MERRY CHRISTMAS

Every year I try to write a poem or short story for the family and this year I've been kind of lax but while working around the house this morning, I started thinking and came up with a silly little version of Twas The Night Before Christmas.  So for all my family and friends, enjoy and may that big old boy in the red suit visit you.  And when you are finished opening your gifts, remember this day and the real reason we celebrate.  Light a candle and sing Happy Birthday to our savior, Jesus.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas

And all  through the house.

Not a creature was stirring as

The cat’s asleep all curled up with the catnip mouse.

The stockings were hung with care,

But with no chimney,

They hang from the back of the chair

Hoping Santa will fill them there.

The kids were in bed

With dreams of presents swirling in their heads.

Momma was in her flannels, and me in mine.

Were all comfy and fine.

Just as I lay down, I heard such a clatter,

I jumped out of bed to see what the heck was the matter.

I peeked out the window to see the lights all aglow,

And a big ole sleigh sitting out in the road.

There was no runners but big wheels that

Crunched the gravel below.

The reindeer were pawing and

Munching on dry grass as there was no snow.

I heard noises coming from downstairs,

So quietly I tiptoed down and avoided the squeaky stair.

I heard the back door open and close,

There was a man all dressed in red from head to toes.

I watched and I waited to see what he was going to do,

I noticed a sack with packages in red, green and blue.

He placed them under the tree,

Oh, I hope there is one for me.

I missed the bottom step and fell

Sprawling all over the floor.

The jolly old man with his rosy cheeks

And a belly that shook like a bowl full of jelly

Took a look a me and turned to flee.

I started to yell but he ran out the door and

I could see him no more.

I ran to the window as he jumped in his sleigh

Yelled at those reindeer to be on his way.

But I did hear him holler as he drove down the street,

Merry Christmas to all.  Now get back to sleep.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Barbara Foster

May the blessings of this day be with you and your family all year.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tis The Season

It is the season of holiday cheer and it is filled with excitement and anticipation, colored lights and decorations, shopping, parties and most of all, a time for families to gather to celebrate not only the gift giving but also the true meaning of this special day.  Whether you attend an evening service on Christmas eve or an early morning service on Christmas day, it is one where we all come together and celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus.

A few years ago, I ran across a little article about the symbols of Christmas.  It has stuck with  me and when I decorate, I look at the colors and decorations and it comes back to me.  I'd like to share it with you.

CHRISTMAS SYMBOLISM

Evergreens - Everlasting Life

Wreaths - Christ's never ending Love

Candles - Christ, Light of the World

Straw - The simplicity of the Manger

COLORS

Red - Blood

White -Purity

Green- Everlasting Life

I think everyone gets into the spirit of the holiday with the brightly wrapped presents under the tree and the secrets passed around and of course the fun part of the season with Santa Claus.

When my two daughters were growing up, we always had the traditional Christmas with presents from Santa and hanging of the stockings in anticipation of his visit, but we also had one other thing.  Each year the Nativity set was placed in a special place with an open Bible in front of it open to the story of the Jesus birth.  We always tried to let them know it was Christmas and it was fun with Santa but the real meaning of the day was Jesus birthday.

I remember growing up myself knowing it was a two fold day and my mother used to bake a cake or maybe  cupcakes so we could celebrate his birthday.  I did for a few years but as the girls got older, we eliminated it and now I wish I had kept up the tradition.

In the times we live in now, the true meaning of Christmas is getting lost.  But at the same time, I see little deeds being done that is keeping the true meaning alive.  The red kettles and bell ringers are still here and I see people putting in change and bills.  Which means that they know giving is better than receiving, especially for those who are in need.  And these days, there are many who are in need.  I see people giving gifts to those who are in need, whether it be food, toys for the children or money to help their fellow man.  It is another symbol of this day - Giving.  Just as God gave us his son and the wise men gave him gifts, we give gifts to each other and to strangers in need.

I cringe when I hear "Happy Holidays" and shout back "Merry Christmas."  This is Christmas and we shouldn't try to hide it or disguise it.  December 25 is the recognized day to celebrate the birth of Jesus and it should be revered just as any religious holiday regardless of beliefs.  No one should condemn another because of the way they celebrate the day or what they call it.  Politically correct does not apply here.  Just as Christians do not condemn or belittle another because they do not celebrate the way we do or respect this day.  We are not here to judge once another but to respect and honor each other and at this time of the year, we should all be peaceful and loving and giving and not spiteful or disrespectful.

