I saw Jesus at Walmart / Gift Wrapping
---
No, I haven't fallen off of the planet or vanished into the Ether. I've tried to keep up with the Holiday Season! Only so much time in a day, and only so many spoons in my energy reserve!
Every year since I was "grown" I've spent the day after Thanksgiving taking down fall decorations and replacing it with Christmas! It would take ALL DAY for me to get it done, but I'd put on Christmas music and have a blast!
At our current home, I have blue lights and "odds and ends" on top of the kitchen cabinets year round -- things like a couple of ceramic figures my mom gave me, a picnic basket that belonged to my grandparents, an old bread bowl and rolling pin. But at Christmas, all that comes down and I put up greenery, more lights, and some holiday plates and dishes.
I usually put up two trees -- one really tall one in the den, and a smaller one in the upstairs bedroom, in front of the window. Other holiday items are scattered here and there throughout the house.
This year, I didn't have the energy or strength to do it all. Now I KNOW if I asked David, he would have done every bit that I couldn't do. But quite honestly, I just didn't quite want to put all that stuff out. Just wasn't "feeling it..." I guess I have the Christmas "blues." I'm pretty much just ready for 2018 to be over and done with.
So I sorted through, picked out a few pieces that I liked: some angels,
a couple of manger scenes, our "Sponge Bob" Santa.
We opted not to do the kitchen cabinet stuff. Got the big tree up and decorated. It was enough, and I had enough "spoons" left to make the fruit cakes.
Decorating, sending out cards, getting gifts, wrapping gifts, baking, cooking -- I was plodding through as best I could, with my limited energy reserves, but like I said, I just "wasn't feeling it."
And in the midst of it all, our beloved cat Mia died unexpectedly. So there was that, with accompanying tears and blues. She'd been with us for 8 of her 12 years and was the sweetest, gentlest kitty ever. (Read David's blog tribute about her here-- tissue alert.)
Most of my shopping this year has been done online. In fact, our upstairs room looks sort of like a UPS truck crashed through the wall!
Slowly, the mess is being sorted out, inventoried, wrapped, and set under the tree. (But we have enough boxes to move a small town, I think!)
Yet, I still have to venture out once in a while to WalMart. Oh dear. (Cue up "Theme from Jaws" music....)
Today was one of those days. I went mid-morning, mid-week, thinking it might not be too crowded. HAH. It was a total ZOO. I couldn't find some things, I felt frazzled, agitated, irritated, and tired. I finally gave up looking for a couple of items on my list, and got in the checkout line. Feeling anxious and just wanting to be DONE, I leaned on my shopping cart.
In front of me was an African-American gentleman at least my age. In front of him were two other younger women. At the checkout was an elderly white woman who was struggling to put her bags into her cart. The man in front of me turned around and ask if I would hold his spot a moment. I nodded, sure I would.
He stepped around the checkouts, went to the front of our line, and began helping the elderly woman put the bags in the cart. He told her if she'd wait until he checked out, he would walk with her and put her purchases in her car.
Then he came back around to the spot I had saved for him.
I told him, "You, sir, are a true gentleman. Your mama raised you right!"
To which he replied, "Yes my mama AND DADDY taught me to love everyone, respect everyone, and be a help wherever you can."
I felt a tingle down my spine. I just saw Jesus, at work, in the Walmart. He was showing love and respect, and helping someone in need.
As I left Walmart, I felt lighter. The lights twinkled a bit merrier, the songs felt cheerier, and the world felt a little more like Christmas again.
No, I haven't fallen off of the planet or vanished into the Ether. I've tried to keep up with the Holiday Season! Only so much time in a day, and only so many spoons in my energy reserve!
At our current home, I have blue lights and "odds and ends" on top of the kitchen cabinets year round -- things like a couple of ceramic figures my mom gave me, a picnic basket that belonged to my grandparents, an old bread bowl and rolling pin. But at Christmas, all that comes down and I put up greenery, more lights, and some holiday plates and dishes.
I usually put up two trees -- one really tall one in the den, and a smaller one in the upstairs bedroom, in front of the window. Other holiday items are scattered here and there throughout the house.
This year, I didn't have the energy or strength to do it all. Now I KNOW if I asked David, he would have done every bit that I couldn't do. But quite honestly, I just didn't quite want to put all that stuff out. Just wasn't "feeling it..." I guess I have the Christmas "blues." I'm pretty much just ready for 2018 to be over and done with.
