Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Share a favorite moment from your Christmas holiday celebration.

We really enjoyed our Christmas this year. In fact I think it was the best ever. It was simple, but sweet. One of my favorite moments was when Buddy and I shared a cup of hot chocolate, the first I've had since probably last Christmas, and the first he has had in his life. We both enjoyed it a lot.
 

2. What would you say has been the biggest news event during your life so far?

All I can think of is 9/11.
 

3. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2015 is Marsala. What say you-like or no like? Would I find this color anywhere in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade to either?

I actually really like that color, but don't think I have anything in that particular shade anywhere in our house. I'm doubtful that it will be added during this next year.
 

4. Would you rather meet your ancestors or your great grandchildren? Explain why.

My great grandchildren. To me life looks extremely short, and as much as I'm looking forward to what is coming after it is over, I would like to be able to meet my great grand children before I go.
 

5. Share one life lesson learned in 2014?

Trusting God and believing that all things work together for good. Okay, I knew that already, but it was proven again and again during 2014. Where God took what looked like a bad thing and turned it into something good.

6. What was your best or favorite purchase made in 2014?

We hardly made any purchases this year other than food. I didn't even get any new clothes. I did get a pretty notebook for myself when the back to school sales were going. Does that count?

7. What is one thing you're looking forward to in the new year?

We have nothing special planned for 2015. Mostly I just look forward to enjoying every day with our family.
 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

One of Buddy's favorite things to play with is his box of wooden blocks.

 

Uncle Ezra's Story

The post yesterday was mostly inspired by what I'm planning to share today. I have seen the reactions people have to this story, have seen people refusing to listen to what he had to say, some going as far as avoiding the family afterwards. I can not ever dispute what happened to him, I may not understand everything, but it is his story and I know he tried to spread it as much as he could to everyone who would listen. Since he can no longer do that I'm sharing it today.

I was only twelve when this happened, but the impression it made has never faded.

A car drove in one evening and the driver came up to the house, when Daddy went to answer the door we all strained our ear to hear what he had to say. We could only make out a few words, hospital, and call right away.

Daddy left his food on his plate, saying he has to go to the payphone right away to call the hospital where his brother Ezra was after having fallen 40 ft. After he spoke to Ezra's wife Mom and Daddy decided to go see him right away, he was in bad shape, multiple broken bones, bleeding on his brain, the doctors were doing everything they could, but even they weren't giving any hope that he was going to survive this. They stayed at the hospital for a few days, Ezra was unconscious the entire time. Coming home they started making preparations for the funeral that was sure to be coming soon.

Now on to Ezra's story, somewhat condensed:

I was climbing upwards through a long dark tunnel, I could see the light at the end that grew bigger and brighter the closer I got to it. I could see people walking past that light. Once I reached the end I came out in a large meadow with a path. People were walking on it, I wasn't sure what to do so I started walking up the path too. I hadn't gone very far when I saw my body laying beside the path. I didn't know what to make of it, I no longer needed it, but I hesitated walking on with it still there. It was then that I noticed a man walking down the path towards me. He was talking and singing at the same time, both were clear. He didn't look at me standing there, instead he stopped beside my body, he picked it up and sat down holding it in his lap. He continued talking and singing, but now he was also running his hands up and down my broken body. I stood there watching and noticed how his face was lined, as I studied those lines a few stood out and then a little later they formed little bundles, looking almost like a handkerchief that had it's corner tied together like a little knapsack. Several of the little bundles floated over to me. I opened them, they were full of thoughts. The first one was that I don't have to be afraid of the future, because it is in His hands. Another one said "Love me, and live in peace." I looked at his face wondering what all the other lines were, but he shook his head saying they are for someone else. All this time he kept running his hands up and down my body.

When he was done he placed the body on the ground, he opened it and asked me to step back inside. It's time to go back, he said. I tried to but it was awkward so he reached out and helped me back in. I woke up in my hospital bed then, a sheet over my head. I reached up to uncover my face and almost gave the nurse that was tidying up the room a heart attack. She rushed to get doctors, the first doctor who came in asked me how I'm feeling. I told him I'm healed. They took me to be x-rayed and tested, and it was true, every broken bone was healed, all the injuries I had received had been healed.

I don't claim to have been in Heaven, I did not see God. But this I know, Jesus healed me, He loves and cares for His children, and for a child of God, death is only the beginning.

Fear

Fear can be such a crippling thing, and can eat at you almost like a disease.

Growing up, much of our life was ruled by fear. Fear of displeasing a hard to please God, fear of getting into some unknown trouble with the church, and fear of death and dying were the three main fears we lived with, and then there were a lot of smaller fears.

