Dear Reader:

The God Winks this past week have been showing up almost daily…they are literally dropping right in front of me…like the last of the beautiful fall leaves.

The title photo is a sign I caught out of the corner my eye as I was cutting through some back neighborhoods to get on Central Avenue. I had slowed down for a stop sign…and on a corner lot in the midst of all the beauty of the last falling leaves…was this slanting sign…that made me slow down faster than usual and back up to take the picture of the sign.

“God’s got this”…Prior to the sighting…my  mind had been lost in thought about the adjustments everyone was having to make this “Covid” Christmas and how nothing seemed quite the same…

…I couldn’t help but think God had interceded in my day dreams to let me know to quit worrying about it all…He not only “Has this Christmas” He has it all…in His capable hands.

All we need to do is provide faith in Him and hope in the future… All will come to be…exactly as it should… in God’s time.

If that message wasn’t enough…I pulled into a gas station Monday morning before the early rains had fully dissipated…As I was going to put the hose back up…I glanced down. It was early morning and the fog and clouds consumed much of the sky…but what caught my attention…was just not a “lucky penny” showing up…but one that looked like it was in flames…shining brilliantly on a cold dreary overcast morning. (My burning bush 🙂 )

I gathered up the penny, still staring in amazement, and put it in my coin cup in the car. What a wonderful God Wink to pop up on such a dreary day…and what a wonderful “mystery” surrounding its pretty glow.

I believe God was trying to remind me…that His universe started in mystery and will end that way…and sometimes, on lucky days, we get a peek from Him into His world of eternal magic and amazement beyond our understanding.

All day yesterday I felt like something was about to happen…sort of a tingling feeling of anticipation…and sure enough the day was broken with two wonderful visits.

The first one came from Mike Lesko…he was dropping off a Christmas “surcie” from his wife Dee…and picking up a fun item I knew she would enjoy in exchange. (I told Mike to tell Dee that her humor is the best present she can give me…and she generously gives ‘it to me’ in the funniest ways…Dee, you are the gift girl to keep me from getting too serious occasionally!)

Now you know how much I love Christmas “Bubble” nightlights…dating back to my childhood Christmases…but look what only Dee could find…a Sammy the Red Cardinal bubble nightlight! 🙂

It was accompanied by the best smelling “gingerbread” candle…Thank you Lesko’s….so generous with your love.

My next visit came from my pastor Jeff Kackley…he called to ask if he could stop by…he had something for me. I could hardly wait to see what it would be…he was picking up his wife Mimi from the airport and they would stop on their way home.

So amid waves from the porch to the car Jeff came strolling across the front yard holding a star…a star made by Jeff himself. It took me a few minutes after he and Mimi left to realize why he had texted me asking my favorite color and Christmas carol.

Now I knew….We had talked about a little symbol to match the story that was taped this year…and we agreed that a star would be a good memoir. So now he was handing me his home-made “orange” (my favorite color) star backed with lyrics from “What Child is This?” (my favorite carol)

As I put it on the tree I breathed in an overwhelming sense of happiness for  generosity…faith…and hope…from people I adore….who are all going out to make this challenging Christmas the best one of all…the one that will be remembered for a long, long time.

So until tomorrow…

I now realize what all the God Winks have been trying to get me to see…that ““Peace on earth will come to stay when we live Christmas every day.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Obviously taking a photo of the Christmas Star with my iPhone wasn’t going to be too successful…I walked out on the golf course where other neighbors had gathered….they caught me up with the location and the other planets, bright moon, and stars shining…besides all the airplanes. (Maybe you could fly up to get a closer glimpse of the Christmas Star because it sure did seem that the planes were encircling where we were watching)

Speaking of a “Star” being born….today, December 23, is my son Walsh’s birthday. It is hard for me to realize that he is a husband and father to three adorable children. Time flies from “Kringle Dingle” birthday year after year.

My hope for you this year, however, Walsh…is that you have the best trip around the sun you have ever experienced…!!! 🙂

I love you Walsh…You were the best Christmas gift I ever got to bring home one special Christmas day in 1977.

*Walsh gets to share his birthday with his beloved Aunt Pap…two of the funniest members of the family…must have been born on a “funny” day! And mother’s birthday, the day before, had them always celebrating together for many years.

Honey called me last evening distressed over her daughter Ashley’s latest episode with Crohn’s disease. It is such a frustrating disease to live with… since it appears to “raise its ugly head” around holidays and celebrations.

Ashley has been in the hospital where her new doctors are conferring with her physicians from MUSC to try to get a clearer picture of what is going on and a plan for treatments.

Obviously it keeps the whole family concerned and saddened with Crohn’s  fickleness and terrible timing. I know Honey and her family would truly appreciate prayers for Ashley right now as she awaits further information.

So many challenges this Christmas but let’s all hold on to the light of hope…I will light an extra candle for Ashley and keep it burning throughout this Christmas…and one for Suzy as she, too, waits for more information…the toughest time…waiting.