Tradition

I got the tree up Thanksgiving day and yesterday put some lights in the window, so today I guess I will get out the decorations and do the tree. We put up the decorations at the church this afternoon and no one remembered where anything went. As we were making it up on our own, someone said' but this isn't traditional'. I love tradition, but maybe we sometimes need to look at a new approach and view.
So it is with my tree. I think I will do something different to it this year. But one thing must stay. The black devils claw. Dad always put it in the tree to aggravate Mother. We have always put it on our tree since they died and I will always have it there. Some traditions are too precious to give up. Anyway, decorations are not what make Christmas. Remembering the reason is the thing.

Nearly December

I am always anxious for December to arrive, but alas, it leave too soon. So much to enjoy, the Christmas lights, the decorations, church services, music, pure joy and excitement. Family, friends, 2 birthdays, Jesus and me! Each year I vow to do better and take some time to simply enjoy the season and the month. Each year, I get stuck in work and busy stuff and then it is gone before I know it has arrived. This year will be different. I will get to see Amy and Becky and her boyfriend. I will really miss not seeing Joey and Rachel and Tim and Tom, but I will be thinking of all of them a lot. Perhaps it will be a month of making a start on fixing our church. I know that today I need to find a way to make the new music box play Christmas music on the sidewalk, work on a couple of Christmas projects, and perhaps do a bit of shop work and get the statements in the mail. Then perhaps I will make my Christmas shopping list. What a busy month. I need to make a start.....so I am off with the resolution to enjoy the month.

After Thanksgiving

Wow!! I love this day. Christmas music from my computer to drive all the employees nuts. Christmas music in the car. Christmas music on the street from my speakers. I love that part, people just dance down the sidewalk and wave. Music is great. The big window has said goodbye to the turkey and fall leaves and the gingerbread men and lights take their place. It is not so crazy busy with customers today and I can enjoy the thoughts of the season. I even have my tree up at home!! Not decorated, but ready. I need my decorating buddy, Rachel, for that. May the best of the Christmas season be yours and may it begin today (if it hasn't already).

Thanksgiving

I may eat too much tomorrow to remember this. But Happy Thanksgiving!!! I am thankful for all of my family. I have been so blessed to have such a great bunch of folks to call family. Bill, who has been a good and kind and loving husband for these 51 years. Doug who keeps me on the straight and narrow and watches out for my stupid tricks and has always been a sweet and loving son. Amy who makes my heart sing with her sweet spirit and strength of character, she is my hero. Joey who is kind and considerate and always surprises and delights me. Becky, with her sweet and loving ways always has a wonderful hug and smile. Rachel the spirit of light and joy with great talent and wit. Tim who is my son, and in all the ways he can, makes me glad to be a Mom. My precious brother Tom who is always there for me. Martha the neice I can depend on and enjoy. All of my extended family that I have enjoyed all my life. I thank God for each of you and wish you happiness and joy in the coming season of Christmas. May all the good things in life be yours and may you enjoy each other and make the most of this wonderful world in which we live. Happy Thanksgiving.

Internet Purchase

I don't buy a lot on the internet, but sometimes I have no choice and that seems to happen more often than not. Given a choice of the box store north of town and the internet, I will choose the later.
The boom box we got last Christmas for the shop broke a month or so ago. Now that I want music on the street for the holidays, I don't have any. I ordered a cd player that I think will work with my speakers, but I haven't seen it yet. The girls remember I did place the order, but I can't find any record of doing that. I always print out a confirmation and if I did I can't find that. So, do I get another one so I will have it for this weekend? If I do, surely the other one will arrive the next day. If it does, then I will have a spare when the next one breaks. I don't like buying from the internet, but it is better than the box store. I need to get with the program and live in this century, I guess. My, life was easy when I could just go to Kresses, Lintzes, The Dixie and Western Tire. Pretty restricting, but easy. Cash on the barrel head for anything they had. If you didn't find it, you did without. Good shopping

