If I Had A Remembrance Book...

I love the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories & shows.  In one of the earlier movies of "Little House on the Prairie," Laura tells her sister, Mary, "If I had a remembrance book," then she told about her family's move from Kansas & telling about their first Christmas in their new setting.

I haven't written a blog in a long time.  I have had some things on my mind that I wanted to write about, but  I think I needed to mull these thoughts over for a while.  Also, what I am about to write is not for me to brag, but only when I read this years from now it is for me to remember.  So, if I had a remembrance book I would write about: the end of my Orlando trip.

It had been a very long 5 days of traveling & I was at the last leg of the trip in Memphis.  While I was trying to get gas, an older woman came up to my car.  She looked worn out, not bathed, poor, & showed only a few teeth when she smiled.  She humbly asked if I had any money to give to her & her husband for gas so they could make it home.


In trying to multi task I was grateful that I had the forethought to first ask some simple questions of their situation, so I could really assess the situation.  Then, I told her to first let me get my gas started then I could really pay attention to what she had to say.  I told her to please stay right there, because I will help her.  I also asked, "If they had eaten?"  She said, "No."  I then said let's go get a Subway while I pay for the gas with my credit card.  I knew I wasn't going to give them cash for anything.


The lady then told me that her husband had been asking the truckers for help & they wouldn't.  I asked why they were in Memphis? Passing through, visiting?  They were seeing her daughter, but she was at work & couldn't get in touch with her.  Also, they has been sleeping in there truck at the truck stop.


Her husband didn't want to wait for the Subway, just ready to get home about an hour away.  I gave her the huge bunch of grapes with 2 apples that I had in the car.  I went inside to pay for some gas.  As I was paying I picked up some hot sausage biscuits for each of them.  When I got back to their car, she was popping in the grapes & seemed so grateful.  The husband told me to stop at $20.  I hugged her good-bye & said, "Merry Christmas."


After, the hard mentally few days, this experience really cheered me up.  I felt that I had followed this scripture,

Matthew 10:16

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.


Also, I couldn't help but think about the first Christmas.  Joseph & Mary were refugees traveling on a long journey.  They struggled: lack of food; physically taxing; poor; needing a bath; not needing gas, but a place where Mary could delivery baby Jesus-not getting help.


I also couldn't help that I didn't look for this situation.  God dropped them in my lap to help.  I believe God does this everyday, or from time to time, if we keep our eyes & hears open, then act on it.


Other instances that have been on my mind right here at Christmas time:
1) Hearing about the death of a 20yr old beautiful, very gifted girl who loved life, loved her family, had a heart for Africa, & a deep love for her God.  We were close to this family while living in Valdosta.  We went our separate ways, but stayed in touch with the yearly Christmas letters & pictures, emails & Face Book.  This was devastating news to our family.  Amy & I went to the funeral service 9 hrs away to love on them a little.
2) Hearing about Hospice being called in concerning Mr. Wiggins.  The family had just received the news that he was free of cancer.   His daughter, Kay, is a life-long childhood friend of mine.  Her parents helped raised me.  Our parents have been friends since they were young married couples. 
3) My Dad now battling a type of bone marrow cancer.
4) The joy of my niece expecting their first baby.


Christmas is about giving, sharing, excitement, salvation.  It is hard to receive surreal to bad news at this time.  "Where is God here?"
       I just read in my One Year Bible on Dec 17; Ps. 136:1
            Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! 


At the time, all I could say with faith-"How true, Amen."
After, all that has happened this month,
        I say with faith that He gives me-"How true, Amen."

I believe that God doesn't cause these difficult times, but He is right there walking along side, & holding us up.

           The verse goes on to say, For His mercy endures forever.


                            Merry Christmas
                                 ann :) 

Traditional Christmas Mishaps-2

Making Christmas cookies goes back as far as I can remember.  I don't remember making them as a family project, but it was something fun that my Mother & I always did together.  Now, these are not the Pillsbury cut-off the dough or box mix kind.  You make the dough from scratch.  The entire process is truly a labor of love.

My Mother seemed to do this with much ease.  She would make the dough, roll out the dough with a wooden roll-in pin & use the same cookie cutters every year.  My job was to put the egg white wash on the cut dough & add the sprinkles.  The sprinkles were traditional also.  First you put on the multi-colored tiny balls ones then add either the red or green sugar.  They were & are delicious!!! Yum :}

(Medical school years.  Amy, 3 1/2 Yr old)






               

(Ben-about 1 1/2 yr)





In making these wonderful cookies, I really don't remember any mishaps as a child.  But now that I have carried on the tradition, the mishaps have seemed to follow me.


