What can I say about 2011? It was a pretty good year in a lot of ways, but as years go, it had its ups and downs.

Noah started the year preparing to take his First Communion and playing basketball with a team at the YMCA. Juliette was starting her second semester as a junior in college and beginning to stress about getting a summer internship.

Steve and I were continuing our same jobs, he working for CCT and worrying, at least at the beginning of the year, whether he would have a job by the end of the year, with budget cuts at the university. I was, and continue to be, still working as Mom and CEO of the Brandt family, as well as writing fantasy novels.

Noah moved from basketball to soccer, still at the Y, and we began to notice that he wasn’t as competitive as the other kids. He was content to have fun and play, but winning wasn’t as important to him. He joined another basketball team in the summer, and while we loved his coach who took great pains to explain the plays and the goals of the team, even going so far as to design a play that worked to Noah’s strengths, passing and blocking, after that “season” finished, we decided not to sign him up again for a team sport. His non-competitive, easily distractable nature seems to lend itself to less athletic pursuits.

In March, Steve and I attended a writes’ conference in Houma, LA, where we each pitched our latest books to an agent. She told me to try to cut 35,000 words from my book and contact her then.

I cut 29,000 and sent her an email in August. To my surprise and delight, she remembered me but said she was much busier than she expected. She suggested I try to find other representation and if that was unsuccessful, to contact her again in December. I did, it was and I will be sending her another email by the end of the year.

Steve decided not to contact her again because he feels his book needs more work that he has time for at the moment.

On a side note, our friend Jo Templeton also pitched to the same agent at the same conference and while she, too, was unsuccessful in getting representation, the agent’s words helped her plot the second and third books in her series and her first one was picked up by Crescent Moon Press, release date to be announced.

Speaking of Crescent Moon, I took a job with them as content editor. At the moment, I have three books I’m working on, but it looks like all three will be finished, or my part, anyway, soon, and I hope to see them released in 2012.

Noah took his First Communion on May 15.

Juliette started a book review blog, Paperbacks and Frosting, and while she didn’t get a summer internship, she is now finishing up one she got for the Fall Semester, with Paige Wheeler at Folio Lit.

Noah went to soccer camp this summer again, and took swimming lessons.

We did not go on a family vacation due to timing issues and conflicts in scheduling, and all of us have decided we can’t let that happen again. We need to take some time off!

Noah, Juliette and I did Vacation Bible School again this year, and as always, we loved it and it was exhausting! Next summer will be interesting as the school is undergoing major remodeling and it will probably interfere with VBS, as far as space and ease of movement throughout the school/church campus.

In August, my sister-in-law Elizabeth and I met up in Nashville for five days before school started. It was a lot of fun and we saw lots of touristy things and even went to a show at the Grand Ole Opry. We’re considering making this trip an annual event, although the venue will change.

Steve traveled a lot this year, more than usual as he has been given more and more responsibility as his seniority at CCT increases and because some people left due to the anticipated budget cuts which didn’t happen as expected. He went to Seattle twice and several other places this year.

At the beginning of October, my in-laws took us all to Shreveport to the Red River Revel, a big art fair. It was a lot of fun and we spent a little too much money, but we’re hoping to go back next year.

Thanksgiving was held our our house this year after two years of spending it in a condo in Orlando. I think just this week we finished all the turkey leftovers!

Our Christmas tree is up and all the presents have been bought!

I hope your 2011 was a good one and that 2012 will bring you all you desire, but most of all, I hope you receive all you need to become the person God created you to be. Some of those gift may be in the form of trials. We know that gold is refined in fire, and that the cross comes before the crown. May prayer for you all is that you receive joy and happiness and love but most of all perseverance and strength.

You are all my friends, but more than that, you are a soul God loves and Jesus died for. You are more precious than gold and were created in the image of our God.

For that fact alone, I love you. Not for what you may do or what you have done. Not for who you were or who you may become.

You. Just you. You are loved!

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to all!

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think God is really trying to get my attention, possibly because I haven’t been paying attention before!

