The Gift of Tomorrow

We tend to believe that tomorrow will be just as good as today, or possible better if things aren't as wonderful as we would like them to be. Their are many who do fear bad will happen tomorrow, but most don't actually believe it.
As this year comes to an end, chances are we are thinking about tomorrow. A fresh start to accomplish what we regret not having done yesterday. All the things about our life we want to change. Humans don't like change. We all talk about it in a positive light, yet even good changes are hard to adjust to.Yet that is what life is all about. Nothing ever stays the same. Learn to embrace it. Learn to view it as growth. Learn to see it as a privilege.

 And that's the point, tomorrow is a privilege, today is a privilege, and yesterday was a privilege. Each is a gift. Treat them as the most precious possession you have.

What are you hoping will change tomorrow?

Gift of Today

Each moment, each breath, each feeling, is a gift. Experience it for it may be all you have.

The Gift of Yesterday

We all have yesterdays.
Memories of moments in our lives.
Some good.
Some bad.

They can't be changed even if we would give anything to do so.
But we can change the way we view them.
Forgive yourself the bad and smile at the good.
The gift of yesterday is who you are.

Know No Santa

Two little girls giggling together as they descended the stairs into the basement.
Their mission there was to retrieve a canned good of some kind. Grandma had sent them, and the gladly complied.

But Grandma forgot one very important thing.

The basement had been chosen to hide the over sized Santa gift for one of the girls.
The moment she opened the fruit cellar door, she knew.
There is was - Barbie's Dream House, the only thing on her list to Santa.
Could it be a coincidence? Not likely.
She was the only little girl in the whole family that would want that gift.

No, it being there meant only one thing,

There really was no Santa

The Best Gift

What is your favorite gift you ever gave someone?

Had to the the drum set. So out of character for me to agree to that one, but deep down somewhere inside, I just knew it was right.

Bought some sound "deadeners" to make sure I would be able to put up with the noise. Strange thing-the "noise" never bothered me at all. Yeap, the drummer is talented. Natural ability. So not only was it the excitement he had from receiving what he really wanted that made it the best, it was the right fit.

My only regret is that now, four years later, that set really needs to be replaced. The symbols have BIG chunks out of them and there is no way to give the boy what he needs to keep developing his dream.

Three Things I Asked

The list was short. Just three things. Two required some cash, the other only a renewed trust and grace. All had been things I wanted for months. Nothing over the top. Actually they are very practical, even necessities. Yet none were fulfilled. Guess I don't really need a nice hot bath or clean clothes. The other, well that was the most hoped for. Alas, I will keep waiting.

Was there something you really wanted for Christmas that you didn't get?

The Meaning of the Wonder

Restoring a broken relationship.
That is what  sending deity into the word through a tiny baby boy was all about.
The one and only way to restore humans to be in relationship with God.
Never can our minds understand all that this wonder entails, but with our hearts we can. 

Open your heart to the miracle of restored relationships.

Grandma's Tree

The Christmas tree at Grandma's house was so different then our little tree. It was tall and skinny and always had a star at the top. (Well, there was the times when the silver tree was the rage, and she went for it, but we must forgive our loved ones for little indiscretions!) It had short, really short, needles and lots of room in between the branches. And bubble lights! Oh how I was fascinated by those lights.

Grandma's house always had lots of food. Homemade cookies were my favorite. Not just at Christmas, but every time we visited, I made a beeline to the kitchen cookie jar. Yummy! 

Family and friends always filled that house. Laughter and games happened on a regular basis there. Everybody always wanted to go to Grandma's.

Well there was one exception. My mom. Somehow I don't think she really liked her mother-in-law all that much. Guess Grandma just had to much control on my dad. Right until the end of his days.  I can't be to hard on Mom. She tried to do the best with what she had to put up with. Don't we all?

The Worst Gift

The smile still haunts me.

It's been twenty years, but the feelings are just as raw as they were at that moment.
What did I do? Oh the cry is heart wrenching! Sweet baby, I didn't mean to hurt you. I love you so much, I would never hurt you. But here you are in my arms, screaming, red from head to toe, and I have no idea how to stop it. I'm scared. Do you hate me now? Oh Lord stop the pain!

All I did was give her a bath. Simple little motherly act. Should have been a moment of loving fun.

The smile on that bottle still haunts me.

In my head I know it wasn't my fault. In my head, I blame the manufacturer for using some stupid chemical that my baby had a bad reaction to. But in my heart, still after all these years, I blame myself.

The bottle was a gift. Cute smiling head on the top of a bottle of baby wash. It mocks me, that smile.

Yes, it was the worst gift I ever received.

