I hope I am not the only one who "hears", or maybe remembers, directions we have been given. I know my friend, Isaiah, says "right behind you a voice will say "this is the way you should go."" (Isaiah 30:21 NLT) So... while I know we have to be careful about talking to, referring to and thinking about "voices" we hear have you thought about them?
Recent health challenges have required s-l-o-w recovery. Think the speed of a slow turtle! Meanwhile I am supposed to be up and moving around. I hear two strong voices giving directions. The first one is my niece, Sheila (who owns Vestibular Training Services), who works with vestibular training - working on balance. I hear her telling me to stand up STRAIGHT!!" After surgery it is taking a bit but I do hear her and I am working on it. I also hear Dad's PT saying SIT in the chair. Do NOT fall into the chair! Dad, pretty much, ignored the PT so they would probably appreciate someone was listening! You really do have to laugh or start screaming!
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All of us have a tendency to talk to ourselves - especially when we need to remember something OR are under stress - right. Then there are the times that people keep wanting to verify something. The questions are - your name and your birthday, and your name and birthday, and...... until you are ready to put a big sign on.
Dad had to have outpatient surgery. The question - name and birthday - started as we arrived and were admitted. I think I have referred to his method of giving his birthday and the time: 4/20/? (I don't remember) at 6:05am. Then 4/20 at 6:30am. Then 4/20 at 7:00 am. It took a few times before I figured out what he was seeing and doing. I told him his mother was going to come back and bop him one! I recently was continually asked the same repeated questions. I REALLY thought about following in Dad's footsteps but figured it might get me in trouble. He got ignored but I would probably get spoken to firmly. Still it caused a wonderful memory in a difficult time. You can either laugh or start screaming.......... "Can you hear me now?" And we all immediately think of the commercial for cell phone coverage - right? OR we think of all the times we might hear someone talking to us, from another room, but we can't really "hear" them or listen to what they are saying. Do we also think of all the times the "kids" don't have a clue we are even talking let alone "hear" us.
Dad was VERY good at focusing on what he was doing - reading or computer - to the point where he didn't even notice anyone was there let alone hear them. As a child I remember jumping up and down in front of him and he still didn't "hear" me. As an adult I would wave my hand between his eyes and whatever he was working on. Then he would stop and listen to what I was trying to say. Now we have "Bluetooth" which allows us to listen to our phones, radios or other "connected" device. I have noticed you can't always tell if someone has "Bluetooth" because they are using "ear buds" and you don't see them. So......."can you hear me now?!" We need to laugh or we will start screaming! Well, really, it is a "cold" day more than a "snow" day. It does bring back memories and some laughter whichever way you think of it. First off thinking of all the projects for a "snow day" we have. The books we have, on hand, for a "snow" day. The question is what do you have planned for a snow/cold day? AND, another quick question, are you actually doing whatever it is?
Dad always had books - snow day or not - to be able to read. Of course Dad usually had a book in his hand. He usually had his kindle near him AND a book in his pocket. I will also admit, no matter what the project was or when we thought of it, he was not going to help with it - even before I was his primary caregiver! As for my projects.... unpacking boxes (even when I haven't "moved") is usually the "snow" day project. Right now the project is organizing what is getting unpacked from the move. Or... then again... the quilt I've been thinking about sounds a LOT more interesting! Sometimes you just need to laugh.......... Epiphany...celebrating the Wise Men getting to Bethlehem to see the Messiah. They have followed a star and are bringing gifts. All very important to remember and think about -- especially what gifts we are bringing as we try to follow where God is leading.
Meanwhile it also brings back memories of past Epiphany services. I had a wonderful skit that I did with members of several different congregations. The skit called for the Wise "guys" to interrupt the worship service as I tried to help them understand the significance of following the star. I call them wise "guys" because sometimes it was teenagers, sometimes women and...you guessed it - sometimes Dad. It was/is a fun skit and I always told the participants they could change their part however they wanted but they had to come back to the skit so I knew where we were. Yup... Dad had a field day. When off on his own and then started asking me questions - then he would go back to the skit. Yes, this how the Wise Men became the Wise "Guys." Yes, it was frustrating but, even then, funny. Yes, the rest of the congregation got a real kick out of Dad giving me a hard time. But it is also a wonderful memory! Yes, it was another one of the laugh or you will start screaming..... Family time, especially with the food and fellowship, brings memories of other family times together. Some of the memories are hilariously funny. Some are sad - especially involving family not with us for some reason. But some memories bring at least smiles, usually some laughter, and everyone seems to agree it is the "best" one. In some cases the idea is still happening.......