So I sorted through, picked out a few pieces that I liked: some angels,
Decorating, sending out cards, getting gifts, wrapping gifts, baking, cooking -- I was plodding through as best I could, with my limited energy reserves, but like I said, I just "wasn't feeling it."
And in the midst of it all, our beloved cat Mia died unexpectedly. So there was that, with accompanying tears and blues. She'd been with us for 8 of her 12 years and was the sweetest, gentlest kitty ever. (Read David's blog tribute about her here-- tissue alert.)
Most of my shopping this year has been done online. In fact, our upstairs room looks sort of like a UPS truck crashed through the wall!
Slowly, the mess is being sorted out, inventoried, wrapped, and set under the tree. (But we have enough boxes to move a small town, I think!)
Yet, I still have to venture out once in a while to WalMart. Oh dear. (Cue up "Theme from Jaws" music....)
Today was one of those days. I went mid-morning, mid-week, thinking it might not be too crowded. HAH. It was a total ZOO. I couldn't find some things, I felt frazzled, agitated, irritated, and tired. I finally gave up looking for a couple of items on my list, and got in the checkout line. Feeling anxious and just wanting to be DONE, I leaned on my shopping cart.
In front of me was an African-American gentleman at least my age. In front of him were two other younger women. At the checkout was an elderly white woman who was struggling to put her bags into her cart. The man in front of me turned around and ask if I would hold his spot a moment. I nodded, sure I would.
He stepped around the checkouts, went to the front of our line, and began helping the elderly woman put the bags in the cart. He told her if she'd wait until he checked out, he would walk with her and put her purchases in her car.
Then he came back around to the spot I had saved for him.
I told him, "You, sir, are a true gentleman. Your mama raised you right!"
To which he replied, "Yes my mama AND DADDY taught me to love everyone, respect everyone, and be a help wherever you can."
I felt a tingle down my spine. I just saw Jesus, at work, in the Walmart. He was showing love and respect, and helping someone in need.
As I left Walmart, I felt lighter. The lights twinkled a bit merrier, the songs felt cheerier, and the world felt a little more like Christmas again.
*** *** *** *** ***
Untethered Time Travel: GIFT WRAPPING
It is a couple of weeks before Christmas, every year between
about 1964 and 1974.
I am 8 - 18 years old.
My sister and I shared a bedroom. At some point in time during the Holidays, my dad would tiptoe into our room bringing a large box -- usually from Audrey's Dress Shop in Marshville.
He would also bring in wrapping paper, scissors, tape, and ribbons.
He'd whisper to us that he needed for us to wrap mama's present from him.
We needed to be very quiet, so she would be surprised to see the gift
under the tree!
So Becky and I would go to work, wrapping Mama's gift for Daddy. We'd carefully tape the colorful paper around the box, wind and tie the ribbon. Then one of us would pull the edge of the scissors up the ribbon and make a neat ringlet curl!
We'd carefully letter the gift tag:
"TO MAMA -- FROM DADDY"
Then we'd slip it under the tree -- smiling at each other
that we'd been "Santa's Helpers" another year.
This is one of my favorite Christmas "Time Travels" because it is a reminder of the love shared between my mom and dad.
My sister and I are very blessed to have grown up with them as our parents.
It is a couple of weeks before Christmas, every year between
about 1964 and 1974.
I am 8 - 18 years old.
My sister and I shared a bedroom. At some point in time during the Holidays, my dad would tiptoe into our room bringing a large box -- usually from Audrey's Dress Shop in Marshville.
He would also bring in wrapping paper, scissors, tape, and ribbons.
He'd whisper to us that he needed for us to wrap mama's present from him.
We needed to be very quiet, so she would be surprised to see the gift
under the tree!
So Becky and I would go to work, wrapping Mama's gift for Daddy. We'd carefully tape the colorful paper around the box, wind and tie the ribbon. Then one of us would pull the edge of the scissors up the ribbon and make a neat ringlet curl!
We'd carefully letter the gift tag:
"TO MAMA -- FROM DADDY"
Then we'd slip it under the tree -- smiling at each other
that we'd been "Santa's Helpers" another year.
This is one of my favorite Christmas "Time Travels" because it is a reminder of the love shared between my mom and dad.
My sister and I are very blessed to have grown up with them as our parents.
Comments