Speaking of Northern Lights we got a phone call from a long time friend who at age 91 is still busy serving God. She plays piano in the memory care section of her Senior Living fcacility and also has a morning Bible study. We have known Marge since 1971 when we were living in Salt Lake City, Utah. She and her husband Dick went to the church we were attending. They were older than us and took us under their wing. We have remained friends over the years as we moved and they moved and we eventually ended up in MN at the same time for many years. Dick has gone home to Heaven now. They were and are the most gracious, generous, and caring people who blessed us richly over the years. The reason I connect this story to the Northern Lights? When we told her our daughter and family had gotten to see them she said, "OH how wonderful! It is on my bucket list to see them myself!" Pretty cool to have a "bucket list" at age 91. Pretty cool to be blessed with a friend like Marge too!
As I sit in the corner of my living room typing I am looking out on a big mess of red and green tubs scattered around the dining room....Christmas decorations are in the process of being put out. Some date back to 1968.....it is like unwrapping old friends when we take out the tubs and start recalling the memories that come up with each item. Of course while I decorate I listen to James Taylor or Kenny G's Christmas music. I really prefer the familiar this time of year.
Speaking of familiar, has anyone else noticed that so many of the Hallmark Christsmas movies have a "familiar" plot line....over and over.......As I age I have also noticed that the main characters are usually young so I find it more interesting when plots include someone over 50! woohooo! Still, with the slim choices we have to choose from on TV, we turn to the Hallmark channel a few nights a week. I do prefer the slower pace and happy endings!
Joel was actually out mulching yesterday with the lawn mower...in December. Just getting rid of the pesky leaves. The mower is now put away and the snow blower is primed and ready, Joel's eye is doing great! My follow up was okay....STILL needing more fluids and salt. Seems like I am putting salt on everything now. Well, not my daily yogurt yet! haha Joel got in a few extra miles on his bike too, so got in 1075 this year...and hit 10,500 miles on this bike odometer. I think a total of close to 20,000 miles in past 20 years with this bike.
Advent is a special time of year as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and as we now wait and prepare for the second coming of Jesus. There is much speculation on that, but the bottom line is...we don't know when....but we know how to be "ready". Believe....Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent. HOPE. So much to hope for....and can we even have faith without hope? Hope for what is promised....faith in what we cannot yet see?!
Today I am thankful for HOPE. Grateful for Advent, devotions that give us focus. Grateful for Christmas tubs to unpack, decorations to display. Grateful for good reports, melting snow, Christmas music, deer that made us stand motionless in awe and laugh at their antics. Grateful for a phone call from an old dear friend and the memories of so long ago. Grateful for Northern Lights (on our bucket list too!). Grateful for Hallmark Christmas movies. Grateful for pictures, texts, emails, and phone calls. And soooooo much more!
Enjoy your weekend!
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