"Go East", they said...: As we draw nearer to Christmas...

Dear Friend;

Come along, make haste and join us in our adventures while living "In The East".

We are living in the east, geographically speaking, after a sudden work transfer beckoned us almost across the entire country, splitting our family in half with grown children/grandchildren remaining behind on the west coast.

We moved into our new home April/06 but never knew it would be God's providence to endure another move for work and positioning for a future medical situation. We moved again amidst 4 feet of snow in mid Dec/08.

We hope to continue sharing our pioneering moments with our family and friends back home, creating an environment for tenderly passing along the new memories we'll be making over here in the east, those that will stand the test of time in both thought and deed.

Sprinkling some ambiance into the mix will be a fully loaded and most positive outlook while we're on this adventure and new challenge together.

Please join us while we journey onward. Feel free to email me with your comments, questions or ideas. We welcome you here.

Sursum Corda!
Renee

Thursday, December 22, 2011

As we draw nearer to Christmas...

Never far from our sight, "Hail and Blessed be the hour..." sees lips moving silently while reciting the St. Andrew novena above. A gift from a friend, this daily countdown through Advent has been a lovely addition to our seasonal preparation.

Some precious items about our home this time of year have become solidly etched as our personal family traditions. Some years we rotate the collection. And some years, we find ourselves drawn to particular items more than others, those that seem to evoke the most spiritual sentiment. It is such a comfort to unpack each item once more every Advent.

With the year rolling into the Christmas season ahead, and certainly almost at a close, I have reflected upon the reasons why it's been such a strange year, absolutely filled with an abundance of change in our lives.

Life is fragile, handle with much care and prayer...

This year has had plenty of emergent health reminders for those both near and far, concerning just how very fragile life can be; all fending off worry, everyone continually hoping for better, and taking charge of the emotional roller coaster when it suddenly arrives and scoops us up against our will, for an incredibly unexpected bumpy ride.Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee

However, and most definitely, in all the down turns, there is still joy lurking everywhere - if only we have the mindset to notice, and if only we have a place in our hearts to include those findings.

All year long, I've worked on choosing joy!

"Joy" was my one-word focus on during the 2011 year. It was, for me, an uplifting and seemingly happy word, for purposefully smiling and distracting myself when required, to enable a sifting with wide arms moving to clear through the fog, and conscientiously beginning the daily search to dwell on all the joy there really is - no matter what the situation and circumstance. Admittedly, there have been many "circumstances" through the year, scary and difficult ones, both in our home and beyond.

JOYFULLY, we remain so grateful for the opportunity as we were finally able to meet face to face with our newest grandbaby, such a long awaited time had arrived at last! But the joyful occasion was not only the hugging and kissing, it was also being around this incredible, happy, smiley sweetheart!