Hodgepodge Delight

It's Hodgepodge Time. You copy the questions, answer on your blog and link up with Joyce. This time next week, Christmas  2017 will be history.

1. Where have you found unexpected magic or delight this holiday season?

The most recent delight is that our kids will be attending Christmas Eve services with us ... another delight was receiving the Christmas ornament memorial to Trudy from the boys ... and getting to take Kate and Jack to the Christmas Spectacular. And it's truly magical when all of a sudden you're "done"! All the gifts are bought and wrapped and you can breathe a sigh of relief!

2. What's your favorite type of holiday gathering? 

To be with family or friends eating great food and enjoying each other's company ... lots of laughter ... playing games. Will you/have you gathered in your favorite way this month? We have several times and are looking forward to doing that again on Christmas Day and the week after when our daughter and grandsons come to visit. 

3. Time has named 'The Silence Breakers' (women who came forward with stories of harassment)  'person of the year' for 2017. Would you agree? No, and I will spare you any comments about all that. 

If not, who do you think deserves the title? There are so many other possibilities for Person of the Year. Just off the top of my head, Melania Trump is someone I personally admire very much having taken so much abuse in the last year against her husband, herself and her son. She has managed to maintain her poise and dignity in all this. 

4. How did you spend your time this year? 

It made me sad now that the kids are in school and no longer staying with us so much anymore, however, we are in a different season and my husband needs me more. I am now in the role of caregiver to him and taking over responsibilities he handled in the past. I'm making more of the decisions and this has been a big year for that. Life has been full of quality time with friends, Bible studies, and even the normal household things. It was also fun to attend my 50th high school class reunion. 

Are you happy about that?

As always, the good days far outnumber the hard ones. Life is good and I'm thankful and happy that God has strengthened me to be able to take care of DH and ask Him each day to guide me in the decisions that have to be made. 

5. Bid farewell to 2017 in ten words or less.

As always, you didn't listen when I said, "slow down!"

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We had our last Ladies of Grace Bible study for 2017 and celebrated with a Christmas brunch and gift exchange. It was a little bit different rolling dice and stealing gifts!

We had fun!

 

All sweet ladies of grace!

They look like they're singing!

So glad to be a part of the sisterhood!

It has been raining since yesterday evening. That is an understatement. It has been raining cats and dogs. And I am discovering what a hard head I have for a dog. She. Won't. Go. Outside. Aaaauuuggghh! Must I always be dealing with dogs and potty time? So, I was very thankful for a ten minute window this afternoon when the rained slacked off and I took her for a walk. Whew! Got 'er done just as a new downpour started, but I didn't care. I felt free and I'm sure she did, too.

She was happy to get out for a walk.

Two quotes I discovered recently and so I leave you with them. 

"The shop, the barn, the scullery, and the smithy become temples when men and women do all for the glory of God! The "divine service" is not a thing of a few hours and a few places, but all life becomes holiness unto the Lord, and every place and thing, as consecrated as the tabernacle." ~ C. H. Spurgeon

"There is no work better than to please God; to pour water, to wash dishes, to be a cobbler, or an apostle, all are one; to wash dishes and to preach are all one, as touching the deed, to please God." William Tyndale