The moment Jesus became real in our life those fears vanished, along with a lot of the smaller ones. Though my life is no longer ruled by fear like it used to be, there is still one fear I haven't exactly faced head on. Fear of, how do I describe it, fear of what people might think of me if I were 100% open about everything,

It's so easy to allow people to only see certain parts, and I really value the friendships I have, but there are times when I wonder, would I still have the same friends if I were totally honest about all my likes and dislikes? I love reading, really love it. My all time favorite series of books though, would I dare mention them? Same with music, singing is something I also really love and listening to music, but what if I shared my all time favorite song, would people look at me differently even though I'm the exact same person I was before they knew what it is? This list could also go on for a while.

I'm curious does anyone else deal with similar fear?

Checking In

Taking a few minutes to check in and let you know I realize I still have a blog, even though I was neglecting it shamefully this month. That is about to change though since Christmas is over, and the children seem to all be over what ever flu like sickness they had been plagued with.

Christmas wasn't the happy celebration for my extended family, this year. My uncle had a heart attack and passed away, his funeral is today.

I haven't mentioned this uncle very often, here, though I knew him better than any of my Dad's other brothers. He had a very interesting story he used to share with anyone who would listen. A few years ago he wrote about his experience and I happened to be lucky enough to get a copy. I'll be sharing it with all of you soon. I think he would have liked that, and it just seems fitting somehow.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Time magazine has selected The Ebola Fighters as their person of the year for 2014. Do you agree, and if so who would you say is a close second? If you disagree with their choice, who do you think should have been chosen?

I don't care that they chose them as the person/s of the year. I'm guessing though the person that did the most good in 2014 is someone who hasn't received any recognition and only God knows who it was and what he/she did.

2. This question comes to you courtesy of Susan who blogs over at Stew Mama Says. She knows Joyce has a wedding happening any minute now, and she asks, 'What's your favorite-something old? something new? something borrowed? something blue in your home?  Be sure you hop over and say hi to Susan today! 

My favorite something old is a cookbook that is getting decidedly more spattered and worn every year.

Something new ..... a gift from my brother. I'll be using it everyday.

Something borrowed ..... nothing. I don't like borrowing things.

Something blue ...... a set of water glasses I use everyday.

3. Fudge-yay or nay? Your favorite flavor? Do you make it yourself? With nuts or without?  

Until only very recently I have not liked fudge at all. But then one of the Mom's at our church gave me some chocolate bacon fudge to try. It's delicious! I went home and did a search online for a recipe and hope to make a batch for Christmas.
 

4. December 17th is Wright Brothers Day, commemorating the first successful flights made by Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  How old were you when you made your first flight? Do you like to fly? Have you ever been to Kitty Hawk or other parts of the North Carolina Outer Banks? 

I have never been in an airplane and have no desire to ever fly. I've also never been to the Outer Banks, but it's somewhere we want to visit in the next few years.

5. Do the people in your family tend to follow a particular career path, and if so what's the path?

Not really. In my family there are farmers, construction workers, business owners, logger, truck drivers, teachers, and even an inventor. The last one I'm not sure if I should feel proud, excited, or scared. The item being invented could change a lot of things and help millions of people, something I'm not convinced Uncle S_m would like since it appears money is all they focus on.

6. What is one thing you absolutely, positively must accomplish today?

Some sewing, and then dress rehearsal for the Christmas pageant at our church.

7. This Christmas I hope_____________________.

We will have plenty of snow, and that everyone will be healthy.

Sunbeam has been sick for a few days already and I'm really hoping the rest of the family doesn't get what she has.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our phone is still not working, and I'm still not missing it. Our families know LV's cell number, any one else can email, so that only leaves telemarketers not being able to contact us and I don't miss them at all. Who knows..... maybe we'll decide not to have a house phone again.

Catching Up

The past few weeks have been, let's say, interesting. An unintentional break from most technology was quite refreshing, after I got over my initial frustration that things weren't working the way they should.

Our phone is still not working, and for the most part I don't miss it at all. It's nice not being interrupted at all hours of the day. Somehow life goes on just fine without it.

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We're once again doing a homemade Christmas this year. I haven't done much more than plan the things I want to make which means I had better step into high gear if I want to have any hopes of getting anything done in time.

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One of my brothers was here for the weekend. We hardly ever get to see family, so this was a real treat. It had been over three years since we saw each other last which meant we had a lot of catching up to do.

 

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I have always admired beautiful crocheted things. When ever I watched someone crochet it always looked easy and fun. I have tried on different occasions to learn how to crochet, but it was never easy and most certainly not fun. The only thing I was ever able to make was a pile of snarled yarn.

Rosebud has had a desire to learn how to crochet, she read everything she could find about it and studied patterns and instructions. She has now made quite a few different things, and is in the process of teaching herself how to make more complicated things.

I'm glad my daughters have not inherited my aversion to all things related to hand sewing.