A Little Sermon

Today is Holy Family Sunday.  As much as I love Christmas mass and hearing the story of the Nativity every year I always find myself touched by the readings on the Sunday after Christmas.  Maybe it is because Christmas is a time we spend together as a family and I am usually basking in the afterglow of that family time.  Maybe it is because as we near the end of the year and look forward to a fresh start in the New Year this particular Sunday is a good time to reflect and put things into their proper perspective.  Maybe it's because I am exhausted and emotional after the holidays and the readings catch me in a vulnerable state.  Or.... maybe it is because I love my family and look at it as my life's greatest treasure.  Hearing words of wisdom on how to live as a holy family is the perfect way to end the year.

This is the reading that struck a chord today and the lector who read it brought it to life for me.

COL 3:12-17

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another, 
if one has a grievance against another; 
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love, 
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, 
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, 
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, 
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs 
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, 
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

We just spent a week with our grandsons, daughter and son-in-law.  Watching a young family in action!  I forget how much work goes into raising good kids.  It is a full time job!  Diligence cannot be underrated.  Parenting is one of life's most important jobs, in my humble opinion.  That being said, if your family has no children, it is still important to treat each other with kindness, gentleness, patience and forgiveness.  There is still much to be thankful for and there is still love.

If you have made it to the end of this "sermon",  God bless you and your family now and in the New Year!  Thanks for reading.

Naked Cheese

Are you a Pinterest enthusiast?  If so, you need to stop reading right now!  You have more important things to be doing instead of reading my blog.   You have halls to be decking, an elf to put on a shelf somewhere, food to be making that is not only delicious and nutritious but in the shape of a reindeer or a sleigh, gifts to wrap that look better than what is inside the box and holiday cards to print and sprinkle with glitter!  So many Pinterest ideas and so little time!  Meanwhile, people like me have time to play golf in December instead of making my ham into the shape of a Christmas ornament.  Call me Scrooge....but I might just put Martha Stewart into tears with my lack of craftiness.

Let me prove my point.
The other night I was going out to a winery with a few friends and since we were allowed to bring food to the winery, I volunteered to bring a cheese plate.  I was very proud of my 4 cheeses displayed on my pottery platter.  Proud, until I showed up at my friend, Ski Buddy's,  house.  She had also decided to bring cheese...in the shape of a very cute snowman!  My cheeses suddenly slumped into depression at their unfestiveness.

Cheese plate vs. Pinterest Cheese Ball Snowman
The win goes to Mr. Cheese Ball Snowman.

I must admit the cheese ball snowman was delicious as well as very cute.  Though uncreative, my cheeses were delicious.  I think they had a complex all night long though, they felt so naked next to Mr. Cheese Ball Snowman.  I would also like to point out that there are more decorations in this one picture than there are in my entire house.  Not really, but close!

Christmas is one of those times when my minimal efforts become glaringly apparent.  I'm just not a Pinterest person.  I find it is not good for my self esteem.  All of these people have time and energy to do all this stuff and post it on Pinterest, this makes me feel like such an underachiever. Seriously... who has time for all this stuff?  No one is ever going to be able to try everything on Pinterest.  We can't decorate our homes using all of the beautiful ideas or cook all of the yummy foods or try all of the unique and life changing ideas, there just aren't enough hours in the day, especially if you play golf!  Maybe my "all or nothing" mentality is the problem.  If I can't do it all, I just won't do anything.  I'll admit, I have used a few Pinterest ideas.  Mostly, I just look at it for about 3 minutes and get hives and click back to my Facebook page or SportsCenter.

Exhibit 2

My nativity scene:

 I've got Mary, Joseph, a shepard, some animals, the Wise men 
and I even threw in some angels and a distant church.

Ski Buddy's nativity scene.
It looks like they are in Bethlehem instead of on a shelf!  There are rocks, and sand and moss!  
So much more creative.

Of course there is also my daughter's nativity...
arranged by my grandson!
Boys - animals - girls.
Maybe she should post this on Pinterest!

If you need me this week, I'll be playing golf while my nativity set wanders around the shelf wondering where their rocks and moss are and my cheese looks for it's fluffy parmesan cheese coat.

My New Addiction

I have a confession...I have a new addiction.  It is a hokey, silly, slightly embarrassing addiction.  After my bah humbug Thanksgiving post I am probably the last person you expected to get hung up on sappy Hallmark Channel movies.  I am blaming it all on lousy weather and being home alone for a week.  I was in hibernation mode a couple of weeks ago.  Every night I seemed to end up on the Hallmark channel watching the movie of the night.  Before I knew it a couple of hours had passed and another very attractive couple had overcome an obstacle or misunderstanding and was living happily ever after under my watch.

 The constant stream of Hallmark Christmas movies is my "go to" choice when I just can't find anything worth watching on the tube.  Yes, I could probably just turn it off and read, clean the house, write my Christmas letter or even just go to bed but I get hooked so easily!  They are so predictable and yet adorable! Especially after the 3rd or 4th one you watch....it was cold and gray outside give me a break.  Obviously I have very low standards in my viewing choices and am a hopeless romantic.  Plus, I've already seen every episode of House Hunters.  I'm such a sucker for a boy-meets-girl-inevitably-there-are-complications-they-work-through-the-complications-and-live-happily-ever after movie.  There are no vampires, no explosions, no shooting, no inappropriate subject matter, only formula happily every after movies, rated G.  Yes, come to think of it I am a thirteen year old girl underneath it all.

Living Happily Ever After,
Lisa