Savor Life and the Blessings

It’s quiet in my home tonight.  The “gang” have all left for their homes in Texas and Seattle.  I’m savoring the sweet times we were able to cram into such a short span of time. I’m archiving so many things that I’ll remember for a lifetime.

My not-so-big home handled all eleven of us.  My big concerns about how we’d make it, were for naught.  We were together — and that’s what mattered. Laughter, sweet stories of the past, playing pickleball, and getting our family photos taken at such a fun place and fun is what we had.  The sweetest memory I’ll carry with me is Alexia and her little buddy-cousin, Bryson, with their blow-up mattresses in my closet, turned out to be their favorite adventure.

Alexia built a box movie theater that held her iPad for their movie. When I went in to check on them, they shused me out — they didn’t want to be disturbed. LOL!

Then today, the doorbell rang, and there was a big box sitting on my porch.  It was a beautiful new HD TV.  My 14-year old Payton (the entrepreneur and technological whiz-kid) went to Best Buy and negotiated the best deal he could for his Nana.  My family has been patient with me in my reluctance to get rid of the “dinosaur” TVs in my home.  Why would I want to get rid of something that works just fine for me?  But I think the big football games they didn’t see in high definition (HD), gave Payton the desire to bless his Nana.  And that he did today.

I was overwhelmed by his precious love for me. He spent so much time investigating to get just the right one — speaking to the Team Manager, then the Master Team Manager, then the Store Manager.  He got the best deal.

Just before the Wallace’s headed out for home, they had to have a final pickleball match, while my sweet Alexia sang on the clubhouse speaker system.  And the finale of the day, was hide-n-go-seek in the clubhouse.  We all laughed and ran around trying to keep from being caught.  Precious times!

Now, Christmas music is playing in the background as I’m putting up Christmas decorations.  It’s quiet and peaceful here, but I’m already missing the sweet sound of laughter, the sibling tiffs, the life that my precious family brings.

And here’s what I want to leave with you on this Friday night of Thanksgiving weekend.  I refuse to call this day “Black Friday” and to get caught up in the buying frenzy of this day.  Every Friday, is Good Friday, and here is what I wish for you as we approach the most beautiful time of the year:  That you STOP to FEEL and SMELL and SAVOR  and ACKNOWLEDGE  the precious gifts that God provides for you every single day.  That  you fully appreciate the blessings in your life and not miss a moment.  That you take them in and savor them in your senses as if you might lose them tomorrow.

Savor your life and blessings. And thank our God for the gift of it all.  And, to know that my life taught you something about your own, would truly be your gift to me.  I hope you embrace the moments, the season, the joys and the hopes that this beautiful season of Christmas brings.