Silent Night Tradition

Hardly unique to thousands of church all around the globe is the tradition of singing Silent Night at Christmas Eve services, and the church I attend is among them. One little twist on it, is the tradition of outwardly showing your love the the people close to you. Giving them a hug and telling them how very much they mean to you.  The first year I attended this church was the most meaningful.  My whole family attended that service, and it had been a while since we had been so overtly affectionate. It brought tears to my eyes.  Tonight, (yes, I know, it isn't Christmas Eve, but it is the service that fit my schedule) I teared up once again. But this time for completely different reasons. Time marches on and things change. Not one of my children were there to give the traditional hug to. If it is so true that absence make the heart grow fonder, that might be the reason for my tears. But I really think it is because each of them is so special and I wanted the opportunity to tell them each on this night, in this special place and this special service.

Jeremy Camp ♥†THERE WILL BE A DAY†♥ (((ChristianRock)))

All I Have Left to Give

Pretty paper and a bow
wrapped neatly around you so,
Glistening in the soft glow.
You seems so special as you wait,
not knowing how deeply hearts will break,
when at last your contents you yield.
The disappointment on the faces will be too much for you to bear.
All you are is an empty box, just filled with air.

But deep down on the bottom are the stains of all that was left to give.

Tear stains of love; never ending stream of regret.

The Christmas Tree Hunt

Before the days of the wonderful invention of artificial trees, there were tree lots on what seemed like every corner about this time of year. There were a couple that we usually revisited every year. Price was usually the driving factor on where to go. If we happened to stop at a different one, I could tell by the look on Mom's face they were too expensive.

We would all jump in the car with our warmest clothes on, which included a couple pairs of socks. Even then, our feet would freeze as we looked at a zillion trees. Couldn't be too tall. Couldn't be too fat. Had to have a straight trunk! Thankfully there were only four of us in the family. Can't imagine how much longer more peoples opinion would have made the process. But it seemed it was always Mom's approval that made the hurt end.

Then it would be tied down nice and tight on the roof of our Chevy and home we'd go.  Dad would cut off the bottom; a lot of the bottom. Made me wonder about why we picked that one over the shorter one? Oh well. Then into the stand and onto it's own little platform. Not sure about that either, but tradition is tradition, right?

Now comes the really "exciting" part: Dad and the lights! Now my father if he were here, would tell you he never said a swear word, but I am here, and I can tell you that's not true. This is one of the moments they slipped out. But eventually the job was done and on to the ornaments.

We each had our favorite that we HAD to be the one to hang on the tree. Still have mine, but I never put it on my tree now. It is really hideous! Strange how our taste change. There were the birds and the bells. The plain bulbs and the little houses. All of them smothered under a ton of tinsel!

Oh and on the top an angel? A star? No, just some very strange pointy thing. Another tradition not to be repeated!

What were some of your childhood Christmas/holiday traditions?

Pick 5 bloggers and say what you would give them if you could.

Instant Mommy - The forever family she deserves

Crumbs From A Full Plate - Successful, meaningful, life changing speaking career

Live...from Ninevah - Fulfillment in the time she has chosen to be at home

HomeSpunTruth - More time, so she can write her novel


Just Because - Everything she has ever dreamed of

What was the most important gift you ever received?

For a Christian there is only one answer to that question. The hope found in Christmas. The reason for the season. The hope of the world.

Sad that the world has taken it and used it so artificially. Made it into the machine that drives greed and envy. It wants all the glitter and gold, but not the sacrifice of it's own desire. If only they could see what lies on the other side. True riches; true happiness; true fulfillment.  

The most important gift I ever received is the promise of Jesus.

Which do you enjoy more: receiving or giving?

Totally-giving. Yet of course, it is nice to receive once in a while. But on Christmas morning, I enjoy the excitement of others opening their gifts. I like to make little mental notes when someone mentions they like something and  would really like to have. I give me joy to hear them say "You remembered!" or some such comment. It doesn't always work exactly as planned, but it usually takes the element of complete failure out of the picture. It hasn't seemed to wear off on others in my family. The times that I have received anything that I mght have hinted at wanting are few and very far between. But it's okay. 

Game Nights

Every Friday night.....coffee, friends, fun, laughter and games.
The very best part of the week. Back then Trivial Pursuit was the rage.
We would play teams, boys against the girls. Just seemed more even, but not really.
Then there was Triominos, Upwords, and a few others.

When did it end?

Well kids came along and dampened things.
Moves happened and distance became a bit inconvenient.
And then the Lord decided to take one of us home.
Nothing would ever be quit the same again.

That's the game of life.