Sheep and Goats Day

Todays sermon was Sheep & Goats. Mercy, I have always been fond of goats, but I guess I should not want to be one. In all seriousness, I realized that we must be diligent about knowing when bad things happen to people in this economic crisis we face. We are so used to people being able to take care of themselves, that we will have a hard time realizing that people we know can be hit hard by the events of the world. And if we don't know it and take care of them, we will become goats and maybe not even know it. So strive for sheepdom. That reminds me, I must send the book about the sheep around. Advent will be here next week and that is a time of hope. So we should all have hope.

Charles Dickens

I don't know if it is my age or if it is true, but Dickens seems to be ageless. His writings seem as impressive and as pertinent today as they were in his day. People used to flock to read his latest chapter in the newspaper, like people flock to see the latest soap opera episode. Both of which seem to be a telling commentary on the day. Seems to me that his spoke to the social ills of the world while soap operas speak more to the moral ills. (Truthfully, I have not seen one in probably 20 years, but I bet I would recognize the characters and the situations.)
What brought this on? You may well ask. Last night I went to see the Duncan Little Theatre's performance of A Christmas Carol. It was very well done and all 30 of the cast did a good job. Clearly they had a good time as did the audience. But I never tire of the renditions of old Chuck's work. He understood people, the era, the problems, the humor, the fears, the hopes, the dreams, the realities, the faith....he just had a wonderful insight into the world. There are not many authors today who can do that job as well. My hat's off to you, Mr. Dickens. Thank you for a warm and pleasant evening and for always stirring our conscience. God Bless Us Everyone!!!

Mess

I wonder why we are all in such a mess. By all, I mean all that I seem to be involved in. The state of the economy in this nation, the church I worship in, the town I live in, the shop I work in, the family I live in. Maybe it is because of leadership. Lack of good leadership results in lack of confidence and lack of confidence results in a mess. That would make me squarely to blame in 4 of the 5 messes I look at now. Ouch. I guess I can fix my four and do better at leadership, but I don't want to take the blame for the country. Good leadership means instilling confidence and guiding people to faith and trust in that leadership. Ok, I did my best at church...maybe not. Maybe I was not willing to be disliked any more than I already am and did not want to do the last final big act that might have made a difference. Lack of trust in myself is what stopped me from that act. In the shop, I sat back and did not want to anger anyone and correct their behavior and lack of faith in my decision to act is what stopped that act. I am just worn out from being on the 'wrong side' of decision making that stopped me from an act that might make a difference in town. Being honest about what I want to do with my time might keep me from being frustrated about not being somewhere or doing something to keep a family member happy with me.
The big thing here is not wanting anyone to be upset with me. Not caring about what people think is a big problem. So look out world!! I am through with all the pussyfooting about. It is time to stand up and be counted. I am not so old that I don't matter. I have valid opinions and am lots smarter than many. My rights and wishes and needs count for something, too.
I am turning a corner. I will trust myself to know that I am doing the best thing and then do it. I know God gave me brains to use and it is time to use them.
Don't worry, none of this is about you...it is about others. All will be well. Just needed a little pep talk! Have a wonderful day and do what you know is best to do. You are the best judge of it all. God will keep us going straight if we listen.
Do you hear that Washington? Pay attention.

Windy

It is a cold blustery day and the wind in blowing ninety miles an hour. Maybe not that bad, that's what my Gran used to say when it was really windy. Reminds me of those car guys that came with their begging bowls yesterday. Blustery and windy. My goodness, don't they have a public relations dept that could have told them you don't take a limo and wear your tux when you go to the welfare office!!! Mercy me...they surely don't have the brains to run a company like they run if that is all the good sense they have. Bring back Lee Iacoca (sp?)he turned things around in the 70's (or maybe it was 80's). Folks didn't like him, but he did the job. I don't want to see people out of jobs but they should take a good look and figure out how to fix themselves. That is what we have to do with our small businesses. If we refuse to find the problem and fix it then we cease to exist. Sometimes it is hard to change things, but it sure can be done and they had better do it quick or I am going to start making buggy whips because the day of the horse and buggy may be on the way back! So stand back and watch the wind blow through DC and maybe it will blow out some cobwebs and good sense may return .

