The holidays are upon us! Yea! Sometimes this can be the greatest time of the year to spend with family, or it can be one of the most challenging times for family. Whichever it is, it can always be a time for new beginnings. I like new beginnings. They mean we can start over, fresh, anew. We can put all the baggage on a bon fire and burn it all up. This is the reason for the season—Jesus came to forgive sinners, of which I am chief. That’s right He burned up all my baggage.

Kind of makes it easier to forgive Uncle Bilbo when I think of what Jesus had to do to forgive me.

Powder will last for 4 liters of soda. Add more powder for flavor desire.

Richard is a pro at moving. He has moved 45 time in his life. Me I have only moved about eight, maybe ten times. However, the day came when we were moving to Fort Worth where Richard was starting seminary. We were making that famous move into seminary housing. Tara was about twelve, and my uncle Tommy and my dad were helping us move into the townhouse. Most of the boxes were already in the house and the only thing left to move in was the washer and dryer. It was at that moment that uncle Tommy realized he had forgot the “dolly.”

“Robert” (my dad), uncle Tommy said, do you have the dolly?”

“I thought you had it?” my dad responded.

It was at that moment the world came together for us as Tara comes running down the stairs, holding something in her arms.She stopped in front of uncle Tommy with the biggest, "I'm helping smil."

“Uncle Tommy,” Tara said holding out a doll from her toys, “You can use one of my dollies.

The other day, Cecilia was playing in the den as I was getting plates out of the cabinet for lunch (we were having the famous Mac & Cheese lunch). I had just taken down one of the small plastic plate when another small plastic plate fell from the cabinet and landed right on my big toe. As you guess, I was not wearing shoes. Boy, did it hurt; and as I did the, “I’m not going to cry,” dance, Cecilia comes running into the kitchen to see if I am OK.

"Mommy, are you OK," she said patting me on the leg.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I assured her as I continued to dance around the kitchen.

And with only the wisdom of a child she then reached up and patted me on the arm while saying, “It's OK Mom. At least it was not a glass plate, then you would have to clean up a big mess.”

Reality, its what you make of it.

Richard has been talking so much about procrastinating this week that he has made me look at myself and ask the ugly question, "Am I a procrastinator?"

I don’t know if I am a procrastinator, I just get so busy. I put things off and I will try to get around to them later (or at the last minute). But a procrastinator? . . . naaaa! Not me. I always have a quiet time, it maybe late and after everything is done . . . wait a minute, maybe I am procrastinating my spiritual life and giving God the left overs.

Isn’t that also procrastinating?

In our world friendships come and friendships go. Sometimes friendships become distanted because of moves, but sometimes because of incidents. I know people move away, and probably the next time we will see them will be on the other side of glory. Those are the friendships that last forever.

However, sometimes a friendship will become distanted because of something that is done or said. People change. There’s no way that we can stop that. Yet, There is one thing that we can do. We can remember to strive for friendship. Paul said, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

Some friendships we have to work at, some come easy, either way, our part is to make friends and live in peace

I checked this book out from our public library while I was waiting on Cecilia to pick a book or ten. I did not realize it would impact me so much (I really chose it because of the title).