Well, I feel like this is happening a lot lately and I’ve started looking around to see what He’s trying to get me to change. Because, ultimately, He wouldn’t be trying to hard to get me to listen if I were doing all the right things in the first place.

I keep hearing a song on the radio by Steven Curtis Chapman called Do Everything. I’d post the video here but experience has taught me that it wouldn’t work anyway, but go to YouTube and look for it if you don’t know the song.

The basic message is to “Do Everything You Do for the Glory of God.”

Years ago, I tried to figure out how that’s even possible. At the time I was the wife of a graduate student and the mom of a little girl about four or five years old. We were living in a trailer and seriously had no money. I was thinking about being a writer and people would suggest that I go to a book store and buy the kinds of books I wanted to write and study them. They just didn’t get that I literally didn’t have the money to buy books!

Doing my daily chores and life stuff for the glory of God just didn’t compute. How did defrosting a freezer or folding clothes glorify God? Didn’t I need to be praying endless Rosaries or going out and finding the homeless and bringing them back to my house to feed and clothe?

We actually did take care of a homeless guy for awhile but frankly, he wanted to drink and break windows more than he wanted new clothes or food.

Now it’s years later, and I’m older and I hope, more mature in my walk with Jesus. Last summer, when I went to RWA Nationals, I got a very strong feeling that God was reaffirming to me that He wants me to write. The speakers all seemed to be telling me that and even the missal at the church I went to Mass on Sunday morning had a picture on the cover labeled, “Jesus the Storyteller.” I felt like God was sitting next to me, saying, “Look, I gave you the talent and the desire to write. What are you going to do about it?”

A year has gone by and I’ve finished my book, sent it to an agent, and am still looking. I’m also working on the second book in the series along with a middle grade fantasy novel based on stories my son tells.

But if I’m getting this message that I need to do everything for the glory of God, what am I missing?

Well, of course I know. I’m not working hard enough on my writing. I waste a lot of time on computer games, Facebook, whatever.

And there’s more.

This was the year I said I was going to meet my weight loss goals, and that’s not looking so promising now. I hate tracking my food and I love ice cream.

But, I’m starting to get a new perspective. Today’s second reading this morning was Romans 12:1-2 and as I followed along in the missal I felt that 2×4 to my head (or my heart, maybe) again. Verse 2 especially:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Okay, so I’m now seeing things a little differently. When I want to do something, I’ve started asking myself, “Does this bring glory to God?”

If I’m folding clothes or cleaning the bathroom or emptying the dishwasher, I’ve started to realize that those things bless my family and I’ve been called to be a mom so if I do mom things then I bring glory to God.

If I sit down and write my word quota, then since I’m called to write, I bring glory to God.

If I spend an hour playing Word with Friends or Frontierville, I’m not bringing glory to God if my other tasks are being neglected. Games and pasttimes are not evil but they’re not my calling.

Sundays are a day of rest and I can play games then. I can also sew for my family and that’s renewing to my spirit, too, so I can bring glory to God by blessing my family with clothing or lovely things to look at or quilts to keep them warm. I can make gifts to bless others, too.

If I’m eating healthy food to nourish my temple of the Holy Spirit, I bring glory to God.

If I stuff my face with cake and cookies, to the exclusion of good food, I don’t.

I don’t know where this all will lead me but it’s a journey I’m looking forward to.

I’m trying, AGAIN, to get back on the wagon in my attempt to get my life in order. In about six weeks, I’ll have a milestone birthday. I’m not completely ready to announce the number.

This is the first time in my life that’s the been the case. I’ve always been okay with my age and not at all self-conscious about it, but this one is a biggie and it’s going to be hard to get used to.

Anyway, what’s new since the last time I wrote?

Well, the Girl goes back to college this morning, early, as her first class is at 9:30 and she hasn’t moved into the dorm yet! Beloved went to bed early as he ran 8 miles yesterday, lifted weights and swam in the pool AND went to Mass! He was exhausted. He’s up now, working on his book and waiting for the kids to get moving.