Uneventful

This has been an uneventful day. Get up, go to work, go home and I suppose to bed to do it all over again tomorrow. At least, I hope that will be the case. Still, I suppose there is never an uneventful day. Someplace, somehow , I am sure I played a part in some event, even if I don't know it. So, it won't be a wasted day. Enjoyed talking to a grand daughter. I guess you can call that an event. But I am boring today. The end.

Grace Abides

Last night I was at a meeting and on the way home, had a flat tire (rear blowout, actually) but it took awhile to realize what was wrong. Silly me, I thought it was something wrong with the exhaust. That's what it sounded like. I saw a church ahead with a big empty parking lot and lots of security lights, so pulled in there. Called AAA and locked the door and waited for 30 min while he came and changed it for me. This morning I went to get a new tire (really a set of tires) and went to a place I have never used before. Having become put out with the one I used to patronize, I decided to try this place that was recommended by the AAA guy. They are reputable people, just not convenient. Got a really good price and a beautiful set of tires. I had been warned by the 'son person 'that I needed new tires a month or so ago and I ingnored him. Should have listened. I'm lucky I wasn't hurt and everything worked out well. That is a bit of grace come my way and I appreciate it. Never know when it will fall on you, so should not be stingy about bestowing a bit of grace on someone else. May grace abide in your life.

what matters

What really matters? I know I get so wrapped up in stuff that I think it all matters. The shop, church, politics, civic life. All of that consumes time and energy and is deserving of that effort. But does it matter in the end? Don't think so. Well, church matters, but not the way we do church. God matters. In the great scheme of things, God matters most. But aside from that, what else matters. I'll tell you..Family matters. A business neighbor and casual friend lost a daughter this weekend at the age of 49 and just two years ago he lost a son at the age of 49. He is in his mid 80's, works hard every day and is a kind sweet man. He is beyond devestation today. I think it will be difficult for him to go on, but he will because she had a daughter and 3 grandkids that he will be there for. It is only family that keeps him going. All the hard work we do for the world, for friends, for the church, it will all be gone in a blink of an eye. But the effort we put into family will be there forever. I think that is why people often want to know about their ancestors. That does not get too important until we get older, but sooner or later, we all want to return to our roots and discover what made us what we are. We still need to be productive members of society, but it should not be an overwhelming disappointment if things don't turn out like we want them. But God and family...we shouldn't fail them.

Regression

I need to regress to Halloween. About the popcorn balls. I forgot to mention that I grew up during World War 2 and there was a strict ration on food. Especially sugar. To get any kind of sweet treat for Halloween was special. Popcorn balls, using lots of the sweet stuff, was pretty special. Also, costumes were all homemade and I seemed to be the perpetual gypsy. So there was a definite difference between then and now. Taking someones sugar ration was a big deal and my mother worked at the ration board so I heard stories daily about hoarders and wasters. We were strict with what was rationed in our house and gave away those precious things we did not have to have to others who needed them. So maybe, just maybe, there was a bit of guilt about accepting candy.
Oh, yes. I got my color fixed. Simple, just took awhile to figure it out. Really, too easy...so I won't tell you, lest you think I am really a simpleton.

Music

Hey, I lost my color!! What's going on here? I should change the title of this blog to TECHNOLOGY IDIOTS!!
Why do the things that are always on your screen, suddenly disappear and where do they go and how do you get them back? I know the experts say that old(er) people should make a point of learning new things each day or week to keep the neurons in their brain firing and working well. Perhaps I need to go to school to learn about computers and then my brain will be healthier and it will be useful.
This is really making me mad, so before I blow all this grace stuff right out of the water, I am going to spend the rest of the morning finding out how to fix this little problem. In the grander scheme of things, this is but a tiny irritation; but on my scheme of things, this is a big irritation.
Tomorrow you will know how successful I have been.

