Hey, Friends, Merry Christmas and a very Happy, Healthy, New Year. I hope this finds you doing well and getting all excited about the holidays; I sure am. All of the family will be gathered at Grandma Pat’s house on the 20th and I am busy cooking and cleaning (ok, so cooking anyway – cleaning is over-rated, it will just get dirty again!)
Maybe some of the Kentucky branch of the family won’t be able to make it this year because they are anxiously awaiting the arrival (was due the 7th) of Emily Raine (spelling subject to change) and no one wants to miss the big event. This young lady seems to have a stubborn streak (she does get it honest); she is comfortable and doesn’t intend to move on anyone else’s schedule but her own. Ha, like that is news to all our ‘mother’ readers. Emily will join her older sister Bailey Sue…eventually.
According to the doctor’s report, our family should have a special blessing for Christmas (did you hear that Emily Raine, come on now!)
Just to make it a little more nerve-racking, Curtis (the daddy) had to have several teeth removed through oral surgery. Kristie (the mommy) said he is doing better but his face is still terribly swollen. Must be something about the season; James Bruce had to have a bad tooth cut out (he is doing well) and Mike Martin is going to the oral surgeon Monday (15th) to have a tooth removed. Both Mike and James work for Hazeldean Construction and I asked Howard what the heck he was feeding them. Howard said it was Mike’s fault; he keeps bringing cookies in.
Oops, I hear Flake and Tiger having a major difference of opinion, hair is beginning to fly; Grandma is going to have to settle it, couple of squirts with water spray bottle. Yep, that did it; wonder if it would work on kids?
Ran into Glenn Crandell at the post office last week, he said his mom was doing well; he looked good. I usually see Glenn one or two times a year around town. Many years ago at the shoe factory, Glenn, Louisa Frazier, Juanita Flinn, and I formed a little group to celebrate birthdays, holidays, etc. (just about any excuse we could come up with to bring in food); Juanita has since gone home to the Lord, Glenn I see once in a great while, and Louisa is coming over for a cup of coffee (she has been coming for the last 10 years or so…and hasn’t made it yet! I hope you are reading this Louisa.
Speaking of birthdays, we have several in December: Madison Marie Ledbetter on the 4th, Madison’s grandfather William (better known as Sam) Carr on the 5th, Brennan Bragg is also on the 5th, Jacob Dickerson on the 17th, Patty Miller on the 21st, Allison Bruce on the 23rd, and Marty Park on the 26th. We wish for each of you that your special day will be filled with lots of love, laughter, and good food of course. Happy Birthday! May God bless each of you on your birthday and throughout the coming year.
Heard a cute one the other day: A little girl from Minneapolis came home from church with a frown on her face and said, “I’m not going back there anymore. I don’t like the Bible they use.” Her astonished mother asked, “Why not?”
The little girl declared, “Because the Bible they use is always talking about St. Paul and it never once mentions Minneapolis!”
Our Bridge games are getting few and far between; we managed to get one in during December. Rita Green, Ana Slover, Carolyn Green, and I, got together at my house and played for the afternoon. Everybody is either getting ready for family to come in or prepared to go visit somewhere. Ana’s family is getting together on the 26th; Rita is coming and going back and forth between home, Georgia and Missouri; Carolyn’s family will be here for Christmas day (and a few days on each side of it), and my folks will be here Saturday (20th). We had fun playing cards and sharing out holiday plans with each other. Good friends are a blessing.
If you see Patty Miller running around town with a sneaky grin on her face, I can tell you why; she beat me seven times in a row at Rummicub Saturday morning. She says she doesn’t gloat but I know different – HA! We usually run pretty even at winning but not that morning and it will probably be awhile before she lets me forget it.
Saw Mary Sides at the IGA last week and she said one of these days she is coming over to challenge Patty and me at Rummicub. I think she has been practicing with son David and is ready to swamp us. We shall see.
Author Anne Perry’s Christmas book is in at the Library; I just read it, and as usual it is good. I’ll get it back to Library Wednesday. She writes a ‘short’ book each Christmas season and they are all good (our Library has them.) The Library has lots of Christmas themed books on display, including cookbooks. Check it out. We are blessed with a good Library and the staff is friendly and helpful; it is a real ‘Treasure House’ and can take you all over the world…cheap. Now you can’t beat that with a stick.
As we celebrate this Holy season, please remember those who have lost loved ones during the past year and, if possible, offer some comfort for them. The holidays can be especially hard for these brothers and sisters of ours who have suffered a loved one’s leaving.
In your prayers also remember: Joy and Eldric Hazeldean and their family (Eldric is not doing well at all) and Howard and Reva Bragg and their family, several unspoken requests were mentioned on our prayer list along with petitions for all the people harmed by the terrible weather conditions all over the country and for all the protests in our country. Please remember too Kristie and Curtis (and Emily) Skidmore, James and Mike for full recovery, Mary Davenport, and family and friends that do not know the Lord.
There will be a Christmas Eve service at Markland Baptist on the 24th (everyone is welcome) to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He was born that we might be saved; He willingly left heaven, even knowing how much pain and suffering He would endure here…He did because He loved us.
As we decorate the tree, sing carols, joyfully gather with family and friends, let us remember the reason we have this season, what He did for us…and remember to thank Him.
May God bless you and yours in this most Holy season and throughout the year to come; Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.