The Boy’s been showing progress from his language therapy. I’ve noticed that he seems to be talking more about things without resorting to nonsense. And he’s been describing things better.

I’m still plugging away on Sword & Illusion. I’m hoping to get it polished completely by my birthday, but it’s not looking too good. I’ve found some small problems in chapters I thought were finished, and I’m having to move some scenes around to make up for some I’m taking out.

Spiritually, I’m trying to lose my tendency to (1) run myself down and see myself as a horrible person and (2) worry about things or be fearful. I know God loves me just the way I am, but it’s something I need to internalize.

I’m getting back into my scrapbooking and did several layouts this weekend. You can see them all here.

One of my goals is to update this thing more often.

I’m going to leave you with my new “overheard at Mass” section:

Yesterday as the Boy and I were kneeling after coming back from Communion, he said, “I see lots of yellow people and not so many chocolate.” (This is something he says a lot to get a reaction, I think.)

I told him that God doesn’t see us as colors. He sees us just as people.

He said, with an excited expression on his face, “You mean, He sees us naked?”

Have a great day, knowing God loves you!

Yesterday the priest at Mass was from Food for the Poor. He told stories that broke my heart. Little kids who only have dirt to eat, families where they have to take turns eating because there isn’t enough for everyone to eat everyday, heartwrenching stories. I sat in Mass and cried as I listened. I am such a softie.

Here I am listening to these stories as the Boy is telling me that he’s hungry and I just wanted to cry more. I told him I was NOT going to talk about what we were going to have for dinner and if Mass was almost over because I knew we had chicken and pork chops and milk and bread and food in abundance and little children around the world die every day because they don’t have anything to eat.

On the way home I told my husband I wanted to give all the money I’ve been saving to go to RWA’s National Conference in Nashville in 2010. I have a jar on my dresser and at the end of the week any money left over from the weekly food budget goes in there along with coins/change I get from various shopping trips. I have no idea exactly how much is in there but I know there is about $43 in bills and the jar is full of change besides.

I fully expected him to say no.

I kinda thought he would.

He didn’t.

Then this morning my Bible reading was about the golden calf the children of Israel worshipped when Moses was gone for so long up on Mount Sinai, and the devotion was about God asking the writer to give up her shopping addiction for Lent. God asked me, quietly, if I was REALLY willing to give up the money I’d been saving for his children.

And deep down, I wasn’t.

It had been a gesture. A thing of the moment, but here God was asking me for real. Am I willing to give up what isn’t, truly, that important to help someone or several someones who can really use it?

Boy, you know what? It was hard. I really want to go to Nashville for RWA Nationals in 2010. I haven’t been since 2006 and maybe by then I’ll have sold another book. I hope so.

Before anyone got up, I folded a load of clothes and watched about 10 minutes of something I had on tape, and when I turned off the DVR, the TV was on a commercial about a charity that feeds the hungry in Africa.

I mean, come on. How many times to I have to be convicted of this???

My husband, this morning, told me to take the change to the Coin-Star and get it converted into bills so we know how much is in there. We’ll send it to Food for the Poor and I can start saving again for Nashville. We’re also considering cancelling our cable and going with Netflicks for our television viewing and sending money every month to Food for the Poor.

Okay, God, is this what you wanted me to do?

We had some personal stuff go on in the family. The Girl came home from college for the weekend. It’s not actually a SUPER big deal as she’s come home every weekend since school started, but again, the university is about 20 minutes from here and Beloved works there, so her coming home isn’t hard or anythingl

Saturday was HeartLA’s monthly meeting, just a week after our luncheon. Siince I found out about the cancer after the luncheon, I told them all about it and several people had friends who went through this so I got a lot of support and all that. The meeting wasn’t too exciting; our speaker forgot to come which was fine as we only had about 8 or 9 people there to begin with.

I didn’t go to lunch with them because Beloved’s car was on the fritz and the family usually goes to Chick-fil-a on Saturdays. Or at least the boys do. They couldn’t go if I didn’t come home with my car, so I went to lunch with them.

