Fred has been in the hospital since Tuesday, as the laceration that he received from the mower accident became infected. It looked fairly good at first, but the doctor wanted to take precautions, so put him on antibiotic infusions every 8 hours. All seems to have worked so far - with a bit of luck and all the healing help from God, he will be home tomorrow. It has been quite a week to say the least. I do not like driving here in S Texas (lots of crazy drivers and a lot of traffic) but this week has put me to the test. I feel more comfortable with it now , can pretty much find the few places I need to go, and actually drive on the freeway instead of the service road!! Today, after a friend and I attended church services, we went to JoAnn Fabrics, Staples, Walmart, and then to breakfast. Dropped her off at her home, and went to Starbucks for coffee for Fred (and myself, or course - caramel machiatto, soy milk, and a shot of cinnamon syrup) and made it to the hospital all before 1 PM. Fred is tolerating hospital living well but certainly looking forward to coming home soon. Please pray for the doctor's release tomorrow.
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I did get my Christmas cards out and all of my Christmas decoration up. I love this magical time of year when the true Christmas story is retold everywhere in churches and Bible groups across the world. Just singing Christmas carols makes it all seem so perfect. I look out into the starry night and imagine how it was so many years ago as the angles came to tell the shepherds of the birth of baby Jesus. Imagine how they felt - the long awaited Messiah is born tonight in Bethlehem!!! Glory to God on high.
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| love this Holy Family display - a real find at a gift store a few years ago |
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| a quick decorating idea - spray an old grater (or leave it natural if you prefer), put it on an old tin pie plate with a candle under the grater, add a few decorations. when lit at night it glows so beautifully. |
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my most favorite Christmas scene - as I place the figures in the proper positions, I think of how they fit into the whole magical night - I often change their places from year to year.
Friend Karen made home made chili for me this week - I don't make it as I am the only one who eats it at our house. After a particularly trying day this week I came home, did a few chores, put on my jammies, slippers, heated the chili, crawled into the recliner, covered up, and enjoyed a wonderful meal. It was cold outside, so this was a perfect end to the day. (I do believe I also fell asleep!).
Today's sermon was a continuation of the journey towards the manger, focusing on the shepherds. "Angels we have heard on high" - the song is about more than Jesus - it is about the joy of the shepherds as they heard of the miraculous birth of Jesus. The shepherds were the marginal people - those folks who lived on the edge of society. The lived outside the city limits as they were animal herders - the smelled like the animals, they did not bathe as often as they wished, and they worked all night long. Do we push the marginal people in our modern society to the outside of the city - or perhaps to the undesirable areas? Who are today's marginal people - those folks with addictions who live on the streets, those folks who due to uncertain circumstances are homeless, those veterans who cannot find or keep a job due to health issues related to serving their country and cannot get proper medical help. The manager still offers hope to all of this people as it did in the day of the shepherds. They were the first to hear of the birth - not the kings or high rulers, but those marginal workers who were chosen to receive the great message of joy. Shelters are today's manger's. God is at work providing for those in need through the efforts of those who chose to answer His call. We tend to get caught up in the whole worldly celebration of Christmas, often forgetting those marginal folks. Our job is to go where God is - to work with someone with no hope, and give them hope for a future.
During this Christmas season, think of how you can help those marginal people - those who need hope and someone to help them gain it.
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