Blah-bug

The New Year is always a time of new invigorating ideas, thoughts, and of course, resolutions. My 2008 is starting with a new book contract with New Hope Publishers. I am excited to experience and write this book on the Names of God. I anticipate a deeper relationship developing with my Jesus as I delve into His character and divine attributes.

Oh, but today is only December 31st. The blah-bug strikes. Today is a day for reconciling checking accounts, tax payments, and cleaning off the top of my desk. As I type, I have piles of paperwork that needs to be completed, before I can begin enjoying the New Year. Yup, I have the blah-bug.

I hope it’s not contagious, as my husband’s desk looks just like mine. Let’ me know if the blah-bug strikes you.

See you next year!

Christmas Haze

I spent Christmas in Nebraska with my daughter-in-love's family. It was a white Christmas entwined with green pine needles and bright blue sky.

If only, I could have enjoyed it to the fullest. I came down with the coughing, hacking, runny nose, sore throat crud that seems to be sweeping the nation. All I wanted to do was sleep for 24-7. My Christmas pasted in sort of cold-flu haze.

My husband, Mark, was trying his best to make me comfortable, but then he slipped and sprained his ankle. We both ended up at the doctor's office. Memories!

Still Christmas is Christmas! Thankful for our faith, family and friends we enjoyed a Merry Nebraska Christmas. We celebrated the birth of our Savior with a toast of cough syrup and Tylenol.

Jammie Days

Today and tomorrow I have declared as "jammie days" for myself. I am not going shopping, cooking or wrapping presents. I will stay in my pj's and read in front of the fireplace. It's my Christmas present to myself.

For most people, Christmas is exhausting. I have a friend who went to 14 parties in 14 days. YIKES! Now I enjoy people, but I prefer to have lunch or coffee with a close friend, rather than mingling with a mass of people who all wish they were home in their jammies drinking their apple cider, instead of dressed in their holiday best attempting to make small talk.

Traditions--I gave up sending out Christmas cards years ago. One day as I was addressing the gazillion envelopes I realized I really hated the chore. I picked up the whole stack and threw them away. It was the end of a "tradition". Speaking of discontinuing traditions, I read a great article by Tony Woodlief in Today's Wall Street Journal. Here's the link: my essay in The Wall Street Journal today. Read and think about your own holiday traditions. For myself, my new tradition will be lounging around in my pajamas for a least one day during the holidays.

I wish you cuddly jammies and sweet apple cider days.

Susanne

Christmas Clutter

I love Christmas, however, I dislike the Christmas clutter. The wrapping paper, bows, and miscellaneous stuff that clutters up my home.

Tonight, my husband and I boxed and bagged gift after gift. Whew! Now we have gifts stacked in little piles from one end of the house to the other. A new kind of clutter that is neatly and prettily wrapped.

But the joy of family and friends during this festive time, outweighs the Christmas clutter and the holiday hassles. So, tomorrow as I stir up some fudge, mix a batch of caramel corn and simmer some apple cider, I'll be thankful for the privilege of Christmas clutter. And as Charles Dickens, wrote in the Christmas Carol, "And God bless us everyone!"

Susanne

A Blogger's Favorites

As a new blogger, I would like to share some of my personal favorites blogs. Of course, all my Proverbs 31 Ministries blog friends are the best of the best. But in addition, I would like to share the following blogs that I find fascinating, touching, and inspiring.

http://rebelpilgrim.blogspot.com

http://christianlovestories.blogspot.com

http://www.tonywoodlief.com

Enjoy! And let me know what you think of these blogs!

Run into the arms of Jesus,Susanne

Time Flies

My how times flies by. It's been almost a month since I wrote. I think my life has calmed down enough that I can write be faithful in my posts.

Here's what has happened since November. A dear friend of mine lost a son in a violent murder. Her eighteen year old son, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. My friend belongs to the same small group as I do and we have grieved with her as if it were our own child. Sadly, this same friend lost another son to cancer a little over two years ago. My heartaches for her.

On a happier note, I flew my son and daughter-in-love with their two baby girls into Salt Lake City to visit my mom. My mother has MS and had not seen her two great-grandchildren, yet. We surprised her. (Almost gave her a heart attack!) It was a wonderful four days, until I was to take my son and his family to the Salt Lake City airport. The airport was closed, because of a blizzard.

We debated what to do and then decided to head for my home in Las Vegas. So to make a long story short, we arrived eight hours later. They stayed here for three more days. So, I had all my grandchildren here, Emily, Brianna and Michael. What a joy! Tiring, but fun, fun, and more fun.

Until next time,

Susanne