Monday Musings-Thank You

The column below is one I'll probably pull out periodically, or rewrite, maybe. We so seldom give thanks to those who make our lives better. Beginning with those closest to us, family, friends. Too often familiarity breeds a lack of thoughtfulness. We know, at least us fortunate ones, they'll always have our back. It might not always be in the way we want. Sometimes hard truths must be shared. To support someone indiscrimiately, whether what they do is in their own best interest, let alone anyone else's good, is rightly called enabling. And sometimes it's hard to resist when we love someone. That's probably material for another time.

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   Two little words. But they pack a punch. I regret that I am often remiss in speaking them in a timely manner. I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions, but I am resolved to do better in this area.
   Many years ago in high school, three of my classes were general business, typing, and bookkeeping, taught by the same teacher, Miss Gwen Gatewood. As an adult, in work and home life (balancing checkbook, price comparisons), I realized that those three classes had been priceless. I wrote Miss Gatewood to thank her. She replied thanking me. I only saw her a few times after high school, a couple of class reunions and my mother’s funeral, but I will always remember her. Without guilt, because I thanked her. 
   I had to drive  to Johnson City several times daily some years ago. Each Christmas a business along the highway which made and sold custom plastic awnings displayed an enclosure made of translucent awning fabric lit from within. Printed on the fabric was a manger scene in silhouette and the words, God with us. Each time I drove past the business, the sight cheered me even though I was working long hours with few days off and having trouble finding the ‘Merry’ in Christmas. I wanted to thank the owner and mailed a Christmas card to the business.
   Thanking God for life and health goes without saying, and often does, unfortunately. On a human level we all owe thanks to major groups of people for their contributions to a mostly peaceful, safe and comfortable existence in this United States. Our volunteer military forces are not compensated enough nor thanked enough. Nor our civilian police forces who also stand ready to put lives on the line to protect us. We may gripe about a speeding ticket but is anarchy preferable? That’s what we would have without that ‘thin blue line’ to enforce civil laws. 
   Other civilian groups we don’t thank enough are our utility workers - electric, water, both essentials to modern life. When nature runs amok, winter and summer, most are urged to stay home, but these men and women are called out to restore electricity and keep the water running.
So hats off to our many unsung heroes, you are appreciated, though we don’t say it enough.

   Winter is coming on and with it possible times of weather emergencies, after several periods of such this past summer, with summer storms and hurricanes. So it probably behooves us to thank those who stand ready to help all year round.

Christmas Blessings

Looking back over this year I seem to have lived in a kind of fog for most of it, doing whatever was necessary in fits and starts. A little lonely, in spite of having people around most of the time. How do you learn to be a single again after more than fifty years? Like most things, put one foot in front of the other, then do it again.

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love the carols which remind us of the reason for the season, decorating the tree. Cleaning and straightening the house, not so much! The last three Christmas seasons were hard with my husband bedridden from a stroke and in a nursing home under hospice care the last one.

But those three years brought blessings, too. A special joy was great grandson Tyler, whose smiling little face and burbling laugh brighten the darkest day. I pray that as he grows up, Tyler will look to the Jesus whose birth we celebrate for guidance. And that we, his parents, grandparents and great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins will be examples of those who also look for that guidance in our lives.

Much as we love Christmas, Jesus did not suffer arrested development and remain a babe in Bethlehem. He grew up and accepted the suffering, death and separation from God that His human body would have to endure to save those who believe in Him from eternal death. And because the Holy Spirit raised Him from that death, we can now celebrate His birth and His life and the life we ourselves live and will live after our last breath on earth. My Christmas may be a little more subdued this year, but celebrate I shall. Because I believe our loved ones in Heaven celebrate with us when we remember the
Reason for the Season, Jesus!

After Christmas

Link the kitty liked it but putting away the decorations is not as enjoyable as getting them out. And even that has lost some of its charm for me as I get older!