Since when did the Christmas tree change to a holiday tree?  It is the tree that is set up for Christmas and decorated with Christmas ornaments, so therefore it is a Christmas tree.  The same thing for lights, although I know some use the colored lights for decoration all year.  But for the special displays and lights, they are Christmas lights.  They reflect Christmas, not a holiday. 

To me, holiday is a day that is a special day, a day off from school or work but it should not be used generically.  Each holiday has a name and should be called by that name.  I've never heard anyone say Happy Holiday for Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Memorial Day, Veteran's Day or Labor Day or even Thanksgiving.  So why should they refer to Christmas as "holiday"?  It may be but it should also be referred to by the name of the holiday, not as a generic term because someone is afraid they might offend someone.  That is showing the ignorance of the person saying it and also very disrespectful.    I wonder if they also refer to birthdays the same way.  It is time for everyone to stop being so politically correct and to use common sense but mainly to respect the rights and beliefs of others.

So to those of you who do not celebrate the way I do, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa.  To all my family and friends I wish you a Merry Christmas.

My Favorite Time of the Year

Thanksgiving is over and I will say that even though mine was quiet, it was very nice.  Both of my daughters were unable to come home this year so I spent most of the day with my good friends and neighbors.  Spike and I split the cooking chores and between us put together a very good dinner.  We kept it simple with a turkey roast, mashed potatoes and gravy from the roast, corn, dressing, Waldorf salad and cranberry sauce and of course rolls.  Since we were only cooking for three, there weren't a lot of leftovers but I had my fill plus.  I don't know why our eyes are always bigger than our stomachs on these feast days.  So after a respectable time and some good visiting, I excused myself to come home leaving most of the leftovers for their late night supper.  I admit I took a nap which probably wasn't the wisest thing after a meal but I was sleepy and I admit I had a good nap and was feeling chipper when I awoke so got busy getting the tree set up so I could decorate it.

I had put the outside decorations up over the past couple of weeks when I could get a nice day to work outside.  The timers were set and as the sun went down, they clicked on the colorful display.  All the lights had been checked out and everything was working but naturally the night they were to come on for all to see, I had a couple of burn outs so today will have to make the repairs and keep fingers crossed they will work tonight.

Now one thing I refuse to do during this holiday frenzy that is up on us now is the "Black Friday".  It has been years since I've fought the crowds on this day to end up buying one thing on a list of several items and getting irritated at the shoving and waiting in line.  I decided I would go back to my idea of buying throughout the year and finding things on sale during the year and stay home during this day of so called "bargains".   Years ago I got up at 4 AM to get ready to go out with my daughters.  We had to drive to the nearest town about 30 miles away and then when we got there, stood in line, fought the crowds inside, lost each other and think we only came out with one item we were after since they were limited and we just weren't first in line.  I decided right then that this is not the way to shop and never went again.

So now, the frenzy is on as we head towards Christmas.  I'm sure there will be more sales and more enticements but for me I've decided to be old fashioned and make several of the gifts I'll be giving.  I have had to purchase a few but I'm still keeping it simple.  In these hard times, I really can't afford luxurious gifts plus most of my family have what they want so I think it will be a pleasant change to give them something totally unexpected and made with love.  Maybe we can all get back to the real meaning of Christmas.

So today I will be putting the finishing touches on the tree and decorating inside the house.  I will admit when it comes to decorating, I might go a little overboard but I just love all the colors and lights and sounds of Christmas and yet I always make sure that the real reason we are celebrating is prominently displayed.  

I have my grandparents Nativity which I put out each year and have bought or received other Nativities through out the years, so all will be displayed on the library table with the open Bible to the story of the blessed birth.  This has become a tradition with my decorating and always in a prominent area so it can be viewed and the story read.

I know for some this has been a sad and trying year and that there will be an empty chair at the table.  This is the second year of our empty chair but we have not forgotten and try to include him in our holiday celebration.  We have a special ornament on the tree and we have our memories of the past which we seek comfort from.   Fill that empty chair with your memories and know that our loved ones are watching over us and are with us in spirit.

I want to wish all my family and friends a very Merry Christmas and that you will find the love and comfort of this season and celebrate the birth of our Savior.  Remember he is the reason for this season and we shouldn't forgot him at this time.

11-11-11

11-11-11.  A memorable date in our history but also a very memorable one in my life.  It is Veteran's Day and I thank all the veteran's in this nation for their service and dedication.  But it is also the anniversary of the day I married my husband.

