Dear Reader:

You might remember, in an earlier blog,  I commented on the fact that the first half of November feels like an extended October period to me. Then after that…I feel like it is time to ‘gear up’ for the Thanksgiving Stressful Stretch to the Christmas Holidays.

Over the years I have tried several different options in my approach to ‘handling’ Christmas. Some years I start really early but then usually can’t remember what and/or where the gifts are when needed.

Another drawback to early Christmas buying is discovering the same loved ones who say (yearly) “I don’t know…anything” actually come up with a gift they want and you have already gotten something else.

Books on how to survive Thanksgiving and Christmas abound during the holidays. We Americans love “List” books (hang-over from the Dave Letterman days I presume.) If an author puts a big 10 on a “to do” list….it will be a best-seller….especially if it is about ten survival tactics concerning Thanksgiving – Christmas.

What I like about Caldwell’s All I Really Want (book on Advent devotions) is that he takes the opposite approach. Instead of trying to simplify Christmas…he encourages us to amplify it. Instead of deleting items off our “to do” list he encourages us to add to the list (while taking off the “run around in a circle busyness” from the holidays.)

Here a few short excerpts from the introduction…and I think you will better understand why this is going to be my “go to” book this Christmas. Starting November 30 (first day of advent) I will share with you some of his thoughts and meditations…they are homespun, common sense, and truly funny!

“I’m not here to simplify anything for you. Neither is God. If you have too many cookie exchanges or whatever, you’re just going to have to deal with it yourself.”

“This book is actually designed to complicate the season. It’s here to invite you to stop, think, and pray a little more deeply about it, not organize it all until it’s easy.”

“The Christmas season is a time when churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike tend to experience strong spiritual longings. Whatever the longings looks like on the outside, for most of us, deep down it’s a longing for an experience of something holy, something beautiful. 

“So although this book is here to add things to your to-do list, not to take away, I hope that the doing of them will create room-maybe just enough room, for God to show up.” 

“I don’t know about you, but that’s all I really want.”

………………………..

* As you are reading the blog today ( I hope!) the Ya’s are in Columbia…for Brooke and me it will be the first time we have seen Mama Mia’s home since the flood….deep breath…it will be hard…we have so many happy memories associated with this home.

Several of you readers have asked about Jackson and where she is in all of this on-going paperwork. She and her son, Matthew, have done all they can  to date. This is the tough part…they are stuck in Dr. Seuss’s “Waiting Room” ….Waiting on the hands being dealed…and especially waiting to hear if she can re-build. So please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Sis Kinney has asked for prayers for her sister-in-law, Marilyn, who has just received news that she has breast cancer. Please keep her, also, in your prayers as she tries to process it all…especially here at the holidays.

Kaitlyn put this photo on Facebook…a picture she took on their way up to Asheville…Riding by…she did a double-take and there was the name of the mini-mall. I emailed her back and told her that it was a God-Wink.

Tommy and Kaitlyn have been staying in the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville. I’ve had several friends tell me how gorgeous it was and from the photos yesterday …it is beyond that…..

You might remember that  years ago…I gave Susan a Christmas cactus for her birthday and it has become her “Big Red“…I wish I could take credit for it…but it is Susan who has cared for this gigantic cactus. Just look at the size of it!

Mollie took these ‘loving’ pictures of the “brothers” while out for their daily wagon ride….too sweet.