These are a few of my favorite things.....

I've had my decorations up for over a week now. At first I was a bit nervous about that. Would I become tired of seeing them? Tired of the lights? Tired of the festive nature of my house so early? As I said earlier, I am very much into the Christmas spirit this year, more than any other year I can remember. I decided to take the time to talk a little about my favorite decorations, because my favorites mean a whole lot to me!

First of all, there is my nativity. I absolutely LOVE my Willow Tree Nativity set. It started as a gift from my daughters and was completed for my by my wonderful husband. When I look at my nativity, I truly think that Willow Tree captures the essence of what Christmas may have looked like. It is quiet, humble, holy.

Another of my favorite decorations came to me from my beloved Grandmother. When I was a little girl, I would always help her decorate her tree. My favorite things to place, ever so carefully, on her tree were her bells. They came in a Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves and angels. I always made sure the angels were placed high enough on the tree, in a spot of honor. The bells have always been a favorite of mine. When my grandmother passed, I searched high and low in order to have those bells for my own Christmas tree. This is the third Christmas they adorn my tree. They are placed ever so closely to the hand crocheted snowflakes she made for me when I had a house and tree of my own. I love looking at my tree and seeing glimpses of my past come to me in the form of ornaments.

The last of my favorite decorations sit upon my mantle. A perfect spot for these gems! When I was a very young girl, my other wonderful Grandma had a neighbor whom I loved to visit. I would hop across the porch, cross the neighbor's yard, and go visit Mrs. Bryan. Helen was a wonderful lady who shared with me so much. She told stories and simply loved the inquisitive little girl I was. Helen had a son who was challenged. She had no grandchildren of her own and so she treated me as the granddaughter she never had. I was always given little trinkets and gifts when I visited, but it wasn't until I was a little bit older that she gave me the ornaments. Helen had MADE the ornaments with her mother and grandmother (we assume they are well over 150-175 years old) and she wanted me to have them. Each year, I proudly display My Special Ornaments. They bring a certain old fashioned Christmas into my home.

In taking the time to share these three favorite decorations of mine, I've done more than simply share.....I've reassured myself that there is no way I could ever get tired of the decorations for this holiday season. Perhaps next year, I will decorate even earlier......yeah, probably not! I still think the Turkey needs HIS day!!

Until tomorrow, my friends......may you have certain decorations or traditions that help you remember the Spirit of Christmas, the Wonder of the Season, the Beauty of it all..

Think Thankfully!

BAH! Humbug!

"Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug!"

"Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure?"

"I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? what reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.”

I think we all remember this particular part of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Whether you enjoy the original from 1938 (starring Gene Lockhart and Reginald Owen) or the 1951 remake (starring Alastair Sim) or the 1984 television version (starring George C Scott - which is my favorite), or finally Disney's version in 2009 (starring the voice talents of Jim Carrey), this particular Christmas story is one everyone has heard, everyone can relate to, and some even refer to themselves as Scrooge around this time of year. 

Have you ever really asked yourself why Ebenezer Scrooge disliked Christmas so much? Most people think Scrooge (or to be Scrooge-like) is all about the money. They think that Scrooge distance people due to his insane love of money. This is not true. When we dig deeper, we realize that.

As a boy, Scrooge was abandoned by his father, who blamed him for the death of his mother (she died giving birth to Ebenezer). At a young age, because his father couldn't stand to have him around for the painful reminders he brought, Ebenezer was sent to an all boy's school. During the Christmas season, while the other children went home to be with family, young Ebenezer was left on his own at school. As he got older he began to crave money, and valued only that. Love was only important if it made financial sense, which in turn cost him his only true love. He even began to look down on "old-Fessiwig" who loved Christmas and celebrated it with all the enthusiasm of a child. Scrooge thought Fessiwig was foolish. He became increasingly consumed with money, and Christmas. The ultimate symbol of "giving" and love, was nothing but foolish time that caused poor people to be happy and grateful for what they had (Ebenezer thought this was stupid because in his mind they had nothing). Christmas became the enemy of everything he thought had any real importance (making money, saving money, greed).