Thanksgiving

It is creeping up on us. Of all the things I am thankful for is family. What would one do without them? A few minutes ago, I heard quiet sobbing on the other side of the shop. I went to look and found one of the employees in deep grief. She had just had a phone call from her husband saying his brother just died, before he could get there. We sent her off on her way to deal with that death. She has had so many these last two or three years. And being native american, she they have great extended families so their losses are multiplied. But how blessed are they to have so many. When one is in grief, many others are there to share with them and get them through it. That is how families are,and their groups are bigger than families, they are like clans, who take care of their own.
I had a discussion the other day with a man who said that though he understands and appreciates the family systems approach to working with churches, he believes we may be missing the boat. He thinks that churches work more on a clan system than family. He says there are many clans that make up the bigger tribe. I am coming to believe he may be on to something.
All the same, I am thankful for family, near and far, close or extended, whatever. Just nothing can take the place of a close family. Friends are great, but family is comfortable.
Get ready for the big turkey day. I am goind to buy a bird this week and I have all the other stuff in the pantry.Alas, there will be a very small family to share it with. I would invite someone, but the other two thirds of the group would not appreciate it.

Hunger

I was given a flyer the other day about a project called EMPTY BOWLS. The theory is this; A group decides what local food charity they want to support and then set about the task of creating lots of bowls. Pottery, I suppose, but I am sure they are not professional, or even usable, just symbolic. They have an event, usually a soup dinner, but can include silent auctions or art sales, or craft sales. For a donation of a set sum, $10-20, they get a bowl of soup and a bowl to take home to remind them of the hungry in their community.

Usually the money goes to a food pantry, but some cities give cash or store chits so people can go buy what they like to eat. It is to educate people and help us feel the power people feel when they help erase world hunger.

Interesting concept. For a group that have people who would like to spend a day a week or month preparing bowls, it would be a good project. The bowls seem to be all sizes and shapes and with varied decorations. None are fancy. It would be good for the givers and the receivers and the people in between.

There is a website for information about EMPTY BOWLS.

Christmas?

I guess it will be Christmas soon. Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is near and the Christmas lights have gone up on the lamp posts on Main Street. Looked out the window the other day and we have new lighted snowflakes (left over from the lights in the park that has been shut down) going up. I used to try not to put in my Christmas windows until after Thanksgiving, but that never seemed to work and by then we are too busy to do a good job of the window. So, we will start putting it in this weekend and leave the little window for Thanksgiving and when that is over we will put our traditional Manger in the little window. We are doing a gingerbread man
window this year and have made a little quilt for the little bed with all sorts of gb men and gb houses on it. Now, I need to get some gingerbread spray so people will think we have cookies. Can't actually have cookies, because I would eat them all.
It will be here before we know it and as usual I will be scrambling around trying to get it all finished. I have 4 Christmas projects started for family gifts, I am hopeful one of them will be complete in time. I seem to get slower each year.
We need to slow down anyway and remember the reason for the season. Be prepared to have a blessed Christmas. Get ready early so you can enjoy it. That is my goal this year.

