...a word from Kathy

Cross-posted from a dventagain.blogspot.com O ur precious grandson, Owen visited recently and I have so many memories stored in my heart.  I remember the days we made crafts, made pie crusts and Christmas cookies.  I remember his little feet pattering throughout my house.  I remember his little questions.  I especially remember words he spoke...love you, PapaRay, Kaki...and one more,  help .  As he would try to unlock or unwrap or open something, after the struggle he would say...help, help.  And we would jump in to help.  How could we resist such preciousness! This simple word reminded me of my childlike needs and my cries for help. "Mama, help me iron, Mama, can you sew on this button?, Mama, help me cook, Mama, help me get to school, Mama, help me understand my new baby, Mama, just help me." Children have no reluctance in asking for help.  In their lives, they have come to understand that they need a helper, a hero...someone to come...

Cross-posted from Adventagain.blogspot.com T rue confession...my list of to-dos has become the boss of my days.  Nary a present is under my Christmas tree!  In fact, we just put up our Christmas tree this week and currently it stands barren!  My house is a wreck and people are coming.  I have so much on my mind I can hardly keep my mind on track.  My brain is like an old radio station that can't quite tune in...full of static and faint sounds of music.  I'm joyful in this season but there is just too much brain buzz going on.  To sit in silence and try to have a reflective thought is ridiculously hard.  I cannot hear anything but the static we call the holidays.  Can I please put on headphones to block it all out?  I really do want to focus on the real meaning of Christmas.  I want to hear the Good News of a Savior's birth.  I want to realize the significance of His birth in my life today.  I want to hear the Savior's...

Cross-posted from AdventAgain.blogspot.com A re we there yet?  How many more days until Christmas, Mama?  When can I open a present?  How much longer?  Waiting...is...hard...for those waiting...and for those who hear the questions!  We're living in the season of waiting today.  We know a big event is coming, we're preparing, we're excited and we're hoping for celebration and unlimited joy. But even as we wait for tomorrow and the joy of Christmas, we know that today life is hard. It's hard to find all the money we need, patience we need, cooking skills required, time we need.  It's also hard because real life continues.  The demands of work, the death of a loved one, the child in the hospital, the child in addiction, the disappointment of being looked-over for promotion, the illness of a spouse, the loss of a job.  Real life doesn't stop happening just because we're waiting on Christmas.  In fact, this particular month may be harder...

 A  few weeks ago, our 2.5 year-old grandson, Owen was visiting us for Thanksgiving.  We had many activities that week but one of my favorites was the night we went to the River Walk in Tuscaloosa and walked among the decorated Christmas trees (or actually he rode his Strider)!   There were dozens of decorated trees....construction company trees complete with hard hats, realtor trees with little houses all over, an 'Incredibles' tree, and even the Grinch made an appearance.  Dozens of people had the same idea that night and as we weaved in and out of the slow-moving crowed of folks, it felt good to be engaged in Christmas with our community.  It was a sort-of throwback Christmas experience.  People were only on their iPhones to take pictures, people bought lattes and hot chocolate from a coffee truck nearby, music filled the air.  No snowflakes appeared but still it felt downright cozy and thrilling...for a little boy and his grandma. When we go...