Do you have good friends that you have regular
special time set aside to enjoy each other?
What goes into a fun time together?

Cookie Exchange

Cookie exchange always sneaks up on me. The words "plan ahead" really don't exist in my world. Call it a personality flaw or just an undeveloped skill, it always trips me up. Helped my daughter-in-law make some for her exchange tomorrow, which reminded me, "December 19th-Cookie Exchange at work." Yeap, another year of not getting it done. But who needs more cookies in the house at this time of year anyhow. There are more important things to try and be prepare for. Who am I trying to kid?

So how about you? Do you partake in cookie exchanges? and what kind of cookie do you like to bake?

Just Because

I'm not the leather furniture type. Never liked it in any way shape or form, or look! Not even the feel of it.  Well, I now have one piece in my living room. Thrift shop find. Granted it might not be real leather, but the point is, it's not upholstered with pretty fabric that holds dust and pet hair. Got my eye on another real leather couch at a different thrift store, but it is just a bit more expensive. Hoping to get the senior discount on Tuesday if it's not sold by then. So what does this have to do with gifts? Well it is two fold. Gift for the boy who likes to sit and play video games in a comfy chair, and a major step in the whole house overhaul for the girl who  has developed major allergies to this house and the cats since being gone for almost a year. Maybe it's too late, but I can hope....just because......

Handmade With Love

NaBloPoMo prompt for today: What was the last handmade gift you gave?

A prayer shawl. Inspired to make it for a friend who was hurting. I had some soft pretty yarn on hand, searched for a pattern that would be the right size for the amount of yarn I had, and went to work on it. Prayers were spoken for her as each stitch was made, because the premise of a prayer shawl is not just for the owner to pray with it, but for the maker to left up the receiver in prayer. It was given anonymously through the help of other friends, but I heard that she felt it was a true blessing at the time she most needed a touch of love.

What types of handmade items do you like to make and give as gifts?

Remarkably Different

Yesterday I posted a video of a young man in real life pain. My intention was to write something completely different, but after I viewed his video, I couldn't even remember what I had wanted to write about. This morning upon first awakening, I kept thinking of  one word in his presentation: weirdo.

The dictionary's definition of this slang word is:

1. A person regarded as being very strange or eccentric.

2. A deranged, potentially dangerous person.

What in the world makes a little boy, only in second grade, start to be labeled as deranged or eccentric? Although I don't know him personally at all, it would be a guess that he merely didn't like to play the same way as the other kids. He didn't know how to express himself in the ways others were accustom to. Maybe he is on the autistic spectrum. There are an infinite number of reasons a little boy may be different, but that is my point.

We are all different. God made us all unique. It is Satan's ultimate goal to make that very unique quality that was put in us for God's purpose, to be viewed as a curse instead of a blessing. 

Here is what the dictionary's terms unique:

1. being the only one of a particular type; single; sole

2. without equal or like; unparalleled

3. Informal very remarkable or unusual

 adjectives

1. distinct, special, exclusive, peculiar, only, single, lone, solitary, one and only, 

2. unparalleled, unrivalled, incomparable, inimitable, unmatched, peerless, unequalled, matchless, without equal, nonpareil, unexampled.

3. (with to) exclusive to, particular to, peculiar to, found only in, characteristic of

There is nothing weird about a young boy being different. 

It is weird how we treat others differences.

To be a healthy, whole human, living the life we where created to live, we need to embrace the difference we each hold and proudly go forth with dignity and give grace to those who don't understand.

Uniqueness and grace are both gifts from the One who created us.

Be a Friend/Save a Life

The is too much hidden pain in the lives of people who appear to be normal, well adjusted on the outside, yet are dying on the inside. December and the holiday season bring on more thoughts of suicide then any other time of the year. The most important gift anyone can have is a friend who cares. One who takes time to understand. Reach out to someone who you might have previously only given a "Hi, how are you?" in passing. A five minute conversation that shows you see them as a person with real feelings might actually save their life.

Belonging

Warm and cuddly~safe and sound~ knowing you are with people who love you and they want you near them. That's what belonging feels like. Gift extraordinaire-belonging to  loving family, a church where you are part of a great circle of friends, or even a job where you are worth more than just the work you do. You are understood, respected for your uniqueness, appreciated for the richness different opinions and points of view bring. You never feel alone. You know that there is someone you can turn to for support, a kind word, a gentle touch. Someplace where you know your always welcome. That's the stuff that makes life worth living. For those without such a gift, the world is dark indeed. Give thanks if you belong somewhere.

The Gift I Lost

What gift do you regret losing?

