blissfully unaware....

I am operating under the pretense that Christmas is still a ways off. It's nicer that way, but what a surprise I am going to be in for come next week, when I fully realize that it's actually already Christmas, and I am not done shopping yet. I haven't written my Christmas cards, and there are gifts I still have to mail. I want to buy something online, which I had better hurry and get to, or one of my kids will be getting their gift for Valentine's Day. The kids keep mentioning how many days 'til Christmas, as they hang little ornaments on their advent calendar tree, and as they exclaim about the chocolate calendar's daily surprise. I tune it out. I have absolutely no idea, at this very moment, off the top of my head, how many days there are until Christmas.

I do know that Samuel is coming home next week. So I know I have to bake lots of cookies. I know we are having everyone here on Christmas Eve, and I will have to buy lots of food. What are we having? I don't know yet. We have had Mexican food a few times and that was fantastic, so maybe we'll do that again. I should get some opinions, write a list, and see who wants to bring what.

My Christmas list...oh dear. Will they know I love them anyway? I am not a good keeper-tracker, but I have tried to write everything for everyone down on this piece of paper I keep folded up in my wallet. I have not lost this list yet this year, so yay me. I wrapped a few things yesterday afternoon, and checked them off the list...and noticed a few gaping holes next to a few names, dang it. I would feel better if I bought them all a few more things each, but that ain't happening.

Finances...I don't like to write on here about money. We aren't hurting, we have much to be thankful for. I read a quote recently that I will botch completely, but it went along these lines: When you're thankful for everything, you have more than enough, but when you're unthankful, there's never enough. I have often thought that if you are lacking, give more, and God will bless you, because that is just a law of the universe, that when you give you will receive. God wants us to trust in Him, so it is not the end of the world to be in situations where ends don't quite meet.

Worry and worry and fretting and anxiety, sleepless nights...just place your life into His keeping, and fight the good fight of faith. It rains on the just and the unjust, we all have our trials...but when we have the attitude, that know-for-certain-faith, that all things are weighed and measured just for me, that God knows just what's best for me...from waiting in long lines, to being talked back to, being ignored, forgotten, underesteemed, whatever it is...it is for my best. Why? Because I can see my pride, I can see how I would rather be respected. I can see that I am worried, and don't trust Him enough. When I can see these things, I am humble. I am can be molded, worked with, I am not stubborn and obstinate.

Here I sit, solving all the problems of the universe, yet I have to get out the door in half an hour. I have swept and cleaned up, showered, brushed out my nice clean hair, and made a fresh pot of coffee. Now I need to get the girls up and ready, I am dropping Kathryn and Jonathan off at my brother's house for a few hours to babysit for two of his grandchildren for a bit, and going out and about with Char and Cam...picking up my sister-in-law Kim, and her daughter Danielle.