Been cooking and decorating the kitchen today. Put all my bird figurines in the long deep kitchen windowsill and placed Christmas beads and colored glass Christmas balls around them. Looks pretty, maybe nothing will roll off and break in the sink. Hung our stockings on the kitchen’s fireplace screen, decorated the mantle. Made three pecan pies as gifts from Penelope for the girls at vet brother’s clinic. They are so sweet to Penelope and she’s aways excited to see them. Took vet brother a Claxton fruit cake from Penelope. He loves those fruitcakes. He’ll enjoy my pecan pie at our dinner Saturday.

Vet brother and I talked about how our grandmother McMurray would make a large fruit cake for our daddy each Christmas. He would bring it home from her house in a tall silver lard can and he’d cut a few slices every night after supper. I can still remember the sweet fermented smell when he took the lid off the can and lifted the big cake out. I never even tasted it. For some reason I think I don’t like it, maybe it’s the raisins. I don’t know why. Maybe I’ll be brave and try a piece this year.

Took a break outside this afternoon, put Penelope in her playpen, perched in the swing to enjoy the warmth of the sun on my face, to ponder on my many blessings. The sky was so pretty, light blue covered with fat little clouds in all the colors of white and gray, some kissed on their crowns by the golden sunshine. The male cardinals in my yard were dressed in their bright crimson coats, perched so handsomely on the feeders. I’ve never seen them so crimson before, almost fluorescent in their deep red coloring. The modest females, dressed demurely in their fawn brown house dresses, flitted around on the ground under the feeders. Lots of titmice and chickadees were enjoying the feeder near the scuppernong vines. I haven’t seen the grumbly finches in a few days. The goldfinches should arrive soon. Thought I saw one fly by late afternoon.

The sunset began beautifully but I didn’t watch it till completion. I did see Mother Nature pop the cork on a priceless bottle of pink champagne, sharing it with the evening’s gloaming as she poured it all across the horizon. I know it was magnificient by time she put out the charcuterie board of glorious cloud paintings. Mother Nature is quite a woman!

Was cleaning up the lady den this afternoon, finding puzzle pieces and crayons under the piano, and I came across Joyce Meyer’s book of 100 Inspirational Quotes. As I opened the book the first verse of scripture I read was Ecclesiastes 3:12-13. “I know that there is no thing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toll — this is the gift of God.”

God has given us so many gifts, the ability to work so we can have food and drink and a roof over our heads. God wants us to be content with our present situation, cheerful and thankful for all our blessings that are manifested by his hands. We can’t manufacture our blessings, they are gifts given from God.

Meyer says, in her words by the Ecclesiastes’ scripture, “Embrace the season of life you are in and squeeze all the joy out of it that you can.” I was telling my dearest friend that I’ve never been happier or more aware of my faith in God than I am now. I miss my beloved husband and still grieve for the warmth of his hands but I’m in a season of life where I can “squeeze all the joy” out of every day. I’m steadfast in my faith knowing I’ll be reunited in heaven with Chief and Rosie. I know each day is a gift and I’m thankful for every day and every breath.

This Christmas season let’s share the light of Jesus with others. Let’s be a mirror that reflects God’s light to the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” Matthew 5:16.

“Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.” — Maya Angelou