First reaction to that was, "What I wrote yesterday!".
Then I started to clean my house.
Strange, I know.

Time to be home and take care of the house. It truly was a gift when I was able to stay home with the kids.  Might not have been the best at the mommy thing or the cleaning thing, but did a much better job at it when  that was my only responsibility. Be it due to financial obligations, motivational issues, tech world distractions or just getting older and having a lot less energy, they all have taken this old house to a place no one wants to be in. Including me!!

Yes, that is the gift I regret losing.

What do you regret losing?

Broken Gift

What gift do you regret breaking?

Now how am I suppose to keep to my self proclaimed promise to stay upbeat and positive with a prompt like that? The best way would be to just ignore it and write something else, but it is stirring something deep inside, so here goes.

No, it's not a toy or a anything like that.
(Oh but there was the Barbie doll roadster that had it's front wheel broken.
Man that was a bummer!)
It wasn't any special piece of artwork or anything of a really delicate nature.
(Like the Grandma's crystal candy jar. Oh boy, was she upset!
It really was an accident!)

In fact, it isn't anything material at all, but just as fragile as a hand blown glass figurine.

It is the gift of friendship.

Specifically I'm thinking of a rather recent one that now lies on the "floor" in a shambles.
Yet this isn't the first one that I have single handily  broken with words or actions.

Social retard, should be stamped on my forehead. Maybe then people would just stay away and the pain of the broken relationships wouldn't scar my soul.

Even as I write this, a friend request popped up on my
Facebook page, and my heart jumped. Could it be?
Maybe there is a small mending of the scattered pieces.
But alas, it wasn't from the one  look for everyday.
Hoping. Praying. Mourning.

Cats

There are only two times in my life that I can remember never having a cat in my home.
Both were caused by the same reason I am about to be without their soft, warm, loving presence again.
Just another of a seemingly endless list of things God is asking me to give up.
But I stand on His promise, and in the end all that is necessary is Jesus.
His grace is sufficient for me.

Six Important Links to the Meaning of Hope

Six Important Links to the Meaning of Hope

The Worth of a Gift

What does a gift cost you?
Does it reflect how you feel about your love for the one you are giving it to?
It might not be a monetary value or it could be extravagantly expensive
and hard on your budget.

But what is the value?

Is it of value to the receiver or just to your sense of worth and
good feelings about what you gave?

Is anything worth more than love, understanding and respect.

The secret is to be able to make the other person truly know deeply you care.

Sacrifice For the Ones You Love

This is a re-post, but it is appropriate for today. I will give up most is precious for the one who is most precious!



Is what a mother does.

Is giving up what you want so someone else can have what they want.


Is loving that person more than yourself.

Is giving away until there is nothing left....

   Unless...

             You are loved by others who sacrifice themselves to fill you up again.

   Then...

              The circle of sacrificial love is complete and life goes on.

Gratitude

What was your favorite thing you received below the age of 10?

Easy question to answer.
I remember the thrill and excitement of finding her under the tree.
She was a gift from Santa
I remember calling my best friend and playmate on the old black phone to tell her.
And lo and behold, she got one too!

You see, I am from the original Barbie generation. My sister and I, along with my friend, all had the original Barbies. We loved to play with them.
Hours and hours of imagination and playing.
But we didn't have her.
She was different. She was modern.
She was the bubble cut (hairstyle) Barbie!

Add On to Yesterday

Yesterday  posted a video of Carrie Underwood's song "Change".  It was something I stumbled upon while listening to YouTube. It seems to fit the in with the NaBloPoMo theme of the month because even little gifts can change someone's world without our even knowing it. Big changes start with small steps.

This morning I was surfing blogs and ran across the following that I thought fit nicely into the whole idea of the song. If it moves you, please act of your impulse to make a small gift make a big impact.

Thanks to TheBloggess.com


Miracle # 1:  Right now there are more more homeless children living in shelters in the U.S. since the Great Depression.  There’s an organization called Project Night Night that donates over 25,000 free Night Night Packages to homeless kids each year.  Each package contains a new security blanket, a children’s book and a stuffed animal, all nestled in a new canvas tote bag.  The organization needs at least 750 bags right now.  They’re $20 each, and you can sponsor a Night Night Package for a child by clicking here.

Carrie Underwood - Change (lyrics on screen)

The smallest thing can make all the difference!

Is It a Gift?

