Stream of Consciousness (Season's End)

All the bright beautiful poinsettias are gone.  The 15-foot trees are down, taken apart, roped up and put in the closet.  (After we removed hundreds of ornaments, of course).  The garland and bows are boxed away, labeled north balcony, south, center, front, etc. (We are very organized in the music office).  The Worship Center looks bare now but ready for the new year as we worship this coming first Sunday in January.  It was freezing as we took everything down. It always seems to be the most windy, cold days when we put up the decorations AND take them down.  I was so sick today with a bad cold, ear feeling a little funny, really sore throat. I did everything mechanically and in a daze. Came home, ate, took three Motrin, wrote my boss a rambling email (probably made him wonder what in the world I had taken), and fell asleep for the rest of the afternoon.

I am so ready for some warmer weather for a bit. Looks like we'll get some for New Year's.  Amazing...we have a white Christmas in Georgia...unheard of, terribly cold temps and now 60s for New Year's Day.  We've got a long winter ahead.  I do look forward to going back to work....I like my comfort zone. Plus I don't really care that I'm down in a basement working when the weather's dreary and cold.

I've enjoyed the holidays but I really like my routine.  Looking forward to doing my off-day Fridays with my daughter and the babies while the guys are at work.  My birthday is coming up in a few weeks. For some reason 53 seems really getting on up there.  My hair is showing my age and I am getting those "fine lines" around my eyes.  I love that term "fine lines".  I'm having back problems partly due to heaving boxes around at work and picking up a 23-lb toddler.

I love the prospect of seeing my little grandson start to become a "real little person" as he is starting to play and sit in the exersaucer and respond with babble when you talk to him.  The baby girl is just pure JOY as she's always been...she is approaching the "terrible twos" but she's so sweet-natured that I'm praying it'll be an easier stage than we think.

 For others in our church, this new year will bring lots of questions and ordeals of treatment for cancer. Just in our orchestra family alone, we have 4 families dealing with cancer.  In the church as a whole, many long-time members are sick. None of us know one day to the next when sickness will come.  I'm more aware of that than ever since I've been working in the music office and we help in support and prayer and my boss is booked to sing for funerals and visit the hospitals and we add and add to the prayer requests.   I am not taking any day for granted an I'll try my best not to "wish my life away" by looking always ahead to the next thing. I need to live every day and see the hours for what they are and look for opportunities to show Jesus' love.  I am usually so unobservant.  One of my biggest faults.
 
Well, this has been the most boring post ever but it's as much for me as anyone else.
Enjoy the rest of the week as we approach 2011.

Love,