Our favorite memory......... Dad and I had watched a special, on Quilts of Valor, on PBS. Dad bought the DVD and patterns. We chose the day after Christmas because we could all be together - no one had to be "back at work" including the sister who doesn't sew. We all were doing something. Dad, and oldest grandson, played chess and watched TV movies. Sister who doesn't sew kept snacks, lunch and food available between times reading. Then 4 of us were quilting - 3 generations of quilters - me, older sister, her daughter and granddaughter. It was a wonderful day spent together with great memories. In fact..... we still take the day after Christmas to do quilting. The 4 of us still work on quilts, those who don't quilt find other activities and someone is keeping food, coffee and munchies available. Sometimes we "only" get one quilt top done, sometimes two... one year we actually got three done! So....what is your best memory? Something to think about...... So...... what tells you it is Christmas? When the Christmas music starts playing? When the Christmas lights come on through out the neighborhood? When the hymns, at church, start being Christmas hymns? When YOUR tree is up? We grew up in the liturgical tradition so we observed the season of Advent - with the Advent candles and calendar. We put the tree up on Christmas Eve day.
Then...... the part that means Christmas to me........ the Christmas Eve worship service. It usually started at 10:30 with "Christmas Carols" and then the actual service. There were hymns, prayers, a sermon (only one of which I remember ANY of) and then Communion. We would finish the service, usually the last hymn was "Silent NIght," as we lit candles. Then out into the COLD night. Yes, it was usually after midnight so, even technically, it was Christmas Day. When I am asked about Christmas celebrations this is what I think of, remember and wish we could do again. This year I have lost count of the number of Christmas "Eve" services anywhere from 3 to 5 in the afternoon. Thankfully I have been invited to a service at 8pm tonight. Close....... Memories to celebrate so we don't start screaming.......... So...... are you "ready" for Christmas? All the gifts ready to go? Figured out the how, and when, for the family get togethers? Still trying to figure out who is going to bring what to eat? Maybe.... the idea is at least in the back of your mind to ignore everybody and have a QUIET day? So........if all of these things are not accomplished - yet at least - what are your plans?
For the first time in about 40 years I am actually "ready." 40 years ago it was because I had to have surgery, after breaking my ankle, so I had to STAY in my recliner. At the time I made all of my gifts so staying "down" and quiet meant I finished well before Thanksgiving let alone Christmas. This year I admit I have been "getting ready" since early August, and I don't have churches and worship services to be preparing, so I am (and have been) ready. I can tell you, however, between churches, Advent, taking care of Dad and Christmas Eve services it was usually EARLY morning Christmas Day before the last things were ready. AND...thankfully(!) someone else was always doing the cooking! So........ Please take a few minutes to remember. Take a few minutes to stop and breathe. Then you can either start laughing.......OR come up with a reason NOT to start screaming! Holidays bring a lot of memories - some not so good but a lot of them are wonderful ones we can at least smile at. Some of them we might even laugh a little..... Some of them include the traveling to get to the various holiday family times (ordeals?). Traveling now, for me, means I need to make sure I have needlework with me - even family wants me to sit still sometimes (especially in the car)!
One of the trips Dad and I took, which wasn't actually for holiday but was to family, was after Dad needed a walker to get around. At the same time I had torn the ligaments in my ankle and needed a cane. To say we were an interesting pair to watch is an understatement! Then came the time, at the airport, when his walker was in luggage and he needed the restroom. So he is using my cane, and my arm, as we hobble to the men's room where he took my cane. He hobbled in and I worked on balance until he got back. We learned, after that trip, to keep his walker with us (like parents keep the stroller). The memory still causes at least a smile though. Like I've said..... you have to laugh or you will start crying - or screaming! Holiday travel happens a lot, often and for most of us. We can think of the travel we do to be with family, and friends, for various holiday functions. OR we can think of the different ways we travel - by car or by plane. OR maybe the ways we decorated the tree.....
My tree, for the last several years, has been one that spiraled..... It was very easy to spiral back down to 2" wide and store behind the bedroom door. It was also very easy to line up the camels, donkeys, sleighs, and anything else needed for "travel," as decorations. Our Dad insisted we had to have a train going around the bottom of the tree - which was VERY hard to do with this tree. The one year I "had" to it was lined up around the bottom, more in the way than decoration. Once again you have to laugh or you will start screaming! |
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