Discernment is a gift. But it sure can be a killjoy sometimes. For instance: A loved one is excited about finding just the right gift for you and tiny little words slip out in a conversation that makes you know what it is. So when the day of opening the present comes, the overwhelming sense of surprise and excitement has already taken place inside of you at the moment your figured it out. So the giver is disappointed with your reaction and thinks they have failed again, when really you do like the gift immensely, it's just that the surprise lost it's intensity.
Or at times when you just figure something out about the life of a person close to you, even when they have said nothing specific about what is going on directly to you. There is just some inner knowledge that let's you figure all the little details out. Sometimes it just brings pain to ourselves and those we love.

One Face

There was one fact that came though my checkout lane yesterday that I believe I will always remember as a shining moment in the mist of the rush of holiday shopping.

He was with his daughter and grand kids. His smile was as big as anyone's I've ever seen. But he wasn't talking. He gestured with delight, but couldn't talk. Turns out he has, as the kids called it, "old man's disease". However, they didn't say it in a mean way or condisending way, just an explaination.  The real name for it, as his daughter told me, is Alzheimer's. Yet here he was in my line, brightening my day. Grated, it wasn't my responsibility to look after him, and he might be a strain on his loved ones at times. Yet it certainly didn't seem like they were strained at that moment. Taking Grandpa out to the store where he was having a blast. And giving me a gift with his smile.

Prompt Revisited

In a previous blog last month I attempted to answer the prompt about a life changing song.
What I wrote was a pretty lame piece that day. Not that it wasn't true, but there was no passion in it. Since then there is a song that I can say changed my life. Funny thing is I can't even tell you the name of it. I can tell you the way it happened.


I have a FB friend that likes to post on her wall what she is listening to on Spotify. On this particular day I decided to click on the link and listen. It was a show tune, that much I can tell you, because it was on some Broadway's greatest album. After it finished I'm enjoying some of at the other songs when one jumped out at me. It intrigued me so muc that I searched it on YouTube. Next to it pops up all the other songs from the musical RENT. I never heard of this one. But I liked the music, so I check the library to see if they might have a copy, thinking it might be something my daughter and I can watch together when she's home for Thanksgiving break. Turns out, she's seen it a couple of times. Well, I home all alone on that Saturday, so I watch it. When it was over, it was like the smoke from all the fires of my life parted and I saw crystal clearly the missing pieces for live change. My life change. But then again, not really change, just back to who I am, but lost somewhere along the rough roads of trying to please people. Seems I've refocused and that is true change.


So thanks Steph for sharing. And share one of the songs with you....

Monica Mancini - Moment to Moment

Moments

My prompt today comes from an emailed newsletter from a friend. Her question was "How you doing right now?"  I loved what she had to say about the question and our being in God's hands each moment. It also made me think of the 1960's movies entitled Moment to Moment. I've previously written a short blog about that in an old post entitled Magic Moments. But today I've taken a slightly different perspective. Might be because I just got home from work and seeing at least a hundred people in the check out line. Each one of those interchanges were a moment of my time and theirs. It's my job to be friendly to each of them and for the most part it seemed to that they felt it and responded likewise. But there are some who just didn't want to go there. Too bad. Not for me, but for them. It ties into a tweet I got yesterday: "Learn how to enjoy where you are on the way to where you're going." (Joyce Meyer) It really is a choice. I haven't been real good at listening to this wisdom in the past, but one moment at a time, I am determined to rise above the feelings and put a genuine smile on my face and make "How you doing right now?" as delightful as I possibly can.

Joyful Joyful

Joy, Joyful, Joyfully,

My favorite hymn is Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

It tends to only be played as a Christmas carol, so it is nice to hear it so often during this season of special joy. There are dozens of different versions recorded. This morning while writing this, I tuned into YouTube and started listening to some of them. There was the pipe organ that moved something deep inside, and the Chinese dancers joyfully spinning to the music. Full church choirs and orchestras in perfect tune. A rather different choir in Glasgow sounding more like a night club band. A version from the movie Sister Act and even one recorded by Pink! (What a voice)! There was the youth worship band putting there own twist on it. Classic to hardcore metal, the message is still the same. God alone is your joy morning to morning. I could truly listen to it every day of the year. Truth be known, once, only once, I sang a solo. Why is a whole different story. But it was one verse of this wonderful hymn. Even back in those teen years, only my love of Him could give me the courage to do that! Just a reminder for today, He is the strength that will get me through anything.

Tis the Season

Holiday season.
Joy filled days with the people we love.
Time to try and show them just how special they are to us.
Time to hunt down the perfect gift to make the brightest smiles on Christmas morning.
Time to decorate with bright lights and sparkling ornaments.
Bake some cookies and makes some memories.
Be it ever so humble, it is home and they are family.
Even though we are imperfect people, we are part of each other
because God gave us each other as lifetime gifts.
No returns allowed.