So why do some people in this day and age still feel the need to refer to themselves as Scrooge, or to act like a Scrooge when Christmas rolls around? Some become a Scrooge because they don't HAVE a family. Maybe they are estranged or just too far away to be together. Then there are those people who lost their family due to divorce or death, leaving the holiday to only be a painful reminder of happier times. Maybe they have their own 'Ghosts of Christmas Past' and wish to escape that sadness and loss. Facing the holidays without someone you love can put a painful tug in the stomach and tears in the eyes.

The financial strain of our pitiful economy at this time of year might definitely create many variations of Scrooge during this holiday season. Perhaps Scrooge became tired of all the forced happiness and relentless cheer that accompanies the holiday season and finds it to be insanely commercialized and materialistic, filled with annoying relatives and stress. Maybe even YOU have had your own Scrooge moments when you felt that way.

In the end, Ebenezer is reminded that the true gifts in life, are gifts that money had nothing to do with: time spent with family or those we refer to as family, loving and being loved (remember how hard his nephew Fred tried to show Ebenezer how loved and wanted he was?). 

Until tomorrow, my friends, perhaps you can find a way to give someone in your life who is a little like Ebenezer Scrooge at this time of year some holiday cheer. Share a smile with someone who does not feel the festive spirit as others do? Maybe invite them to go for a ride looking at all the pretty decorations around and perhaps, in turn, you could bring a smile to their faces.

Think Thankfully!!!

Day 11 of the Think Thankfully 30 Day Gratitude Challenge

November 11, 2013. Veterans Day. Today actually marks the 95^th anniversary of Veterans Day, although at its start, it was referred to as Armistice Day. Here in the United States, Veterans Day honors all American veterans, whether living, died in action or deceased from other causes, either having already served or currently serving in the US Armed Forces.

Today, I choose to write about my brother, United States Air Force MSgt Travis Everett, armed forces member since November 1996. My brother has always had an affinity with the military. He struggled with the academic rigors of high school and knew that college was not going to be for him. From the time he was little, he was drawn to the military and it became all he talked about. He had more plastic Army men then I think all of Toys R’ Us. Our sandbox was littered with those little men and when he was old enough to venture out of our yard to play, he would head to the woods to play military. He spent countless hours in the woods around the local fire company in town playing Army. He’d wear his camouflage clothing, take his play guns, and off he’d go for almost all day long.

My brother has always felt a strong sense of patriotism and pride in his roots, which is why he chooses, year after year, to honor a graduating senior from our local high school who has chosen the same path in life as he has. Entering the military was never done for the ‘free education’ or the ‘free trips’, because quite honestly, who really wants free trips to Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar, or Korea. They certainly are not vacations you want to or many times can write home about. Choosing the military was about giving something to this great nation. It was about honoring those who enlisted before us, the countless generations of brave men and women who fought for this country in times of war and served this country during times of peace.

Military life is about sacrifice of all kinds. My brother has spent quite a bit of time away from family. In my nieces’ 10 and 11 years of life, my brother, their father, has missed many big events because of the sacrifice of military employment, including one of their births, holidays, birthdays, school events, and dance recitals just to name a few. Being stationed states away has kept my brother from many family get togethers and being stationed worlds away has shown my brother just why our country is as great as it is.

On this, the 95^th anniversary of Veterans Day, I wish to give a HUGE THANK YOU to my little brother for his selfless dedication and outstanding service to this great nation. And not to be forgotten, for those in the tomb of the unknowns, a special THANK YOU for your patriotism, love of nation, and sacrifice you and your families have made for the common good of our nation. God Bless America, Land that I Love!

Think Thankfully!!!

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

I know, I know!!!!!! It has been forrrrrrrrrreeeeeeevvvvvveeeerrrrrr since I updated my blog. I feel like my inspiration has been zapped lately. Well, perhaps it hasn't been zapped, just relocated to my daily performances in the classroom. Today, however, my inspiration returned.

Today. September 11, 2013. Twelve years. WOW. On one hand, it feels like we are so far removed from the events of 12 years ago. On the other hand, it feels like it was just yesterday. Anyone old enough to fully remember events can tell you where they were on the beautiful morning of September 11, 2001. All over Facebook today, people were recounting their recollections. In a weird way, I enjoy reading people's accounts of where they were when the world truly stopped turning for us. It gives me hope that those innocent people whose lives were cut way too short will NEVER be forgotten. Even if we didn't know any of the victims, we still remember the horrific images and the lasting memories of that day. It is forever going to be etched into my mind. I don't think, even if I wanted to, I could forget September 11, 2001.

