Dear Reader:

What a mixed bag of emotions Thursday was…blustery, rainy weather…an oncology appointment…and then everything changed!

The photos above were actually taken in the morning (Friday morning)…not at night… because yesterday everyone was having a P.J. Christmas party at school…from Jake’s pre-school, to Eva Cate’s second grade class to Mandy’s Buist Academy. Fun, fun, fun!

John had picked me up from my oncology appointment Thursday so I could spend the night with them and then he planned to get me to my foot wound appointment in Mt. Pleasant Friday. After all that he then was bringing me back to Summerville. *(And I didn’t even get to wear p.j.’s to my appointment.)

However things didn’t go as planned…they went as God planned. (Which is always better!)

After feeling like I have been stuck in some type of inside ‘recliner purgatory’ coupled with an outside ‘no wheels purgatory’… everything finally broke loose. John found an amazing deal on a relatively small SUV (used with a few thousand miles…but not much… and still a 2018) which we went to look at in all the blustery, rainy weather after my oncology appointment.

Everything fell into place so easily…I knew God was directing this whole scene from start to stop. A wonderful young salesman greeted us, we asked about the car, he checked to see if it was still there and it was…I test drove it around a neighborhood during a break from the rain…loved it…great price…exactly what I could afford and more…***The children had all pooled together to provide a down payment against the total car price for my Christmas present.

I was speechless…but not tear-less…the biggest surprise of my life! I love you all so much…or as Tiny Tim said…“God bless you…every one!”

So yesterday John didn’t need to take me to my foot surgeon appointment or drive me home because I drove myself!!!!! “Thank you God, Amen!” 

(I was so happy I didn’t even mind getting stuck on I-526 for over an hour when the fierce winds blew a trailer off the top of a truck Friday…blocking traffic for miles and miles. *I knew my car wouldn’t die out on me like the Vue would have done having to idle that long…so I listened to the Christmas music channel and just happily sang along.)

This is probably the closest I have come to a Christmas miracle…I am still reeling from the newly conceived conviction that …“I am a car owner again.” Thursday night I kept jumping up to see if the car was still in John’s driveway…or was I just dreaming and wishing?

So until tomorrow...”Miracles come in moments…be ready and willing.” (Wayne Dryer)

I was ready and I was willing to acknowledge the true Master behind the plan to get me “wheels” once again and break me out of my earlier, restricted daily life. Now it’s my turn to help others! Pay it forward time.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Our wonderful reader, Ambika, sent me this quote concerning the blog post about Brooks Moore and the two yellow #2 pencils he received from a student his first year teaching. It is perfect!

Mother Teresa,  “I’m a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending love letters to the world…”

*A special shout-out to my favorite son-in-law John who found this wonderful deal on the car… that just happened to have my name on it…a Christmas present from God and family!

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

JOHN O’DONOHUE

Celebration is an attentive and gracious joy of presence. When you celebrate, you are taking time to recognize, to open your eyes and behold in your life the quiet miracles and gifts that seek no attention; yet each day they nourish, shelter, and animate your life. The art of belonging in, with, and to your self is what gives life and light to your presence; it brings a radiance to your countenance and a poise to your carriage. When your heart is content, your life can always find the path inwards to this deep stillness in you.

*Today is my mother’s birthday! I love you mom and I strive each day to be more like you…a woman with the strongest faith I have ever known. I miss you.

Lori Hollister simply must be nominated for Grandmother of the Year…she is truly amazing! Yesterday she picked up her granddaughter Lily from school, along with two friends…(Eva Cate being one) and took them (no less) for a spend-the-night at the Belmond Charleston Place.

She had baggies of fun items for them (including elf hats); they could go swimming in the indoor pool and just be little bouncy girls for a night out on the town. What a way to start the Christmas holidays!