is getting ready to dump a big snow on us. I'm just not sure what is going on. I want spring to feel like spring and fall to feel like fall. I don't want to wear shorts in February and long sleeves in May. I no longer "put" my seasonal close away because I have no idea what season we are in. I think we should just have one season and call it Autwin sprummer. That way, we are covered no matter what the weather decides to do.

The life of a squirrel

I have a yard full of squirrels and I cannot figure out their philosophy on life. We sat here one day and watched one particular squirrel. He came down along the wooden fence with a nut in his mouth. We watched as he scurried along the back yard. He would stop and look up, still holding his hickory nut. He would glance furtively around, looking for spies. He would run a few more feet, stop, and repeat the process. After three or four minutes of this procedure, he would dig a small hole and bury the nut. He then ran around the yard to various spots. He would stop and sniff around. Then he would run back, get the nut and take it to the new spot and bury it. How crazy is that? Apparently, eating a lot of nuts will make a squirrel nuts. He repeated this about four or five times, burying the nut, digging up the nut, over and over. Then he dug it up and ran up on the patio, climbed in my petunia bed and buried it there as it's final resting place. Then he left. He is back this morning. Only this time, he is outside my window on the ledge, eating the bird seed that has fallen from my bird feeder. I slowly opened the blind as to not scare him off. He tried to climb up the window screen. Guess I have a new pet. I think I'll buy a bag of unsalted, shelled nuts and make his job a little easier this winter. Think I'll name him Sammy. Stay tuned for more of his antics as winter progresses.

I am blessed

I Am Blessed Written by Jerry Goff Thru sunshine and rain, even sorrow and pain Jesus is still my comfort and guide. And His love comforts me and His grace has set me free And some day I shall stand by His side. Chorus: I am blessed, I am blessed. Every day that I live I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning, Till I lay my head to rest I am blessed, I am blessed I have shoes for my feet; I have plenty to eat And a home in Heaven by and by Brothers and sisters on this earth, they are mine by my new birth And we shall share in that home beyond the sky.

Gift Ideas

It's that time of year when everyone starts thinking about the perfect Christmas present. You read articles and watch ads to find that one gift that lets that special friend or loved one know how much you care. But it's not the gift that tells them you care. It's the time and thought you put into the gift. One of my favorite gifts to give and to receive are themed gift baskets. But don't buy one pre-made. Customize it to fit the person it is intended for. They don't have to be expensive. Again, remember it is the thought you put into it. I line all my baskets with a cloth napkin placed in it so that the four corners hang out over the sides. Here are some ideas: For Chocolate Lovers: A new coffee cup or mug (pick one with something they like, ie cats, dogs, brown/pink dots, cartoon character, or simply a "I hate mornings" mug) - various flavors of hot chocolate (mint, caramel, regular) - a pretty container filled with miniature marshmallows for the chocolate - a recipe book of chocolate desserts, a large block Hershey bar, for filler use miniature candy bars of their favorite brand. For People who love to read: A rectangle basket that can hold their favorite books - an assortment of inspirational bookmarks - a couple of books by their favorite author or a gift card to their local bookstore - motivational or inspirational books for daily reading, a nice book light for those nights they want to read in bed. For People who are always cold: A soft shawl to drape around their shoulders, a pair of fuzzy socks with slip resistant soles, a pair of warm gloves with matching scarf and/or hat, a pair of fleece pants to lounge around in. These are just a few of the ideas I've used. You can customize baskets for those who love to cook or bake. (this one is good for men, too). Have someone who love costume jewelry? Buy a small basket with a lid and fill it with costume jewelry. You can do one with lotions, soaps and creams for those who like to pamper themselves. If you know someone who loves to do their nails, do one with nail polishes, hand creams, polish remover, manicure sets, emery boards, etc. A birdwatcher on your list? A small set of binoculars, a couple of books on birds, a journal and nice pen to keep a log of their sitings, a small bird feeder to hang outside their window. As you can see, the ideas are limitless. So think about those on your list who are tired of perfume and neckties. The key is to think outside the box, or in the case inside the basket! Happy shopping!