A New Day

Well, it is over. At long last, the hard fought campaign is over and we have a new president. I am so proud of the American public for getting out in record numbers. Both men were admirable, but I think it must be that time in our American lives when we need to turn a corner and begin to look at ourselves again in a new light. Hopefully, this will take us in a new direction that leads us back to civility and decency. We can pray for that. It is sorely needed. Hopefully, we will give him a chance, he will need our patience, our help and our prayers. I know we are in such trouble that it will take all the strength and patience we have. I know we need to learn new ways of doing things. Perhaps we will be able to turn our collective lives along a path to decency and good will.
In history, there are times when the world takes a turn. Hopefully this will be a right turn that will restore our pride in ourselves and our obligation to the world. It is not always the preson who does that, but the time in history. I think we are at that time in history.
I never thought about this as a racial campaign. But as I watched last night, and saw the tears from so many black people, I realized what a unique and inspiring event had just taken place. When I was but a child I remember our beloved Sarah, (who would come to our house to clean and iron, )would take me on the bus to town to meet my parents at the shop we owned. We would get on the bus and she would go sit on the back bench while I had to sit in a seat in front. I always wanted to sit on that back bench, but she wouldn't let me. I remember going to the train station and getting a drink of water and my grandmother reminding me to use the white only fountain. I never understood why. I never could figure out why there were four restrooms in every public building. Two of them were not always in view, but they were there. Sarah would wait outside the store for me if I had to go to town to get something for Mother. Those days have been gone so long, that I believe I honestly thought racial equality had come to America. But last night, I realized it had not come. Not until last night, when a black mother could honestly tell her child that it could be anything it wanted to be in America. At least one door was always closed to them... they were always told, 'pick something else, you can't be president'. However you feel about the election, last night was a very defining moment in our history. And YOU were there!!

Voting

I have to be in the City tomorrow for a meeting and decided not to let fate keep me from voting, so I went today. 9am, courthouse..usually empty the day before an election, but I had to wait 30 min to vote and was number 1477. That is sometimes all that show up to vote in the entire city!!
As if Ok could make a difference to anyone in this election!! But I had a couple of locals I was interested in helping. And I would not miss this historical vote for anything.
I am glad that people care this year. I am glad I voted today. Be sure you vote. Don't let anything keep you from it. No matter who you vote for, it must be done. I am thankful to have the privilege.

CPR

We had a nurse give a CPR course after church yesterday. Since most of us are old, we thought it would be prudent to bone up on the life saving technique. It had been about 25 years since I took that course, and of course they have made some changes. If you don't know the new routine, it is 2 breaths, 30 compressions , done 5 times in 2 minutes..so you can see you need to get busy. It is to the beat of "Stayin' Alive". I am sorry I never learned that song. Anyway it is fast. Now there is the added protection of AED machines (I think that is what they are called..the portable defibs) and they are truly remarkable machines. They analyze and won't let you shock unless the information it processes determines it is a shockable situation. It tells you everything three times, so you don't get it wrong. I really need to find out the proper name for them since you are supposed to yell for one when you are sending someone to call 911.
The main thing I learned new is this. It is vital to strip the patient of clothing on the chest. However, whenever, wherever, whoever. You can't use the defib if you don't, but your hands will slip on clothes and you can't find the right point of contact.
Truly, many lives are saved because someone is available that knows the drill. Just hope I am not the only one around if you go down! It takes a lot of strength, but I suppose God provides that in times of emergency.
The machines cost around $1500, but every church and public building should have one. We are working on a way to get the stewardship committee to pony up the funds for us. If not, we will find another way. How sad to think one of us could be saved if it were available.
Now, go learn or take a refresher course. A couple of hours well spent.

VINDICATED?

Either I am vindicated about my stand on Halloween or I have unprecedented influence over those with whom I come in contact!!!
Since neither my daughter or my granddaughter like Halloween, I would like to think it is my undeniably strong leadership qualities that can convince others to believe as I believe.
Happily, I think they are just smart people who can make up their own minds and are just smart enough to understand the silliness of the day in question.
So, I am not influencial, but at least I am smart.
As this is All Saints Day, I was hoping to qualify for that. Oh, wait...maybe you have to be dead.

I was hoping that perhaps I had the great ability to influence some votes. But I believe I would fail that test.
So here is something about which all will agree. Tomorrow, don't forget to sleep an extra hour. Now, I feel influencial.
Happy end of daylight savings time.