Dec. 17 – My Funniest Christmas Memory

Two blogs in one day. This is crazy!

As part of the "Wives of Faith Twelve Days of Christmas," we are to post on our blog about the topic of the day. Of course I'm just now posting my first one on Day 6, but that's okay! :-)

Today's topic is "My Funniest Christmas Memory." My Mom and aunt will probably kill me for posting this, but it's been over 30 years so I'm sure I must be past the statute of limitations or something like that. Anyway. Here goes.

Let me set the stage. I grew up on a 36-acre farm in Albemarle County, Virginia. We had a ranch-style home with a full basement. There was a ground-level basement entrance on one side of the house, which meant there was a like a bowl-shaped hill going down into the basement.

I remember this one Christmas where my older brother came over and brought my parents some 151 proof Wild Turkey as a Christmas gift. For those of you who don't drink, that's some REALLY strong bourbon. Well, us kids had to go to bed so Santa could come. Around midnight or so I was awakened not by Santa and his reindeer, but by sounds of my Mom and my aunt laughing loudly and giggling outside. My bedroom was at the end of the house so I had one window that overlooked the hill going down into the basement. There was my Mom and aunt trying to roll three bikes down the hill into the basement. The bikes had been apparently hidden in the smokehouse and now they were trying to get them inside to the Christmas tree. Well, they had also apparently already been into the 151 proof Wild Turkey, not realizing just how strong it was!!! They started trying to roll the bikes down the hill, the bikes got away from them, and they ended up rolling down the hill themselves. And here they lay at the bottom of the hill, laughing and giggling.

There were bikes for us under the tree the next day ... but now I know the real reason Rudolph had a red nose. LOL

Keeping my eyes on the star

Okay, my New Year's resolution is to be more diligent with my blog. Over two months since my last post? That's just not right!

Today I'm reading in my study and there is a writing by Carole Lewis. One of the three main lessons she took away from a study of the wise men is that "They kept their eyes on the star and didn't take detours." Wow. That was written just for me! I need to keep my eyes on the star and not take detours. Keep the main thing the main thing. Even when the goal seems far away and the progress short, keep focusing on the star. Carole adds, "We believe it took the magi about two years to reach Bethlehem." Thus the reason we celebrate Epiphany on January 6th ("Three Kings Day") and believe nativity scenes with a baby Jesus and the Three Wise Men are not quite correct ... but that's beside the point. :-) The point is that the magi knew they had a place to be and they set out for that place, preparing for the long journey, and not taking detours. I must do no less.