I am

no longer just the grandmother of 10, I am now a great grandmother! Yeah! Lucy Katharine was born this morning and she is beauteous! I saw a photo. I've been waiting for this for a very long time, and am so happy for Susan and Adam. A great journey is ahead of them and they will love it.

Practicing photos today......

My family is my true heart's home. But---------------here is the other heart's home of mine. St. Teresa beach. We try to go every summer , because we are indoctrinating our children to the wonders of this place. Also it is very healing for arthritics, of which I am one. Part of me will always be in this place, where I grew up.

Loverly, isn't it?

Before you, you see a genuine, honest to

goodness, Texas Red Oak - aka my meditation tree.

Likewise!

Here, y0u see genuine west Texas snow. This is a really big deal for us, honestly.

F0r snow and trees and all God's gifts, may Jesus Christ be praised!

Funny -

I am not "into" Christmas they way I used to be. Why is this? Only some vague ideas. I haven't had a 'regular' Christmas tree for years. No big one with all the family legendary ornaments, made by our children, by Aunt Betty, etc. It just doesn't fit, anymore. I have a 4' very narrow tree with white lights - I wrapped it with silver stuff to stand in the window. Across from my chair is my favorite fiberoptic one - changes colors all the time and is very soothing. But it's really not for Christmas. Sometimes it stays up for months, just because I like to look at it - more like an accessory than a Christmas tree. Maybe when we were all together as a family, all that love in one place made it Christmas. Maybe though the love is still there. But, also maybe, as our lives draw to a close, we are to leave the tryanny of the urgent (trees, parties, gifts )and just let it be to meditate on the message of what the coming of Jesus has and will mean to our existence. I find myself more and more drawn to books about Jesus and what He wants from us, and how, and now my library sack looks very different from the way it used to. I have a grand book on the 'collects' for each Sunday of the church year, which I pick up and down. When I read it, I really need a highlighter because it has all become so very important. I want to preach again.
Christmas is no longer about tinsel and parties and, ruefully about wide eyed children on Christmas morning. I do miss that, as they begin to learn what gifts are to them, in order to understand later what the greatest gift means to them.But it seems to me that the plethora of surprising gifts most of our children receive, and the fact that they believe they came from a wondrous, mythical creature who operates from love, is a forerunner of our real truth. As adults, we also receive a surprising and wondrous gift from a mysterious Father just because He loves us. We can't meet him yet, but his gift is always there for us to take. Real magic! Jesus is the gift and it's not just for Christmas but for all time. How telling to begin teaching this to children with Santa Claus, and them easing over into God the Father who loves us more than even Santa Claus does.
Our family love continues to grow as we remain close in spite of grandchildren scattered all over the U.S. We love from a distance, and we pray that they all come to understand what Christmas is really all about - and how very important that understanding is. I no longer need the hoopla - it is enough to have family who love us and care about us and to grow in the knowledge and love of our Lord.

Blessings to you all at this time, and always.

Today

my three erands have morphed into one. I just can't run all over town chasing places that sell the Kraft garlic cheese and I can't make garlic cheese grits without it. So-- later for that one. I am taking my eggnog pumpkin pie to the congregational dinner tomorrow, instead. Much easier, but sorry to disappoint the folks waiting for the grits.

Also, just can't get to the UPS place today, (it is mobbed and the lines are forever) so those pkgs will go out Monday. Barb,I know yours will be waiting for you. Have a safe trip to New York.

I will, however, go to the library. After all, I do have an accurate idea of what is important.

This is not the season to be running from pillar to post, but to be in prayer and meditation. I'm starting that now, tho I don't promise to meditate Monday when they stick all those honking big needles into my spine. Bleah!!!

It does seem to me that it is almost impossible to maintain calm at this time of year. Maybe if we ran away to a retreat center, we could center ourselves. Or maybe we are supposed to learn to do this through0ut all the hoo-hah that surrounds us. Lord help us to see through all of that to the really important event of the time of year.

Also, last night,

I sat beside my wonderful Saxon (grand) who warned me before the program started that he hoped I had brought my ear plugs. I asked the required 'why' and he told me that everybody in the program sang very loudly and very off key. Well, ummm, there were some off key parts, but it was grand anyway. Nancy's class sang Silent Night in both English and German. A couple of classes did songs such as 'The first day of christmas' and used the 'card up' ploy we used to use in the card section of football games back in the early '50's. Very effective and funny! And the first grade! Well they sang about Rudolph and each of them was holding a red lollipop over their noses. Spencer played in the elementary recorder part of theprogram. He promises to teach me to play one. You would think I could figure it out, but no!
Sax also commented that he certainly was glad he wasn't in this program any more. He is certainly pleased to be in middle school. I think he feels infinitely superior.
Also, Mally and her scout troop came by tonight and sang their two Christmas carols for us. We have photos coming to prove it.
Tomorrow I have three errands and I am finished!!! and finished in many ways. Now I plan to steep myself in the mystery of Christmas, where I should have been for the last three weeks.

Mertzon Elementary Christmas Program

Just returned home from a great program. You'd never know they put it together from ideation on in just one week. It was just great. Then the high school band played. They are fantastic. Watching them come in and out with their parts as directed, makes me sad that we don't have a choir which sings parts. I particularly love motets. But our music is worshipful and very excellent. I can't complain because I'm not going to do anything about it. I do have the children's choir. Our next song is our first outing with 'sort of' instruments. Should be interesting. We are singing an African song' Jesu, Jesu. We have sticks, a tambourine, things with sandpaper to rub against each other and many, many bells. I am warming them up for the next one, which is "The Holy Ghost will set your feet a dancing!" I think the whole church will be dancing after that one! Come and hear!

Haj

I've just finished reading a humongous book. 'Haj 'by Leon Uris. Very well written, but the way the Arab world works (or doesn't work) makes me feel as if I am in the dryer and it is going. As portrayed, most of them don't really like each other. Or anyone else, either. Oh well.

Went to the livestock show in Mertzon lately. It's really neat to see the children with their animals - they have to know how to show them and keep them in the right position. Saxon's pig (first time for pigs) was neat. First I saw the pig sound asleep in it's pen with Sax sound asleep, head on the pig's belly. I had to leave after the sheep, goats and rabbits, but Nancy said the pig earned a 3rd place - the judges said he was too fat. One lady told Nancy to exercise next year's pig more. She said she played soccer with her pig. Nancy plans to do that and I plan to go and watch. Remembering this should be enough to make me giggle in the middle of something serious, anywhere and anytime.

Looking for Mary Beth this weekend. Hoozah!