December's Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window it's dusky and chilly and the moon is already out. Hubby and puppy are playing ball in the backyard. I can see their breath as they race across the frosty ground together. Hubby waves at me to watch them...Baron has learned to leap like a deer and catch the ball mid-air. Out front the neighbors Christmas lights are lit and giving the frozen evening a cheery glow.

I am thinking about Nativity Scenes. On my way to work yesterday I drove past a shoddy house with a poorly-painted plywood nativity scene in their front yard. My first thought was, "How crummy looking!" But at the same time I felt happy that this family was celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas. Then I started thinking about how almost bizarre it is that we decorate our lawns and mantles with  images of a newly delivered baby in a bed of straw. I mean, what other religion does that? But then, what other religion claims that GOD has visited this earth in the form of a man? The GOD of the universe, naked, lying in itchy hay, crying and wetting and needing someone to feed him. It boggles the mind! The Divine Condescension!

I am thankful that it's real. Christmas. It really did happen.

In the kitchen under the window sits my pink Thanksgiving cactus; still blooming. It's in an old- fashioned planter...a ring of white geese. Somehow they reminds me of Grandma's house.

I am wearing skinny jeans under a wheat colored cable knit sweater-jacket. I have a soft camel, red, and black plaid scarf about my neck. My brown, knee high boots have three buckled straps on them. I fancy that they look like riding boots.

I am creating a more modern and comfortable bedroom. I took out the old Victorian bed and replaced it with a simple boxed spring and mattress on a frame. The old headboard partly covered the window and blocked the light; now I awaken to soft, filtered light streaming into the room. Since getting rid of the old footboard, hubby can sit on the end of the bed in the mornings and chat with me while he drinks his coffee and I struggle to wake up.  I've replaced my brightly colored quilts with a fawn colored quilt and an ivory fake fur throw. The walls are fawn colored and the woodwork is ivory. It's all very monochromatic and restful. The only artwork is a black and white charcoal piece I drew in college-- a picture of an English chap walking his corgi along a country lane. Very appropriate for Kelly and me. Soon I will paint the side tables ivory, replace the dresser with a very simple, modern one, and sew a new bedskirt by taking an old one, ripping the skirt part off of the part that goes under the mattress, and replacing the skirt part with fabric of my choice, perhaps a linen color with a small repeated, diamond-shaped print--like you see on men's pajamas. What do you call that pattern anyway?

I am going to see my friend Michelle's daughter Breton, in a production of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" tomorrow afternoon. Breton is playing Schroeder. He's my favorite Peanuts character, him and Snoopy. Who doesn't love Snoopy?

I am wondering if there are any new episodes of "Parenthood" on our DVR. Kelly and I both love that show. Will Crosby and Jasmine get back together? Kelly says yes, but I have my doubts.

I am reading books I've already read. I like to do that. And I like to read several books at once; so when I become bored with one subject, I just hop over to a new one. This month I'll re-read "Follow Your Passion, Find Your Power",  "A Child's Christmas in Wales", "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Day", "An Altar in the World", "The Heart of Abundance", and I hope to check out "Shepherds Abiding". (Brenda, over at It's a Wonderful Life mentioned this book. I think I've read all of the 'Mitford' books, but I can't remember.) In case you're wondering, this is a lot to read in a few weeks, so I probably won't read these books in their entirety... just my favorite parts. It's OK to do that...really!

I am hoping that my friend Tammy remembers to give me an invitation to Pinterest. Or that somebody does! Pinterest has a waiting list, and the only way to get on right now is to be invited...anyone out there on Pinterest...?

I am looking foward to spending a Christmas with my son Sam and his family in Las Vegas. We haven't had Christmas with Sam for over 15 years. We do see Sam in the summer, but it's been way too long since I've sat across a Christmas meal with my son. Actually, we're celebrating on the 23rd. Sam drives a limousine for a living; and Christmas day through New Years are his busiest work days of the year. I can't wait to take the boys shopping for their presents. I'm sure the malls in Vegas will be decked out to the hilt! I'll take plenty of pictures.

I am hearing the Heismann trophy presentations on ESPN. (Hubby and puppy dog have come in from the backyard and are settled in the family room with me.) Hubby says that the finalists are Andrew Luck, Montee Ball, Trent Richardson, Robert Griffin III, and  Tyrann Mathieu. Do I really care about this? Nope. But hubby does, and he tolerates my ramblings about ivory-painted side tables. So I listen when he tells me about football stuff. The compromises of a happy marriage.

Around the house things are in a pleasant disarray. They've been that way since we got a dog. I think it's an improvement. Things used to be almost too clean around here. Now the little braided rug by the front door has a pair of boots sitting on it; in anticipation of the next walk--and a few leaves and twigs from the last walk. The slipcover on the sofa is rumpled and the Chrismas quilt that I tossed haphazardly over the back of it has been claimed by Posie cat for her evening nap. Adjacent the fireplace is Baron's bed, where he is presently lying...contentedly chewing on a bone.

I am pondering how to be a true servant of Christ, how Christ was a servant-king, and how that would look in my everyday life. I know that serving Him does not mean being a doormat or saying yes to every time someone asks you to do something. It's a poor analogy, but I look at my dog. He knows that I am his master. He should prefer my voice to anyone elses. Do I prefer His voice to my own? Would I rather listen to people than to Him? I have such a long way to go in this area of my life! But I'm not discouraged. I have come long and far from where I started in my walk with Him.

One of my favorite things is writing this blog. It's relaxing and very cathartic. I love mixing words in much the way a painter mixes color. Words are colorful. They are powerful. Soothing. The can be  anything you want them to be.

A few plans for the rest of the week--Oh I hate to think of it! It's the last week of school before winter break. I'll be trying to insert information into the heads of children who's brains have turned to cotton fluff in anticipation of Christmas! There are presents to be purchased and sent to Oregon. Plans must be finalized for the Las Vegas trip--what to wear, boarding the dog, printing the airline tickets, etc. Ah well, I won't worry about it now.

Here's a picture for a thought I am sharing

My charcoal drawing. I copied this off of a photograph from an old calendar. Sadly, I don't recall the photographer's name.

Prompts courtesy of : http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/