Shiny Tennis Balls Hanging from the Tree

     Twinkling lights glitter the landscape and Christmas music started playing on the radio two weeks ago.Yep, it's that time and I love it!
     Walmart decorated way before Black Friday, which has nothing to do with the fact that for the first time in my life I was one of those people who waited in line for the equivalent of a day for a crazy deal. But before you judge, let me explain. 

     Our family room TV came to us when one of Westley's friends salvaged it from the curbside.  It has duct tape covering a couple of the buttons so they don't shock you. It was a step up at the time. It still works, but when we had the opportunity to get a nice, much larger TV for such a great price we decided to go for it.  Westley, Dexter and I and our friends Joe, and Taylor arrived at the store shortly after Thanksgiving dinner (now you can judge me).  We were the first in line and there was hardly anyone in the store.  One of the managers told me I couldn't sit on the low shelf. We waited there for seven hours and fifteen minutes until midnight.  We witnessed pandemonium, saw a lot of weird people, stopped caring about the germs on the floor, and used it as a dinner table at one point.  We discovered that you can fit three 40 inch TVs in an Impala with five people. I won't do that every year but it was worth it, that TV is beautiful.
     

Frank

     Frank came home for a visit today and as usual, was asked to drop his slobbery tennis ball outside the door.  He saw the tree in the other room before I could catch up with him. I heard a 'tink' and ran in to find a gold ornament on the floor.  Frank would like to know why there are shiny tennis balls all over the tree...inside the house.  He would also like to know why they don't bounce like tennis balls, such a buzz kill, he says.
     Those are a couple of the lighter holiday happenings that help me smile amidst the heartbreak of loved ones who are hurting, and friends who are deceived and broken.  I'm not telling those stories here, I'm praying over those ones, and doing whatever I can in my small way to help.
     I try to see all this, with my feeble mind, in a way that I think God might see it. 
      ...and I got nothin.
      What I do know is that I can trust Him, and that He gives me joy along the winding way.
     I better go check on Frank now.


   

One day last week:

I was having one of those days.  The kind that I felt like a bumbling fool...couldn't seem to do anything right.  Do you ever have days like that?  I left stupid long voice mail messages with no option to re-record. I called someone by the wrong name, someone I knew well.  Wanted to kick myself.  I couldn't figure out a document set up/printing  issue and wasted way too much time on it. The sticky part of the bottom of my shoe was grabbing onto the floor and tripping me.  I know it's for traction, but seriously.

Then it started raining pretty hard outside, and the dog started following me around, walking all over my files that I had organized next to my desk on the floor.

The increasing thunder and wind was concerning her.  She needed some comfort, could I blame her?

I got a cup of hot tea, hunkered down at my desk to work some more and I let Zoey curl up at my feet, after I took those shoes off.

I thought of how God does this for me any old time.  He is always there, patiently at work, and He doesn't seem to care that I'm messing up His area.  He sits with me until I can get up and go again.  Then He goes with me.

This Thanksgiving week as I think on what I am thankful for,  I am genuinely grateful for that. 

I am also thankful that the headlight Dexter fender-bendered off my car only took $25 and a small dent to...fix.  Beautiful!

I am thankful for my hot and funny husband, for my amazing, wonderful sons, and so much more.

Happy Thanksgiving! Truly.

Happy Birthday Thunks

"Ma'am, do you have a Golden Buckeye card you would like to use?"

My 40-year-old face at the time was immediately horrified.  First of all, I can't be old enough to be referred to as Ma'am.  And clearly, I had done something to offend this 60-year-old who looked 70 and thought I was 55. But I'm over it.

Getting one year closer to that Buckeye card this past week gave me pause for reflection, among other things....

The day before my birthday I was about to head out the door to an early work meeting.  Dave had just gotten in his truck to get to work himself when I heard a really loud THUNK, of the metal-to-metal kind in the vicinity of the driveway.  I ran to the window and peered out into the darkness trying to see what had happened.  That's when I heard Dave's visceral yell of frustration, sort of like a long growl with one vowel sound and a resounding r. "I think Dad needs help!" I yelled up to the boys.

Upset with himself he came storming into the house, "I backed into the van!"

Turns out Dexter had no where else to park the night before, except the side of the driveway.  The damages?  The truck needs a couple hundred dollars worth of repair (a discounted cost from yet another kind person).  The van just looks worse than it did before.  I used to notice the scratches and dents here and there on the ugly green machine.  Now, I notice the undamaged little patches here and there, so beautiful when the sun reflects off the metallic paint.  More importantly I focus more on the fact that the wheels still turn, and it's paid for.  But let me emphasize the word focus.  I have to focus on these areas.

I guess it's something like turning 47.  I'm learning more and more to focus on the good stuff. I thank God that He puts good stuff all over the place.  This time of year there's anything from pumpkins to peace.  Of course peace is the best, but even the rotting pumpkins with 99-year-old faces make me thankful. First, that my face doesn't look 99 quite yet, and that soon there will be cheery Christmas lights to replace the harvest wares.

It's all good, aging has its beautiful pay offs.  So go ahead, you can call me Ma'am (but don't ask me for my Buckeye card just yet).