The Girl and I went to confession Saturday afternoon. I talked to the priest about how I don’t think I’m all that good a Christian as I don’t seem to automatically turn to Jesus when I’m in the hospital or at home. Even at Adoration the night before I didn’t really know what to pray for. I mean, God knows I want healing, and it seems selfish to ask for that. What if that’s not in His will for me? Anyway, I feel a little better. Father Tom is undergoing prostate surgery soon for his own cancer and he was trying to tell me that he thought his medical problems won’t be as bad as mine. Yeah, right, um, sure, okay. Anyway, I’m praying for him.

Sunday I was feeling a little more tired, but the Girl and I had tickets to High School Musical on Stage at LSU. I’d never seen it before, being not a big Disney Channel Movie fan, but the Girl needed to see it for her theater class. She didn’t know exactly where the theater was, so we did end up walking a bit which took a lot out of me by the time we got there. Fortunately, sitting in the theater made me feel better, and the walk back to the car wasn’t so bad.

The play? It was cute, but so predictable and kinda…cheesy. I don’t know what the big hype is. I know there are tons of people who just love High School Musical – I mean, they’re making High School Musical III so it must hit a chord somewhere — but I just don’t get it. If anyone out there does, please tell me what I’m missing.

Mass was fine, but I was tired. Several choir members talked to me after and offered support and prayers.

Yesterday, I was sleepy most of the day. Just didn’t sleep good Sunday night. I went to Weight Watchers and was down .2 which isn’t great, but at least it’s not a gain.

Today, I’m feeling a bit icky. Woke up with a cold like sore throat and have been coughing. I felt like I was coming down with one before the surgery but I think this one is a DIFFERENT cold as Beloved is feeling the same way.

Tomorrow, the Boy has an appointment with an audiologist and Thursday is our Stampin’ Up Hostess club, so I’m hoping I’m feeling better for those things.

“When we are set free from the bondage of pleasing others,

when we are free from currying others approval-

then no one will be able to make us miserable or dissatisfied.

And then, if we know we have pleased God,

contentment will be our consolation.

~Kay Arthur-

I think one of the big lessons I’ve learned in my life is that it’s useless to worry about what other people think about you. You’ll never please everyone, and someone will always have something critical to say no matter what you do.

I decided to become Catholic about 13 years ago, after a lot of struggle and prayer. Beloved came to the Church through an intellectual process; he read Church Fathers and realized that the things they taught are what the Catholic Church teaches now. My trip was more about realizing that the doctrines made sense and I saw the Catholic Church standing firm on issues like contraception and abortion when all other “denominations” watered down their beliefs or caved in completely to society.

I don’t care to live the way society tells me to live – it’s not good for my soul to try to conform to what the media or the loudest voices say.

I’ve had to struggle to keep my convictions strong and that struggle has strengthen them. My birth family, all of whom are very dear to me, is not Catholic and there have been some moments of contention about that, some of them quite emotional and harsh, but I have to go with where I believe truth is.

Recently, the issue of standing up for your convictions in the face of vocal dissent came home to me. Last night, in fact.

A political discussion/emotional debate has broken out on the email chat loop of our local RWA chapter. Someone innocently posted what I call a “Yea, America” essay that’s been going around the internet. One of our active members spoke up, pointing out that the essay wasn’t by the supposed author, then went on to lay out her opinions which she unashamedly labeled as liberal. She made the unfortunate claim that “die hard conservatives” aren’t willing to read or hear any other opinions. She also said she’d debate anyone as long as they proved back up for their facts. She provided none for hers.

I answered in a brief email that basically said I was offended by her contention that I wasn’t willing to read any other opinions and stated that she demanded proof for my statements but offered none ofher own.

She came back with an apology for the offensive comment but said that while she knew what she said was true (i.e. people having to choose between putting gas in the car and feeding their children), there was no documentation to “prove that.”

I let it go after that because I’m not a good debater and last year I was “tarred” with the “rude and mean” brush by members of the chapter. I wasn’t willing to risk that again.

