Celebration, Appreciation, Participation, and Dedication

(Apologies from the author to those who receive this posting again because I needed to make a correction:  I misspelled Mickey's name.  It's spellcheck for me from now on!)

Our club had Christmas luncheon at the Blackstone Grille.  Nobody can say we don't know how to celebrate a great year!  We're officially members of the clean plate club.  A few of the ladies shared desserts - now THAT'S friendship!  Mickey shared some recycling tips (which will be in the next posting).  Dianne spoke about an upcoming public hearing on a new PUD (planned unit of development) on Roberts Road, and Sarah and Phyllis provided background information on the area.  Mickey sponsored a doorprize giveaway which Linda won.  She got to choose one of Dianne's painted hyptertufa garden decorations.

Since the last postings, we participated in a wonderful GardenFest, got our butterfly garden, now an Official Monarch Waystation (with a Certificate of Appreciation to prove it), weeded, seeded, and generally cleaned up, and reflected on the importance of Stetson Kennedy's life at the dedication of his homestead as a national literary landmark.  Members of the club donated toys, money, and raffle items to Pie-in-the-Sky, Hastings, and helped out at their Holly Jolly Hastings Christmas Party.

The author is maintaining her tradition of posting the inspirational that is read at the club's Christmas luncheon, and this year we were happy to have two wonderful ones.  Please continue reading.  We hope the words will inspire you to share the message of the season with all you meet.

Inspirational 1
   Read by Louise

We are deep in the middle of THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.  When you think of Christmas what comes to your mind?

Maybe PRESENTS:  P - R - E - S - E - N - T - S?  Gifts we choose to give to our loved ones and friends.   Trying to get just the right gift for that special someone can be fun or a mental task.   This task does make our minds and hearts reach out to those we think of dearly and makes us stop awhile to reminisce about our relationships with others.

There is another kind of PRESENCE:  P - R - E - S - E - N - C - E.   You don't have to unwrap it;  You don't have to assemble it;   You don't have to take it back to the store because it is missing parts or doesn't fit;  It's not battery operated, but it will Light Up Your Life.   And the best part is that this is a FREE Gift.    God's gift of a Savior in the form of a little child, JESUS.

As we prepare for celebrating the anniversary of Christ's birth think about the words of this poem written by Edgar Guest:

A CHRISTMAS BIT

If I were Santa Claus this year I'd change his methods for the day;

I'd give to all the children here but there are things I'd take away.

I'd enter every home to steal, with giving I'd not be content.

I'd find the heartaches men conceal and take them with me when I went.

I'd rob the invalid of pain; I'd steal the poor men's weight of care;

I'd take the prisoner's ball and chain and every crime which sent him there.

I'd take the mother's fears away, the doubts which often fret the wise -

And all should wake on Christmas Day with happy hearts and shining eyes.

For old and young this is my prayer; God bless us all this Christmas Day.

And give us strength our tasks to bear, and take our bitter grief away!

Inspirational 2
  From "Simple Abundance"
  Read by Phyllis

If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things and again with things; if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have time to make the long slow journey across the desert as did the Magi?  Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds?  Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary?  For each one of us, there is a desert to travel.  A star to discover.  And a being within ourselves to bring to life.

Author Unknown

If you are so inclined, please enjoy our other postings: our celebration of GardenFest, dedication of Beluthahatchee as a literary landmark, and our gardening efforts with appreciation for our newly-named monarch waystation.

May you enjoy a season of simple abundance and may we all work in the service of peace on earth.