Busy Weekend

We have had a busy weekend. Yesterday for Girl Scouts, my dear friend Anna and I met our 30 Girl Scouts at the nursing home. We sang carols and then did crafts with the residents. I was so proud of my kids. I stood back and watched as Rylee helped a little lady that couldn't see well make a snow man. Brooklyn took charge at her table and demonstrated how the craft was supposed to work. When it was time to go, one of the ladies at Rylee's table couldn't find her snow man and was upset because she wanted to give it to her grand child, so Rylee gave her the snowman she had made. I was so proud because Rylee loves hanging her projects on our fridge, but she wanted the cute little lady to have one. I have to say one more thing. I am no longer the Girl Scout Leader. I just go along with Anna to help out. I don't want to take credit for the wonderful meeting she planned yesterday.

The other thing the girls and I did this weekend was bake 264 cookies and 8 coffee cakes. Yes, we are indeed crazy. You see, in a small town, there is always some kind of charity you are asked to help out for. This time of year, the way to raise money for this and that seems to be bake sales. I had several requests for baked goods, so I decided to say yes to all and spend the weekend baking. Just call me Betty Crocker. The good news is, I tried 2 recipe's I have never tried before and they are the best cookies I have ever had. We have also ate more sugar this weekend than should be permitted for an entire year. I even tried to go as healthy as possible. Whole wheat flour, splenda sugars and ground flax seed. Still, that's a lot of carbs! The last thing I wanted to share was from a church service I attended during a cookie break today. It was actually a performance by the Carrington Community Choir. On the back of the program was this:

"Let us at all costs try to avoid the temptations to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king. He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace - His peace - in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace. When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus to the Lord, Simeon said to them: "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken again, that the thoughts of many will be revealed." (Luke 2:34-35) Christmas is not a retreat from reality, but an advance into it alongside the Prince of Peace. Jesus came to give light to a dark world."

This really struck me today. I always envision the perfect Christmas. No stress. Plenty of $$$ to go around. Ryan, the girls and I relaxing by the Christmas tree in need of no other entertainment but each other. Everyone getting the gift they want. All of us remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Somehow that vision never quite manifests. The words on the back of the program hit home for me. I truly am so blessed and it's silly of me to expect perfection. The only thing perfect is Jesus. Let us strive not for perfection, but for love.

Until next time... Peace Out!