We are due for a big weather change so I saved today to decorate for Christmas. I surprised myself and did a little cleaning and re-arranging in the garage. I found many things I’d forgotten about……most of which have lost any hope of usefulness and have been relegated for a stop-over in the garage before being dumped.

I found old decorations and items which have been favorites over the years and they always bring joy to the household. I hope my new kitty will behave but I would imagine she will go for the trinkets that are in reach and make herself crazy trying to get the ones that aren‘t.

I have three small trees so they will have to do. George (oldest son) has had the custom of giving Hallmark decorations for the tree every year. My favorite have always been the Village pieces of the Nostalgic Houses and Shops. George tells me I have all of them except the very first one. I never put them on a tree because of our small home but I make a Village out of them on a shelf in the living room. A Christmas tree has to be the small kind……..An old favorite is a ceramic tree George made before he went to the Navy during the Viet Nam era. It has colored lights and does very well for the “town tree” in the midst of the Village.

I have a pin John sent one year…….he just thought I’d like it and it arrived as a bonus before Christmas. It was special because he saw it and thought of me. What mother wouldn’t cherish the pin? A reindeer with a red bow. Jennifer gave me a wreath pin one year, gold, glittery and pretty. Becky didn’t have money to buy gifts one year and made a counted cross-stitch piece…..dear to my heart. It’s those little things that bring joy each time Christmas rolls around.

I have an angel pin the Blue Birds presented to me one Christmas. We were in the living room by the tree and I gave them their little gifts after our cookies and milk. Sitting on the floor with them and the lights shining brightly is a memory I reel in often…..it was a special time for me. When we held hands and sang our Blue Bird song before leaving….they surprised me when they broke into song (We Wish You a Merry Christmas) and presented me with the little gold angel pin. She is holding a Christmas tree and looking very angelic.

Anything I have ever done for anyone has always come back with memories worth keeping. We cannot outdo the grace God pours back when we try to make life better for someone else. He never fails, never forgets, never lets us go beyond what He and we can do together.

Essentially Esther