I was teaching in Classroom 143 at the Donley TEC Building on KidsPeace's Main Campus in Orefield, PA. We had just gotten started with our morning routines when  the classroom phone rang. My classroom aide answered the phone and immediately told me to turn on the TV. In an instant, the images displayed on the television screen was of billowing smoke coming from the World Trade Center. It took a moment for my mind to register WHAT I was looking at. I first thought it was the anniversary of the first attack on the WTC, but quickly remember THAT was the basement and I believed in February. No, this was live. This was happening RIGHT THEN. The classroom was utterly quiet as we watched the events unfolding. My heart was heavy. I immediately called my dad (because he was the first person I thought of to call) to see if he had seen this, if he had heard. He was teaching 4th grade in the Whitehall Coplay School District at the time. He told me to sit tight, it would all be OK.

My class and I continued watching the events, hearing about possible attacks coming in Washington DC. My thoughts kept flitting between my uncle and my cousin, both of whom are Secret Service agents. I couldn't help but feel like a huge heavy weight was on my shoulders. As the minutes turned into an hour, we watched in horror as the South Tower collapsed at 9:59am. Immediately my heart sank. At the time, I was married to a volunteer firefighter and was VERY involved in our local fire company. The only thing I could think of at that very moment was, "OH MY GOD. ALL THOSE FIREFIGHTERS and EMS WORKERS." I knew that more often than not, the emergency services rush into perilous scenes while everyone else was rushing out. I knew that September 11, 2001 was no different. As I watched the huge tower of a building collapse almost into itself, the tears began to freely flow down my face as I thought of the numerous firefighters who would not be returning home to their families. And then.....at 10:28am I watched, completely numb to my surroundings, as the North Tower collapsed. There was no way there could be any survivors to this blatant attack on OUR soil, on AMERICA'S SOIL.

We were asked to turn our classroom televisions off, but in one of the only ever professional acts of noncompliance I ever did, I refused to turn it off. We watched all day as the news reports filtered in of hijacking aboard more planes. We learned of the Pentagon attack and of the hijacked plane that was supposedly heading to the White House or Capitol Building, but ended up downed in a field in western Pennsylvania. We learned of the many, countless people who were unaccounted for. We watched as people searched for, cried out for, and held out hope for their loved ones. And as the day of the event started coming to a close, we all questioned the same thing, "Why?"

In the days following September 11, 2001, our nation came together. It didn't matter whether you were Democrat, Independent, or Republican, we ALL wore our red, white, and blue. We sang our Patriotic songs. We hung flags wherever we could. We professed to be a nation that would NOT cower to terrorists. I still can not listen to Lee Greenwood's hit song, "Proud to Be An American" without getting tears in my eyes. I've watched nearly every documentary on September 11, 2001. I've read a lot of articles on the events of that day. I will NEVER forget.

My heart still aches for the 343 FDNY firefighters who lost their lives simply answering the call. In the months after the attacks, Bruce Springsteen recorded one of my favorite albums, The Rising, in which most of the songs were inspired from the events of September 11. Into The Fire still chokes me up when I hear the lines: It was dark, too dark to see, you held me in the light you gave; You lay your hand on me, Then walked into the darkness of your smoky grave. Somewhere up the stairs into the fire. Somewhere up the stairs into the fire. I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher. Somewhere up the stairs into the fire.

In the Spring of 2002, I had my first student at KidsPeace who was a child of a victim. I was unsure how I was going to be able to work with this young man, whose pain I could not even imagine. When the hurt is there for me and I didn't personally know anyone who perished, how could I make this boy feel better? And then we talked......he shared his stories about September 11 with me. He told me of his father, who worked at Marsh and McLennan on the 99th floor of WTC 1 when the attack happened and I made a promise to him at that moment, that every September 11 from here on out, I would find some way to remember his father. It is a promise I have honored in the twelve years since the attack and will continue to honor as long as I am living. I remember......

Where were you when the world stopped turning..........?