Christmas Sugar Cookies :
       I do pretty well in making the dough.  I must say that is a no brainier unless you don't use the correct appliance.  I must say, that I have done that before.  For some reason one time I used a hand mixer & there was a mess everywhere.  Now, I have a great mixer & it is a breeze.
       For some reason you are suppose to chill the dough before you start rolling out the dough.  I don't get it.  For me, after this step I still have to let it soften all the way up before I can work with it.
       Now it is time to roll & start cutting out the shapes.  This is when I wish Mother would be here, take over & let me be the kid again.  My dough is either too thick, or too thin, or a combination of the two.  I take my cookie cutter & do a great job cutting the dough.  Now it is time to gently lift the cut dough to the baking pan.  IT STICKS TO THE COUNTER!!! :{  Here I go again.  Need more flour before rolling out the dough.
       Mother's cookies seemed to be perfect.  When mine are cooked, you have your choice of crispy, extra crispy or soft.  This almost sounds like a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial.
       At least the white wash & sprinkles are the same.  :}
       And they do taste the same no matter the texture.

This year was no exception-same texture.  I even had flour on my face & clothes when Dave walked through the door after a long day of work  This was to prove that I had been working all day long in the kitchen, which was true.  I could have been the lady on the Pillsbury commercial.


One big surprise yesterday when I woke up was to find snow.  I couldn't believe it.  It really got me in the mood for Christmas cookies.

No matter the traditions & the mishaps that goes with 

them they are all memories with the ones you love.

Mother, I wish you were here to enjoy some Christmas tea & Christmas cookies.  Thanks for beginning this special tradition when I was a child at Christmas time.  I love you.  ann :)

(I don't have a picture of Mother & I making cookies,

but this is one at my RDH graduation banquet.)

                                                                                   

                                                             

Traditional Christmas Mishaps-1

You probably have your own Christmas traditions like we do.  A couple of our traditions are putting up & decorating of the tree & making Christmas sugar cookies.  Since I do these projects only once a year, the traditional mishaps follow suit with the activities.

The TREE :
        To begin the tradition, I put on the Christmas music, need hot chocolate in hand & maybe some popcorn by my side.
        Many years ago our first mishap was just getting the tree in the stand.  What an ordeal.  Cutting the bottom of the tree, (so it would soak up water; only if I remember to water the tree), & cutting whatever branches that needed to be cut so it would fit into the stand.  Then you would have to balance the tree hoping it wouldn't fall over.  We finally got smart & bought one of those tree stands that all you have to do is step on the peddle.  Awesome invention!!!  For us, one year this didn't even help because, the tree fell over the night before the morning of my neighborhood Christmas party.  Oh brother!!!  :-{  For the most part, the stand has been a huge improvement.
        I'm sure we all have stories to tell about the lights for the tree. Even after testing all the lights before putting them on the tree, they still seem to go out sometime during the season.  This year was no exception, at least they went out before we put the decorations on the tree.
        I was raised to believe that it was the man's job to put the lights on the tree.  This tradition continued when I had a family.  The only problem about this tradition was that I am a "back-sit light putter oner"   I love the tree a blaze & Dave loves a sweet twinkle.  Dave got smart a few years ago & started letting me put on the lights.  This year he called himself the Coat Hanger-meaning; be quiet, hold the strains of lights & do what I say.  I must say that he had me in stitches until the lights malfunctioned  :{

        How about over flowing of the Christmas tree.  One year this lead to a remodeling job of redoing all our wooden floors.  We were planning to do this job anyway, but now we had to do it.

(This year all the unbreakable ornaments begin half way up.)

          Dave hates putting up a Christmas tree.  He likes it once it is done.  He just doesn't see cutting down a perfectly good tree, go through all the frustration & then throw out the tree in a month or less.  Dave loves me dearly, but this year he said, "If I happen to die before he does, & if he remarries, he is going to marry a  Jew :} "
                                                                     ann :)

Mantels

I love a fireplaces & mantels that dress them.  It gives such warmth & coziness to any room.  Gas fireplaces are good, but I love a roaring fire.  Watching the fire dance around is so soothing.  It ranks up there with watching the ocean shore as the waves come in & out.  Also, enjoying a mountain stream & a babbling brook.

Mantels are even more beautiful during the Christmas season.  I enjoy seeing every ones creativity.  For me all my decorations are very traditional, including the mantel.  Most of my decorations I have had for years. You might have some like that too.  I still have my first decoration that I bought on sale before we were married.  I display it every year even though the angels hats are faded & one angel has a repaired wing.  It makes me smile every year.

The traditional way I decorate the mantel begins by putting the nativity in the middle of the mantel, greenery & red berries all around, with red candles inside crystal sconces on each end.  Naturally, I have the stockings hanging down on each side.  I love it.

Many times during the season when I am alone, I sit back in my lounge chair with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate & enjoy the decorations, the tree, & especially the mantel.  The nativity helps me meditate on what Christmas is all about.  It centers me.

Yesterday, Dec 1, I caught myself enjoying one of these special moments.  Not only did I dwell on all the aspects of the Christmas story but, I began thinking about Christmas memories of old.  One thought that came to me was "I want to remember this memory forever & ever."  I realized that I think that & desire that thought every year.  All of a sudden I immediately started seeing myself in the same scenario at our country home in Valdosta, GA wanting to savor every aspect of the season & not forget it.  How time flies.  That was about 23 yrs ago with our kids in middle school.

I'm so grateful that God centers me, & helps me to savory & remember during the season.
                                                                    ann :)