I spent the day with my daughter and granddaughter. It was a day to lay my writing aside and make some memories instead. This post was originally published on December 7, 2016. Be blessed.

She had been burning the candle at both ends.
She knew it but she had to get things done.
She knew her attitude was not the best.
But all of the preparations do not just happen.

All of the gifts do not buy themselves.
All of the cards do not get magically written.
She was losing her Christmas spirit and she knew it.
She just didn’t know how to get it back.

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I wait in traffic.
I wait in a line at the store.
I wait when I want to talk to Customer Service about something I ordered.
I wait for my newly mopped floors to dry.

What if we tallied our waiting time on any given day?
What we do to pass the time as we wait says quite a lot about us.
Many will look at their phones, unless they are driving.
Some will read a book that they always keep handy for just such an occasion.

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I heard the ding of the text message.
I saw that it was from my daughter.
I saw that she sent it to the whole family.
I noticed that she sent a picture.

I read the caption.
Benefits of a baby: Wrapping presents right in front of her. She has no idea.
I saw my sweet granddaughter on the floor with a blanket toy in her hand.
I knew that this is the toy with which she plays peek-a-boo, her new found skill.

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We decorate our house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving.
That tradition began years ago when my children were quite young.
I never wanted to be part of the crowds on the first official day of Christmas shopping.
It was wonderful to extend the long weekend and just be together.

Through the years, each child had their job to do.
One hung the garland on the banister and across the bridge.
One set up the manger that I had when I was a little girl.
My boys helped my husband put the lights on the trees outside.

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This blog post was originally published December 2015.
It is being reprinted here to bless you.

We have a chair in our living room.
It is just an ordinary chair in appearance.
It is an extraordinary chair in function.
It is the chair we each take turns to sit in on Christmas morning.

Our living room is the room where we have our Christmas tree.
It is the room with the baby grand piano.
It is the room that is painted a warm cranberry red.
It is the room that has bookcases filled with books.

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This poem was originally written and published in June 2012.
Br request, I am publishing it again for this Christmas season.
Be blessed as you ponder the Truth in the words.
This poem and others can be found in my book, Whispers in Verse.

In a manger with hay
In the night, not the day
God caused His Son to be born.
A young girl would hold
All her arms could enfold
Wrapped in rags that were tattered and torn.

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I teach a Bible study in my home.
It is a blessing to have such a wonderful group of women.
They come to my house every other Wednesday.
We open God’s Word and study it together.

Women of all ages come to the Bible study.
Young moms can bring their children thanks to the two home school girls who watch them.
I love to see the children’s excitement as they come in and run right down to the basement.
I rotate my children’s toys so they do not play with the same things each time.

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I remember when I opened the box.
My oldest son always tried to get something unique for me each Christmas.
At the time, he worked at a wonderful garden shop.
He had that job all throughout high school.

In fact, I had three children who worked at the garden shop.
My daughter, who is carrying our first grandchild, worked there first.
Soon, my two sons were employed as well; the oldest first and then the younger.
It was fun for me to go there during the Christmas season and see my children.

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When everyone is preparing for Christmas and longing for the celebration, some are struggling.
When the songs of the season are heard and sung with joyful anticipation, some close their ears.
When everyone seems Merry but that is not appropriate, some close themselves off.
When sending cards, buying presents, planning meals is on the to-do list, some pull back.

For some, this time of year is very difficult.
Memories close to the surface, seem to bubble up at the wrong time.
Relationships that need mending seem more pronounced in the twelfth month.
Turning the calendar to January just cannot come fast enough for some.

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It was the night of the Women’s Christmas Social at church.
I invited three dear friends to go with me.
We drove in one car, ready for an evening to be together.
It was a rainy night but nothing could dampen our spirits.

We arrived and my friends remarked about how lovely the church looked.
A large Christmas tree with tiny white lights was in the center of the foyer.
Women were hanging up their coats and putting their umbrellas on the floor beneath.
There were warm greetings and hugs all around.

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