Then a friend came home from a trip to all this and spoke up quite vehemently on the conservative side of the issue. Her posts were passionate and accurate, and I began to fear, as the posts went back and forth, that tempers were running high and our chapter could split.

Last night, I privately emailed my friend and we chatted a bit about what has been going on and she said that no one was stepping forward to defend either position – it came down to her and the other woman posting alone.

I had written my own emotional email, outlining some of my personal experience, mainly about the birth/adoption of my kids and how that affected my pro-llife stance, but I had only sent it out to a couple of people.

When I realized that my friend had the courage to stand up for her convictions and was doing it alone, I felt the need to stand up for mine, so I rewrote the post, providing links to articles backing up my statements, and posted to the loop.

I haven’t heard anything yet, except praise from this this friend about my ability to use words, and I went to bed last night worried about the fallout.

However, when I saw today’s quote, I thought about it. I hadn’t flamed anyone nor posted anything but my own opinions and if I’m not willing to be vocal about pro-life and family issues, how can I expect to be an effective witness? If I am so worried about being considered rude and mean that I don’t stand up for what I know is right, what good am I?

Pleasing others is not the way to eternal life. People will always let you down. God is the only one I need to please, and I pray that my words last night, and here, please him and I am truly sorry if they don’t.

The back cover blurb says:

Twenty-eight-year-old Emma Browning has experienced a good deal of life at her young age. Proprietor of Emma’s Boardinghouse, she is “mother” to an array of beefy, unkempt, often rowdy characters. Though many men would like to get to know the steely, hard-edged, yet surprisingly lovely proprietor, none has truly succeeded. That is, not until the town’s new pastor, Jonathan Atkins, takes up residence in the boardinghouse, affecting not only her with his devout faith and strong convictions, but her clientèle as well. Emma clings desperately to her stubborn ways, refusing to acknowledge God’s love until all of Little Hickman witnesses a miracle — the conversion of her abusive and alcoholic father, Ezra! Only then will Emma begin to experience God’s transforming power at work.

This blurb doesn’t do justice to the depth of emotion in this book. I don’t normally cry while reading a novel. Movies, yeah, but it takes a lot in a book to make me cry.

Well, I did toward the end of this one!

Also, this blurb doesn’t tell you about the romance in the book and how wonderful the characters are portrayed. Emma and Jon are real people with real problems and pasts that are not so clean and shiny. They share a common, abusive past, but where Jon let God open his heart and learned how to forgive even if it was after his father’s death, Emma stayed bitter and angry at her father, who, in her mind (and the mind of some townspeople) is unworthy of any kind of gentle feeling or compassion. She only deals with him when she has to and refuses to let anyone help her, believing that her father is her problem.

Jonathan, who she knew as a child, took a different path and ends up helping Emma with her father, regardless of her bitterness and out right anger at the idea of a loving God. Jon’s example and refusal to back off from his beliefs eventually soften her heart and allows her to see God’s love and her own worthiness.

An excellent book and one I would recommend to anyone interested in reading a wholesome inspirational that doesn’t paint life as always rosy and sweet. Real people dealing with real problems and finding God through it all. Wonderful!

Last Easter, I couldn’t get to all the services for the Triduum because the Boy had his tonsils out on Maundy Thursday, so I missed that service. The Girl says Beloved stayed home that night, too, but I don’t remember that. She and I went to Good Friday and then she and Beloved went to the Vigil and I went to Easter morning service alone.

This year, we all went to everything. The choir Beloved and the Girl are in sang for Maundy Thursday, so the Boy and I sat alone in our regular pew (right up front, as close to the choir as we can get without actually being IN the choir). Well, I guess not alone as an older lady sat with us due to the number of attendees. Just so you know, this is a very small pew. It can comfortably hold four people, but I don’t know that you could squeeze in five, so the Boy and I aren’t taking up six or seven places all by ourselves!

When they took the Eucharist out of the church, I cried a little and tried to explain to the Boy what was happening. I told him Jesus was going to die and wouldn’t be with us until Easter Sunday. As the priests carried the consecrated hosts all around the church and then over to where they would rest for adoration until late that night, I saw a few tears running down the Boy’s cheeks as well. This may be my child who wrestles with God, but at that moment, he got the emotions of the moment, anyway.

