Saturday, December 23, 2017

Christmas Weekend

My neighbor's farm this morning...

We experienced such a gentle snowfall overnight that I was surprised to find the forest covered in snow this morning.  The kind of snow with no wind at all so the fallen snow remained on the tree branches and in the bushes.  We will have a white Christmas.  Lovely.

All day yesterday I have had to remind my husband that the kids will be here on Sunday and that it will be Christmas Eve.  We both have felt the Holiday came far too fast this year.  I have found each Holiday Season to be different with joys and tribulations.  This year is no exception.

I had just finished my wrapping and packing and sending where needed when I began to develop a cough.  Within a couple of days it was a full fledged cold and I was am miserable. The worst thing about a cold is that I find it difficult to sleep with the congestion and I can't take most cold medicines.

The best thing about a cold is laying on the sofa with my pillow fluffed behind me, a cup of hot tea sitting aside my box of tissues, and a cat wondering around and sometimes plopping next to me.  Having a Christmas tree lit in the corner is a bonus, especially on gloomy days.

The first night of the congestion, I woke up in a panic feeling as if I couldn't breath.  Fearful memories filled my mind of the years I developed bronchitis and had to be rushed to the Emergency Room for treatment.  These thoughts were raging (it was the middle of the night) until I made myself a hot cup of peppermint tea and settled down a bit.

There is something about the darkness where the enemy of our souls can whisper fearful thoughts and we tend to believe them.  I had to remind myself that this was just a cold and most likely will remain just a cold.

So how has this changed my plans?  My energy had to be concentrated on the Christmas Eve dinner itself and other baking will not be accomplished.  I normally would have baked ahead for the freezer in November but this year with the eye "issues", I didn't get any of that accomplished.

My plans for gifts of Christmas cookies had to be set aside and perhaps in a month or two, I will surprise those for whom they were intended with sweet February gifts.  Perhaps a Valentine's Day surprise?

This morning I brought out the red Kitchen Aid mixer and whipped together the cheesecake batter.  It is now baking in the oven and will be cooled for tomorrow's feast.  I always bake it a day ahead, anyway.   The Christmas dinner is an easy menu and my daughter-in-law is bringing her green bean casserole so all is well.

If this year has reminded me of anything, it is that we have to be adaptable to unexpected changes.  Mostly the adaptions have been easy but I do feel like Coffee Tea Books & Me has been neglected a bit.  The "not being able to see out of my right eye" thing made the making of creative work difficult and I know some emails were buried before answering.

However, my eye is improving.  The specialist is still concerned about me making a total recovery but lots of us are praying for it.  It has been a good Christmas season, even if rather limited.  There were movies and books and music and a breakfast at Cracker Barrel (did you try their Holiday Sampler?).  There was time before my last eye specialist appointment to peruse British magazines at Barnes & Noble. 

The Season was not perfect but it was... good.

I pray for you a good (if not perfect) Christmas Holiday, one that reminds each of us that Christmas is but a tiny peek into the sparkle of Heaven.  Christmas on this planet will never be able to answer our deepest needs for Beauty.  That will not occur until That Day when we meet Him face to face.  But it can be good...

I'll be taking my usual Christmas through New Year's Day blog break to get over this cold, read some books, and enjoy having part of my family here on Christmas Eve.  May you and yours be blessed...

Mentioned in this Blog Post
Cheesecake recipe... here.

Image:  The photo is a little blurry because it was so cold my hands were shaking!  This was the best photo I could manage.  Brrrr...

13 comments:

Billie Jo said...

I hope you are on the mend and rested for Christmas.
And I know exactly what you mean about racing thoughts in the dark of night.
Have a cozy and blessed Christmas.
I am so happy to have found your blog!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I had plans to do a bit more than I did, also. Not because of health, mind you. Just life. And I have had to accept that it is enough.

We are to get snow on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day!

Christmas can be special regardless of our circumstances. We just need the grace to adjust our expectations.

I'm thankful for you friend. Grateful for your ongoing recovery. I'll continue to pray for full recovery.

Merry Christmas!!!

Veronica said...

This has been the year of a minimalist Christmas. I am going thru chemo and I didn't want to overdue it. But it has been nice. I concentrated on what mattered most. Taking our young grandchildren to see a display of Christmas trains, decorating cookies with them, decorating the tree, and playing lots of carols. I haven't read all my Christmas books that I wanted to , or decorated outside too much. But the outside decorations can wait til next year, and if I want to read my Christmas books in June, I will.
Have a wonderful Christmas!

Anonymous said...

Praying healing and strength for you! My hubby just started coming down with a cold yesterday, and both our kids are to come for Christmas dinner with their new babies on Christmas Day! Praying he gets over it quick, so we don't have to come with a "Plan B"!
Enjoy your white Christmas! We just might get a little snow on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas morning! A rare event here in the PNW!
Merry Christmas!
Hugs and prayers,
Laura C. (WA)

rebecca said...

Merry Christmas, Brenda.
'Twill be a quiet one here, which seems better and better the older I get!
A couple of us here are battling pretty furious colds here as well. Strange how "just a cold" can take you down so quickly.
Snow fell this morning and is pretty well melted here this afternoon. It was pretty while it lasted.

Cheri said...

We are having a quiet Christmas. Too quiet for my tastes but we had a joyous chaotic Thanksgiving with the kids and grands, so I am very thankful for that.

Praying for a complete recovery for your eye and from your cold.

Thank you for providing such a sweet, friendly place to come to on the interwebs.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Praying for the complete recovery of your eyes, Brenda...And good health for you and your family!
And a joyful Christmas and satisfying 2018. Be well, dear friend, who always inspires and gives the blessing of words to ponder.

Vee said...

Flexibility...it grows more important with each passing year. I am sorry that “the cold” hangs on. That does not fit with the plan I know. Yes, while it is true that there is no such thing as a perfect Christmas this side of Glory, we are more than blessed with good. I’m watching a vintage Lawrence Welk Christmas show right now and I have been sweetly dropped into the mid-sixties. I think. Anyway, talk about waves of nostalgia... Many blessings on your Christmas!

Vee said...

1966! 😉

Judy said...

These not quite perfect Christmases help us to continue longing for the eternal... Thank you for reminding us, always.

Merry Christmas, Brenda.

Mama Squirrel said...

Best wishes from Canada! Looks like a white Christmas here too.

Cheryl said...

So much of life is learning to accept His gifts, knowing that they are good for us, no matter what package they are wrapped in. It has been a challenging year here. With parents who are aging and needed more help. With more sickness in our family than I can ever remember . . . one thing after another for months out of this year. With the end of a "chapter" in our life that we did not wish to see end. This Christmas, my son's family is with my daughter-in-law's family and my daughter's family has the flu making its rounds. Christmas Day could be quieter than it has in years!

But, our reason for celebration remains: the coming of our King!! And so we make adaptations and accept the gifts He has given with gratitude and, yes, even with joy!

It was so good to read your musings here this morning . . . an honest look at life, at expectation, at limitations . . . but with acceptance and adaptation and, I believe, joy!

Praying that recovery continues for your eye and for this cold. Merry "Good" Christmas!

Kristin_Texas said...

I would dearly love to see snow again... (we saw it a few weeks ago)... but around here it comes once every ten years or more. (Usually during years that we get a hurricane).

Christmas most definitely came at lightning speed this year. (I swear that time runs faster the older we get. When I was a kid it seemed to take forever for Christmas to arrive).

Our family came over to our house last night, and my sister is really sick with a cold right now too. She felt so miserable the entire time she was here.

Merry Christmas!

Kristin