Billie, there is a definite sense of 'Finest Family' woven herein - and we thank you for creating this Special Room in the House that Jim Built!
We daily stroll through it, messing up a bit, dropping crumbs and leaving the dishes for someone to wash - vent and laugh and cry and hug; and are better prepared to take on what the day brings us as individuals.
We are edified as well as 'fedified' (thanks to loddy and daisyscarlett's thoughtfulness, as well as others); 'beautified' (thanks to scenes from loddy and Valerie and Flyer, etc.) ~ ~ ~ and 'musicfied' (by Aquamarine and WVNan and daisyscarlett and other contributors) - our emotions stirred and fully operational.
We glean and share from the threads measures of laughter and love and sympathy and prayer and joy and pathos and concerns about our country, and the outstanding feature is the sense of unity thus created!
It is a tough world, and some lives have tough challenges, but the spirit of being blessed and given strength by our Creator underlies it all.
Whoever, we especially miss you in 'visible' form on our pages, but you are imprinted upon our hearts indelibly.
You have so enriched the lives of all who know you, and you are simply loved by all here!
For all, I pray your Christmas is full of love and peace no matter what your circumstance might be - the Son of God was born so that we might have hope and respite, and be given the strength to lift all the loads!!
Rejoice, and appreciate what you have been given.
To all, I encourage you, if there are rifts in your relationships, to try to breach them through prayer and reaching out.
The last comes from remembering this particular day the one 41 years ago (1961) when my parents put my two sons and me on a flight to to go South Dakota to join my husband.
It was the last time, at age 27, I saw my mother's beautiful face and had a hug from her.
She went to heaven in 1965 when I was in Alaska (I then was age 31) on one son's 10th birthday, never having seen her granddaughter born in 1962.
Remember every person has imperfections and has done things they regret. If you have been wronged, extend forgiveness.
Keep in mind there might not be another day with the opportunity to do so.
If you were given the knowledge of being cherished as I had been, then show your appreciation for and share the greatest gift of all - the love God gave to and placed within each of us.
Better yet, do it anyway, no matter where you are in life.
Taking a break from the kitchen - my dishwasher is full of mixing bowls and cake pans just from one cake and a dozen baked potatoes (scooped out and mashed, etc and refilled for twice-baked potatoes) for Wednesday dinner. Always on the downhill side once those two things are in the freezer for Christmas dinner! (the rest really is practically coasting.) :)
(((hug)))
May your Christmas be Blessed by the one who's birth we commemorate. Merry Christmas.
To ALL my Freeper phriends . . . Season's Greetings, God bless . . .
Thy Will be done.
Phil, daMissus, Socks C., Charlie & Sally