There was a gumbo supper after that service, and even though our line was directed through past the desserts first, I didn’t have any. The gumbo was delicious and not too spicy.

We sat with a couple we’d never met before and through the conversation I mentioned I’m a writer and gave them my website address and the names of my books. I really need to print up new business cards!

On Good Friday, we all went – again sitting in the same pew (they should put our names on it like they used to do in those old churches). Someone on the decor committee had hung a red banner over the crucifix and the altar was cleared except for three chairs and the lectern. It was kind of emotional to see that, which is good for Good Friday. We should feel the emotion!

After that service, the decor committee, which I’m on, decorated for Easter. Beloved, the Girl AND the Boy helped. The Girl tried to figure out how to get disadvantaged service hours out of it, but decided to be honest and not count this work.

Anyway, we worked from about 4:30 or a little later until about 7:30 or so when one of the men brought in catfish and hush puppies. Well, I don’t eat fish or any seafood (a bit of a handicap living in Louisiana) so I’d made a kind of lasagna thing, without meat, of course, as it was Good Friday – which is a day of fast and abstinence. I had some of my lasagna, some yummy salad, some bread and one cookie. Then, I left the room where the food was because those cookies were calling to me and having any more food would violate, in my opinion, the whole spirit of the fast and abstinence rule. In reality, I probably shouldn’t have had that cookie, but whatever.We left right after we ate because it was after the Boy’s bedtime and most of the work was finished anyway.

I had a HeartLA meeting on Saturday morning and the Girl volunteered at a nursing home for some disadvantaged service hours.

Our RWA chapter had some surprising news on Thursday; our president resigned, citing family reasons. I don’t know what those are and won’t speculate here, but our vice-president said she didn’t feel ready to step in as president, yet.Our chapter has this kind of “succession” system. It’s kind of understood that if you agree to run for and are elected vice-president, you will be president the next year. We’re such a small chapter we don’t have a lot of people running for offices, so basically, if you agree to run, you will hold the office.

As I was president last year, I told our VP that if she needed my help on Saturday, I’d be there. I missed the last two months due to pneumonia (Jan) and the Boy’s Pinewood Derby (Feb – he won first place in car design!). She said she thought she could run the meeting but was glad I’d be there to help if she needed it.

Then, Elaine Grant, who was president two years ago, contacted me and asked if I would be willing to be co-president with her this year to help our VP get through her year of learning the ropes. I agreed. I’ll be running meetings and Elaine will work on the luncheon.

We didn’t go to the vigil on Saturday night. While I love that service and it really feels like Easter when I go, the Boy wouldn’t have been able to handle a 2+ hour service, no matter how beautiful.

Sunday morning, we went to church and then spent a lovely, NO TV, day. Beloved had brined the turkey (yes we had turkey for Easter – we’d gotten two for the winter holidays and had one still in the freezer), and roasted it upside down and it was the most delicious turkey I think I’ve ever had.

It was lovely, relaxing day.

The kids have this week off from school, and the Girl has a ton of stuff to do so it may end up being me and the Boy around here. I hope to get a lot done on Sword & Illusion. I can always get the Boy interested in coloring or building with his blocks and he can be good for an hour or so!

How was your holiday? Blessed, I hope!

As part of my Lenten disciplines, I am praying a rosary every day, but recently I realized that I’m saying the words (I do it while waiting in the carpool line to pick up the Boy from school) but am I really praying? Really talking to my Lord?

The Girl is a wonderful young woman of God and when she says her prayers at night (we all pray our nighttime prayers together in the Boy’s room when it’s time for him to go to bed), it often sounds a little irreverent to me:

“And God, you know that thing-a-ma-bob I want to pray about before but I forget what it was now, well, you know all that stuff and, yeah, that and all the other, you know, school junk and my biology thingie and well, yeah, all that. Amen.”

