Happy New Year - 2014!

What would you like to see in 2014? Have you really thought about it?

 

We go through life, every year, wishing for peace and understanding, wealth, and material things not really considering what we have that are right in front of us.

 

This year consider what you have in small terms.

 

Wealth - what is wealth? Is it really money? It is really material possessions? The older I've gotten the more inmaterial they seem. Personal possessions are really overrated. Even the things that Daddy made. I'd much rather have Dad.

 

This year be grateful that you have health . . . . even with sore joints, arthritis, and other ills, you can probably find others worse off.

 

My husband and I saw a woman working in a local store that I am sure had polio at some point in her life. She was bent completely over, holding herself as upright as possible, by clenching her upper leg with one hand, offering to help people as they passed by. She couldn't stand upright but was at a 90 degree angle but used no walker and was slightly off kilter as Daddy was . . . . he also had polio and was the same. She worked her shift, standing and clerking, holding on to the counter as she scanned the items. And, still, when it wasn't busy, she'd be standing, holding herself up, asking customers if she could be of assistance, all with a smile! God bless her!

 

This year be grateful that you have family . . . . there are so many people who are totally alone. And if you are at odds with one another, try to hold on to the good and forget the rest. Life is much too short.

 

This year be grateful that you have a roof over your head . . . . okay, so it isn't the lap of luxury but it provides heat and protection. I can remember Mom and Dad talking about when they were first married, they remodeled a chicken coop.

 

This year be grateful that you have a job  . . . . there are so many that are without and in dire circumstances. It may not be the best job or the most fulfilling job but it puts food on the table.

 

This year be grateful that you have a voice . . . . that you can speak freely and openly, discuss the workings of the government and criticize when you don't care for our politicians actions.

 

This year be grateful . . . . . . and pass it on to someone who needs a smile, a kind word, a buck or two, a word of encouragement, and a prayer. It warms the soul.

 

In other words, let's count our blessings. I certainly am.

 

May you all have a wonderful, purposeful, and joyful New Year!

 

God bless you all!

 

And a special Happy New Year to all my friends at OnlineAuction.com! Thank you for all your support, help, kind words, and just for being you!!

 



Merry Christmas!

 

 

As we go through the day to day bustle of getting ready for the holidays, I wanted to share a little film that I found on Youtube titled The Chrismas Shoes. This is such a sad yet heartwarming song and it is done beautifully!

 

So, enjoy this song and remember what Christmas is all about . . . I believe it is the celebration of the birth of Christ . . . and giving to others.

 

For all my OnlineAuction.com friends, customers, and especially my family . . . .

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 

Finding My Christmas Spirit

Christmas is going to be very, very slim at our house this year. We can't even afford a tree, never mind decorations. There's a very good reason for it -- we bought new property for the Love Your Pet Expo Sanctuary for Special Needs Animals. Fixing it up to make it safe and comfy for the critters is taking every nickel and every drop of credit we have left. We are sacrificing our Christmas splurging for their sakes, so finding my Christmas Spirit was a bit of a challenge.

Trying to get in the mood, I went looking for the Christmas mugs. I thought I knew right where they were, so I headed for the den/storage room. I dragged out the box labeled "kitchen" that I knew I had packed when we left Oregon. When I opened it, there were some of our daughter's things. Evidently, we unpacked the box long ago, then she filled it with her stuff, so no mugs (and no Christmas Spirit). 

I recognized one more box that said "Coffee Maker."
I just knew the mugs would be there. It was way in the back, with heavy bins stacked in front. I was exhausted by the time I got it out. I opened that box, and guess what I found -- a Coffee Maker -- WHAT WAS THAT THING DOING IN THERE? Anyway, no Christmas mugs, which was really disappointing, but I did find the CD player, 
and I knew right where to find the Christmas CDs, so that was a nice surprise that cheered me up a little. (The rest of my search was done with my favorite songs of the season playing in the background.)

Next, I looked for the mugs in the shelving unit. No Christmas mugs, which was a bummer, but I did find a grow light I thought was gone forever. I really needed another light for my indoor garden, but I couldn't afford it. Now I'd have all the light I would need to grow veggies inside this winter, but I still wanted those mugs!

Next, I went out to the back porch storage area. No Christmas mugs, but I did find Christmas dishes! They had been in the family for years, passed around from year to year. I had forgotten all about them. I unpacked them, washed them and swapped them out for the regular dishes, so we would be eating from holiday plates for the next month. There was only one thing missing -- the cups. No mugs, no cups -- back to the search. AARRGGHH!

I looked around some more. No Christmas mugs, but I did find two boxes of never-used Christmas lights and a brand new top ornament. Then came the find of the day -- a fancy box of beautiful "12 Days of Christmas" ornaments that our son gave us the last time he moved. I had forgotten all about them, too. I showed all these to Hubby and said I wanted to hang the lights on the wall in the shape of a Christmas tree, so I could hang the ornaments on them. It would be a flat, fake thing, but better than nothing. Hubby got a gleam in his eye and jumped right into the project of making me a wood Christmas tree for the wall that would stand out, hold the lights, the top ornament, and The Twelve Days of Christmas. With my painting skills and his carpentry talent, we should have that project finished, tomorrow. I CAN'T WAIT!

Finally, I was down to one last place to look, and there were the Christmas mugs, in their box, right where I'd put them, in the linen closet, along with my never-worn Christmas toe-socks from last year. SUCCESS!

If I'd gone there first, I'd have my mugs and nothing else. Now I have everything I need for a very merry Christmas house, without spending a penny, plus Christmas socks on my feet, hot Christmas coffee in my nice big Christmas mug, and I found my Christmas Spirit. Life is good!

Christmas Santa Resting

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AT OLA AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO STOPS BY TO READ THIS.