He was in the Navy and it just happened that he got a leave during this time and the 11th happened to fall on a Saturday in 1961.  Since he had just returned from a 10 month cruise to the east and would be making another long one, we decided we were going to be married.  We really didn't think too much about it being Veteran's Day until later.

We first met in 1957 and dated off and on for over a year.  Of course, I was only 14 1/2 when we met so was pretty young to his 16, almost 17 years, but we dated and we got pretty serious.  Maybe that is why we broke up as we both were too young to make that big commitment.  My family moved from the area in 1959 and I lost track of him.  

I went to visit my aunt and uncle in Wichita in September 1961 and I wanted to find out about him so contacted his family.  I learned that he had been looking for me as well before he joined the Navy.  I got his address and we began writing and he called me a couple of times and then he got a leave and came to flew in to Kansas City on November 7, where my dad and I went to pick him up.  It had been over 2 1/2 years since we had seen each other, even though we just recently started corresponding and talking on the phone, but there was something that happened when we did see each other that day.  It was if the time had stopped and we had been together always.

We talked and talked and decided since he would be making another long cruise, that we wanted to get married and when he got back we would move to Alameda where he was based.  He was 21 and I was 18 and I think both of our families knew that we were going to get married so really weren't that surprised but maybe because it was in such a short time.  We got our license and talked to the pastor of a church near by and on Saturday, November 11, 1961, we exchanged our vows with just our family present.

He left on November 16, so we only had a few days together but it seemed as if the time we had been apart was forgotten.  We felt as if we were just picking up where we left off.

I wrote a letter to put on the special flower that I will place on his grave today.  In that letter I wrote, "Years ago, the stars aligned and brought us together in ways we didn't know at first, but as we grew and after we met, we discovered how many times in our lives that our paths had crossed and how we both were set on this path to be together."

He was born in southeast Nebraska and I was born in southwest Iowa, not many miles apart.  Our families had made acquaintances before we were born and in later years, the families both moved to Wichita where we lived next door to one another.  Even the years we were apart, there was this bond that we would remember each other and when the opportunity came, I knew I had to find him just as he had looked for me.

I truly believe that it was meant to be that we would be together and for forty eight years we worked together to raise our two daughters, to love and support them and each other.  True, like any marriage, we had our little bumps in the road but the one thing that stayed true was our love for each other and our fidelity to each other.   We were soul mates from the first meeting until the very end.

His passing took a part of me with him and I only wish the fate hadn't been so cruel to separate us after all those years together.  He looked forward to this date as it was a milestone for both of us.  We would have celebrated our 50th anniversary with all the love we had for one another and looked forward to more years together.  He used to say that in this day and age, we were the unusual, we stayed together and honored our vows and fifty years is something to celebrate.

So today, I will celebrate, but it will be with the memories I have of the life we shared.  He was my first and my only true love and he was my friend and my confident, my rock but most of all he was my husband who loved me as much as I loved him.

Happy 50th Anniversary Honey.   ILYTMTYLTT  "Angel"

1961

1961 was a year of excitement and dreams come true for me.  And did you know that it is the only year that can be read upside down and still be 1961.

But 1961 was an exciting year as it was my senior year in high school and I was going to graduate.  It was an exciting time and yet there was a touch of sadness.  For over twelve years, I got up and went to school to learn and be with my friends and now it was going to be all over.  Oh, I would see my friends, but what would I do for the rest of the time.

I knew that I had to get a job and the idea of college was not an option as my family just couldn't afford it.  I considered a trade school but I would have to work to earn my tuition.  And as much as I hate to say it, during that time, there was not as much emphasis on young women going to school.  There were two options, go to school or get married.  That pretty much sums it up and those who went on to school were the lucky ones who could afford it and I will say they also may have had more determination to have a career.  

I wasn't interested in becoming a teacher or nurse, doctor, lawyer or having a professional career.  I wanted to be a secretary and I had the skills to do that.  But going to a trade school would give me a few more which would help with advancement but it was always what I wanted to be.

Through all the excitement of the end of the school year from our Senior Banquet to the commencement, we shared our laughter, our tears and our remembrances.  With the largest class ever to graduate from William Chrisman High School, 523 students faced a new future.

I kept in touch with a few of my closest friends for a while but as we all moved forward with our lives, we began to lose touch.  Just as we all scattered with our school, jobs and even military, we also scattered all over the country.

