Early Light of Day

We left Maryland early this morning.  There are some beautiful places in Maryland, but I really dislike driving there because of all the traffic and big highways.  I lived there for most of my life and never really thought about it.  But since moving here and getting used to the slower pace, the difference is glaring.  So I wasn't looking forward to the start of the drive, but when we got on the highway, an absolutely gorgeous sky grabbed my attention.  The sun was mostly obscured by the clouds, but it was casting a glow that seemed to emanate from the clouds themselves.  As it rose higher, you could look straight at it as it was diffused by a gauzy layer of clouds.  There were muted rosy pinks, greys, pale blues, and golds all in layers around the sun.  And I thought even in the middle of all this traffic, highways, on and off ramps, buildings, etc., God's beautiful world cannot be dimmed.  You just need to look up and take notice.  Today, I found God on a Maryland highway in the early light of day.

"Went With The Wind"

We spent the day with Jeff's family, and we always have a good time together. But the best times are when the whole group of us get to laughing about something. Tonight, it was the old Carol Burnett show, and the Scarlett O'Hara skit called "Went With The Wind" in particular. Carol Burnett wearing the drapes with the curtain rod still attached is a classic! We bantered about different lines from the skit till we were all laughing almost as if watching it for the first time. Shared humor is a wonderful thing, and I found God today laughing with family over that hilarious old skit.

Greek Chicken

My mom was an amazing cook before she got dementia. She was from South Carolina so she made awesome southern food, but when she met my Greek dad she learned how to cook Greek food as good if not better than the Greek side of my family. But it's been many years since she's cooked anything so I mostly only get Greek food when I cook it myself. Well, the last time my mother-in-law visited I made Greek chicken with potatoes and lima beans. She loved it and asked for the recipe. So after a long, wet drive today, we arrived at my in-laws and a dinner of that Greek chicken. It was amazing!! It wasn't just that it tasted so good, it was having homemade Greek food again made by someone other than me. My mother-in-law is a great cook, too, so I'm blessed that I have her to cook for me sometimes when my own mom can't. Today, I found God in that awesome homemade Greek chicken dinner.

Peace In My Blanket

It's Christmas Day and I feel like I'm getting sick.  Ugh.  After opening gifts and breakfast, I went into my room for a nap.  I didn't really sleep much, mostly just dozed a little, but lying there I was thinking about the morning.  The thoughtful gifts from my family, the time we've spent together... and curled up in my blanket, I felt such peace.  It lifted my spirits up even as my body was slowly spiraling down into the drudgery of a cold.  That quiet nap was just what I needed after all of the busyness of late.  Peace on earth may still be wishful thinking, but peace in my blanket was definitely happening today.  I found God there in my late morning nap.

Beautiful Day

We had our Christmas Eve get-together with my family today.  My mom always made Christmas Eve the big "food" day, and I've continued in that tradition.  I make a ton of food, and my sister brings a ton of food.  We always overdo it, but that's part of what makes it fun.  Treating ourselves special with all of these extravagant goodies is a gift to ourselves and our family.   Jeff and I started the day with a walk in the early morning.  It was quiet, cool, and beautiful.  Then we finished up the food preparations, my family came over, and we talked, laughed, and ate a lot of that wonderful food.  Now it's quiet again.  The clean-up is done, the Christmas lights are twinkling, and I'm basking in the glow of an awesome Christmas Eve.  I found God in this whole beautiful day.

Stress Tears

There are tears of sadness, there are tears of joy, and then there are the tears that spilled from my eyes today.  I call them stress tears.  Take all the work I've been doing for our Christmas festivities, add in all that I had yet to do, and then throw in a dash of the usual family stress.  Mix it all up, and you've got me feeling overwhelmed.  So when Jeff and I decided to take some time for ourselves and go get tea this morning, I could feel the tears pressing behind my eyes.  All it took was a few kind words from him, and they broke loose.  He worried that I was upset, but I really wasn't.  As I explained to him, it was like opening a pressure valve and letting off steam.  There was no sadness involved, but just having those tears spill down my cheeks relieved so much stress.  It only lasted a few seconds, and then I felt so much better.  I was ready to face the rest of my tasks.  I'm always in awe of how God created us, and I believe the ability to cry is a great gift.  I found Him today in the gift of those stress-relieving tears.

The Christmas Project

We did our Christmas project today.  We've done one every year since the kids were little so it's going on twenty years of projects now.  It gets harder and harder for me to think of new ideas for the project, so when Marlayna suggested clay that could be oven-baked, I was all for it.  Plus, it was a nod to the pottery class she and I took in the fall so that was nice, too.  I had no idea what to expect going in, but our pieces turned out surprisingly well.  Marlayna's are usually the best (she's the artist in the family), and Morgan's are usually the most unique (that pretty much sums up Morgan!), but we all have a blast doing it.  There's lots of joking, laughter, and memories going around the table.  My favorite part, without a doubt, is just having my family together.  It's more and more difficult as they have their own lives now, but we all make the effort to come together for this, and I love them for it.  I found God today in the blessing of being able to do another Christmas project with my precious loved ones.

Our Masterpieces!!