I brought Bailey to PetMart yesterday to get his nails trimmed. He was starting to look Howard-Hughes-ish and needed those nails clipped. As usual, I bribed him with cheese to get him into the car. When we took a turn at the intersection, he realized we were not on the way to his friend Georgie’s … More Bailey’s Christmas Miracle
I rarely go to Craigslist, but yesterday an ad caught my eye. “Free Toys Wanted.” The latent Santa in me was aroused, and I answered back that I had a few things I could donate. My son is grown up, so I was sure he would not miss a few random stuffed animals and board … More My Christmas Lesson
I have taken some time to look back on my life, knowing there are some things that could not have been done any differently. I worked with the knowledge and tools I had at the time. But there are a few things I wished I had done differently: Christmas, 1990-something. We were snowed in at … More Regrets: I’ve had a few
We don’t celebrate Boxing Day here in the US but supposedly in the United Kingdom, the upper class would “box up” their old belongings and give them to the poor. I suppose I could look it up on Wikipedia and then look it up on Scopes to see if any of that is true. Or … More Happy Boxing Day
Being alone during Christmastime is excruciating. I know– I’ve been there. Television shows and commercials bombarded the airwaves with actors whose shiny smiles drove stakes into my heart to remind me that was alone. Very alone. I tried going out in public just to be among other humans– but it made it worse. Every store, … More …And sometimes it’s NOT Merry
“Dad, why are you throwing a party for him?” Dan asked. “I’m the one that’s always here for you. I’m the one who does what you ask. I deserve to make merry with my friends. Why did you kill the fatted calf for him?” “I just came in from working in your fields,” Dan continued, … More Sibling Rivalry at the Merry Party
As we ask each other “Where did the year go?” — remember, it’s not quite over yet. MISSING: One pair of winter boots. Last seen during August clean-up when they did not seem very important. Where oh where can they be? (Probably with the gloves and ice scraper that didn’t seem very useful when it … More If I make it through December, I’ll be fine?
Wise Men from the East Matthew Chapter 2 2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and … More Wise Men (and women)
Frank Costanza (of Seinfeld fame) was onto something with his celebration of Festivus. I may be the only Christian who hates this time of year. Besides the endless commercialism outside the church, inside the church are endless debates over whether Jesus was actually born on December 25, or if He was born during September during … More I’m ready for my Feats of Strength
Mom is working on her blog about the Federal Reserve. She has been mumbling under her breath a lot. She is fact-checking and looking for pictures. And mumbling under her breath. A lot. What is the Creature from Jekyll Island, Mom? I never heard of that. It sounds scary! Don’t worry Mom! I’ll protect you! … More Mom will be Unplugged Today, so I am filling in — Love Bailey
My husband is running around the house singing the Tom Petty song. We have packed most of our belongings into cardboard boxes, and dumped them into the garage. Our furniture is divided between the garage and the living room. Right now, as I am typing this, we have a guy downstairs who is “sanding sandlessly” … More Living like a refugee in suburbia
Daily Prompt: What was your favorite book as a child? Did it influence the person you are now? The book that brings back the best memories for me is Twas the Night Before Christmas. My father read this book to us with his own twist. For example: When out on the lawn there arose such a … More ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas….
Time itself is a strange concept. When we are enjoying ourselves, time seems to move quickly. When we are uncomforable, time seems to move slowly. When we are kids, time seems to pass slowly. Each day is so long; Christmas and Summer Vacation are always light years away. As adults, sometimes we stop and realize … More The Dimension of Time
As I’ve mentioned before, I am *not* a morning person. I’m a night person. So coffee first thing in the morning is very important to me. I believe this is hereditary; I’ve been told my Paternal Grandmother used to walk into the Diner and tell the waitress, “Coffee NOW!” My husband bought me this set … More Why I love my coffee cup
..why not decide to change someone else’s life? Give a gift of compassion! Gospel for Asia‘s Gift Catalog is now online. Instead of buying more electronic gadgets, or other items to keep up (or surpass) the proverbial Joneses, think about sending a gift to a person in Asia who will deeply appreciate it. [You can … More Before you decide what you want for Christmas…
The bright light clicked on, interupting the soft glow of the morning. The crumpling of wrapping paper filled the room. “SMILE!” he commanded. The children faked their best smiles. “Do what you’re told,” had been embedded into their psyches. “Oh, this is not the one I wanted,” Marge sighed, and then just as suddenly, held … More Christmas Lights
SueAnn Porter 