Hurry! Hurry!

Well, the season has hit us! Let me say that as a mother, the pressure is on during this time of year. It should be a little more bearable with Grandma here to help with cooking.

I think that it is very hard to be focused on what Christmas is all about if you are caught up in all the celebrations that are inevitable. I love it all; the hustle and the bustle, but as the years pass and my energy fades, it makes it a little harder.

I remember when the children were small. We enjoyed going to Papa and Grandma's house and singing "Over The River And Through The Woods" as we came down Highway H into the big town of Leasburg. We would be so excited about relaxing and enjoying the good food. We would usually spend the afternoon in front of the TV with all the old Christmas movies.

I remember one Thanksgiving, before the children were born, when we came to Leasburg from Little Rock and on Thanksgiving Day it began to snow. It was just beautiful.

From my childhood, I remember the Thanksgiving Fellowship meeting in Fort Worth. I loved going to that and eating Thanksgiving dinner with Grandma Bowden's cooking. I loved her mashed potatoes and giblet gravy and chicken and dressing. Grandma had a big round dining room table and we enjoyed many meals there.

I remember a Christmas that we spent with Grandaddy Jim and Big Mamma. It was soooooooooooo cold in that old house. We kids would all sleep in the back bedroom with Big Mamma. There were two double beds in there with so much cover that you would get lost in it. There was no running water and no bathroom but I remember how the Christmas tree sparkled and the fruit and nuts and Christmas candy looked so exciting. I remember one of my uncles going outside our bedroom window and pretending to be Santa Clause with a big "Ho! Ho! Ho!" I remember playing Monoply until late at night with my twin uncles who were only months older than I.

I remember the many Christmas plays, programs and cantatas we have been involved in. Mike and I directed a Christmas play with the teens for the first two years after we were married. The first one was fun but the second one made me decide to never do that again! Ohhhh the memories!!!

Many Thanksgivings and Christmases have come and gone and now it is up to me to be in charge of keeping the tradition. I realize it is a lot of work and a job that I feel a bit inadequate to do.

I hope that our family keeps in mind that we have MUCH to be thankful for because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. We have a family that has been blessed! It is not a perfect family but we are blessed because of the faithfulness of our parents and grandparents.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!! (I may not be back on here again until after Christmas!