When I asked her about that, she said she talked to God that way all the time because He’s always around and like her friends.

So when I realized that I’m saying the words of the rosary, while sitting in the car, but not thinking about them, I also realized that my relationship with Jesus is kinda distant. I mean, I have never doubted His presence or any of that, and I still go to Adoration every Saturday morning at midnight until 1 am. And there, He’s RIGHT THERE, you know? RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, and He’s just sitting there waiting for ME!! Waiting for me to come and be alone with Him.

However, even with that, the rest of the week, I don’t pray much and I worry and often He’s not the first thing I think of when I hurt or something bad happens.

So, I made a new plan for Lent.

I am a geek and kind of a talk radio addict. When I’m in the car I listen to WJBO, the local conservative talk radio station, so when my rosary is finish, I would turn Sean Hannity on and listen to him.

At home, at the computer, I listen to Live365.com  and a station called Can’t Take the Sky, that plays music about and inspired by Firefly and Serenity, one of my obsessions. Yes, it’s a little geeky, but don’t ask what’s on my mp3 player!

Anyway, I decided for the rest of Lent, I will not listen to those things. I’ll listen to KLOVE our local Christian radio station and on the Internet, I’ll listen to the Catholic Jukebox.

I also started trying to talk to Jesus the way the Girl does.

I’ve felt much closer to God since I made these decisions and some personal things happened that seemed like His hand reaching down and touching me.

Now, the next issue is that Atheist Guy is still here and went to Mass with us yesterday. I’m trying to show him how happy a Christian marriage and family can be because he really is a pessimist. He doesn’t where he is working and doesn’t see any way to find a better job and he’s very cynical. Even going to Mass with us, he made a few comments in jest that my husband takes in stride but they drive me crazy. He even took a book with him (H.P. Lovecraft!) and read it during the offertory and I think communion. I mentioned it to Beloved after Mass, but he said, “don’t worry about it.”

But, the homily was all about if we know Jesus in our hearts, not our heads. Talking about when a Protestant asks you if you’re saved or if you know Jesus. Do we know Him?

I felt as though he were talking to me, but I do feel better about my relationship with my Saviour and I plan not to move away again!

If you’re interested in how things are going with my bout of pneumonia, check out my weight loss blog.

At least that’s how I feel. I know that I should think about doing some shopping throughout the year, buying little gifts for people whenever I think about them or when I see something they like, but I never do that.

I never put food in the freezer for the holidays, nor do I do baking ahead of time.

However, Christmas always seems to work out. People never complain about the gifts I COULD have bought them if I’d thought about it. No one every notices that I didn’t decorate the way I wanted to.

Christmas is not about all that stuff anyway. It’s, of course, about the birth of our Saviour and our family remembers that, or at least tries to keep that upper most in our thoughts this time of year.

My father was Danish and my birth family had the tradition of opening “family” gifts on Christmas Eve. Daddy always read the Christmas story from Luke before we opened the gifts. Christmas morning was for Santa presents and going to my mother’s parents’ house for the big family gathering.

When Beloved and I were dating and we had our first Christmas as a couple, we spent it, of course, with his family (he was living with them). We went to my family later, but on Christmas Eve I missed opening up the gifts and as Beloved’s mother is Norwegian and HER mother was living with them, I appealed to her, asking if they didn’t open presents on Christmas Eve.

She said they did and my future father-in-law gave in and now we open ONE gift on Christmas Eve. Beloved took the tradition of reading the Christmas story and added to it. On Christmas Eve he reads from Isaiah 53, the prophecy about the suffering servant. Then, if possible, we go to Midnight Mass. I LOVE Midnight Mass.

On Christmas morning, we open gifts and have Julekake (a Scandinavian sweet bread). Beloved’s grandmother made it and I love it. Now that she’s gone and my in-laws usually travel down here, I make it. This year, we’re going to have, in addition to the bread, Jule-waffles. I’m going to try to add the candied fruit and cardamom to waffles and see how it turns out!

What are your traditions? How do you keep the true meaning of Christmas alive?