It was a good time but it was also a bad time during our country but we seemed to forge ahead and do what we had to do.

I made contact with an old boyfriend and as we wrote and talked on the phone, we discovered that the feelings we had years before when we were much younger were still there and on November 11, 1961 we were married.  He was in the Navy so I was one of those classmates that scattered as we moved to California to live until his discharge.

So this year brings back a lot of memories of what was going on in my life fifty years ago.  I was young and looked at the future as being bright and prosperous and I will say that it has had its ups and downs but it has been a good life.

I had two lovely daughters and now have four wonderful grandchildren.  So I've been very prosperous with my family.  

Recently my graduating class held a 50th school reunion.  I was unable to attend due to the distance and cost factor and I also discovered that most of my closest friends had either passed on or had disappeared so no one knew where they were.  It would have been nice to go back to see the school and it was one thing my husband had promised that we would do but we planned to make it a double celebration.

However, in October 2009, we got the diagnosis that he only had a short time and even with treatment, the cancer won the battle and he passed away on January 14, 2010.  The one thing he had looked forward to so much was our 50th anniversary which would be on 11-11-11.  He wanted to do something very special because of the unusual date.  I will not forget though and even if I couldn't attend my 50th school reunion, I will go visit my husband that day and I will remember and make it a special day.

But 1961 will always be a year for me to remember.

A Birthday Remembrance

October 18, 1940 was my husband's birthdate.  He would have been 71 today.  

Over the years the month of October meant Birthdays to our family.  Our oldest daughter was born on Oct. 14 and the youngest on Oct. 28.  So, it was just our thing to celebrate one big birthday for all three of them.  Of course, when the girls were smaller, they did have their own parties for their special days but for the family, it was one big celebration.

Now, he is gone and the girls are scattered so today has been a quiet day but not forgotten by any means.  It is one of those days that will always be remembered and celebrated in one way or another, mainly like it has been today.  Quietly, as we remember him and the birthdays past.

I want to wish him a Happy Birthday and I know he is watching over us and knows we are thinking about him and remembering him today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!   I miss you and love you .

OCTOBER -Facts & Trivia

When October arrives, we usually think it is Fall, even though the official first day of Fall is in September, somehow October just seems like the beginning of Fall, just as we think of December as the beginning of Winter.  But October has its own distinction, somewhere between late Summer and early Fall.  With the roller coaster of temperatures, it eases us into the cooler months as well as giving us a colorful exit of Summer.

October is also noted for some notable and some not so notable celebrations.  October is Class Reunion Month, Frugal Fun Month, National Crime Prevention Month, National Positive Attitude Month, National Cookie Month, National Seafood Month, National Dessert Month, National Popcorn and Popcorn Poppin' Month, National Pretzel Month, National Pork Month, National Stamp Month and National Chili Month.

Of course, we all know about Columbus Day on October 12 and Halloween on October 31.  But did you know there is also Mule Day on October 26 and Punky Night before Halloween.  Punky Night is when the pumpkins are carved and in ancient times, the children would carry the carved pumpkins throughout the village asking for candles to light them up and then they would carry them as lanterns.

More presidents were born in October than any other month: John Adams (1735), Rutherford B. Hayes (1822), Chester Arthur (1829), Theodore Roosevelt (1829), Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890) and Jimmy Carter (1924).

A few interesting facts:

Henry Ford introduced the Model T on October 1, 1908.

The first message sent between two computers in California on October 20, 1966 (The first E-Mail)

The Great Chicago Fire started on October 8, 1871 and lasted for 30 hours.

Thomas Edison had his first successful demonstration of the electric light on October 19,1879.

Sam Houston was inaugurated the First President of the Republic of Texas on October 22, 1836.

The Erie Canal opened for traffic on October 26, 1865

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886.

The moon in the month of October is called "A Hunter's Moon."

Opal and Tourmaline are the birthstones.   Calendula is the flower. 

Folk Lore Sayings:

Rain in October

Means wind in December.

If the October moon comes without frost

expect no frost till the moon of November.

When birds and badgers are fat in October,

expect a cold winter.

When berries are many in October,

beware of a hard winter.

If ducks do slide at Hallowtide,

At Christmas they will swim.

If ducks do not slide at Hallowtide,

At Christmas they will slide.

Always will there be Twenty-Nine fine days in October

October Quote:

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundred came;

The Ashes, Oaks and Maples,

And those of every name.

Source: George Cooper - taken from World Book Millennium 2000

Happy October!