DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, 2017

Christmas Revisits

Christmas always takes us down memory lane.  This little corner in our living room retells our stories. The beautiful Philippines mahogany nativity set is from a 2009 trip to my birth country where Don met four of my closest friends from long ago.  Two of them have gone to be with the Lord since.  The blue Seltzer water bottle filled with mini lights was from a dinner in a Berlin restaurant.  When I asked the waitress if I could take it home to California, she told me I could even take her home with me.  The sprig of a plant is from a mother plant purchased sometime in the last 7 years from an Amish restaurant in Sonora that made the best biscuit and gravy.  Our dear friend Virginia Taylor always treated us to this during our visits.  That happy birthday painting is a gift to me from our little friend Micah James. He calls Don and me “Bobby” for reasons known only to his almost 3-year old understanding. These and many other memories of experiences and friends are indelibly written in our hearts.  Christmas time is perfect for revisits such as this.

Jesus' Birth, the Bright Light

Like a little girl, I was so pleased to get the ornaments and Christmas things out of the closet.   We definitely needed to get reminded of pleasant, happy days and the rituals that once more will tell the story of Jesus’ birth, a bright light taking us out of our seemingly confusing situations at times. 

Morton Salt says “When it rains, it pours. . .”

When it rains, it pours . . .

In late 2016 we committed ourselves to the ministry of Open Door Libraries in Budapest, Hungary.  However, God led us on a pivot and made us stay home instead. February 2017 brought us Frida Mae Major, grandchild #6, a lovely addition to Matthew & Helen’s brood. In June, we had to rush my sister Lu (who lives with us) to the hospital where she stayed for a week.  She was later moved to a rehab facility for a few days. Next was the diagnosis of Barry’s (Don’s brother) cancer.  Off we went to Colorado to be with him during his first hospital stay and treatments.  We came home to our very sick cat, Hank. Visits to the SPCA hospital for tests and treatments didn’t do much. He was called home to cat heaven.  Lu had another hospital stay shortly after we lost Hank.  She had pneumonia and a slight case of renal failure.  Afterwards, more therapy and home health nursing. A short time later, we made another trip to Colorado for Barry’s surgery to have a brace inserted in his neck.  To show us God’s sense of humor, during one of our most stressful days, a mouse showed up sitting smugly on our bed one morning, which has never happened to us in our 30 years in this home!  The rains poured and poured, but God’s grace kept us.

R. Mateo with 2 Grandmas

In between all hospital stays, therapy sessions, and medical appointments, we had wonderful visits from family and friends - Paul from NY, my cousin Mila and her daughter Monina from LA, my sister Ruth and cousin Celia from NY and NJ and Alex & Evelyn from Berlin. There was also our trip to Phoenix for R. Mateo’s kindergarten Grandparents’ Recognition day and the thanksgiving holiday.  Can’t believe Roc is now 16 and a year away from college.  Shekinah is a great deal taller than this grandma.

We trust that you had a blessed Christmas.  We do not know what 2018 holds, but our prayer is that it will be filled with all that God desires for you.  Happy New Year!