Well Laid Plans

Each year I think I will finish our Christmas cards early, but each December finds me needing to address the many cards I intend to mail. I made some cards earlier this year as I did last year. It is fun to be creative and to use old cards to make new ones. I would make all of the cards if possible. I also have some other nice cards to send to friends and family so have plenty to choose from.

I sent a small amount of Thanksgiving cards and was able to get most of them in the mail early. This should have been the pattern to follow for our Christmas greetings too. We have received some beautiful Christmas cards already and I have yet to address any. It is always a pleasant surprise to find Christmas cards tucked among my birthday cards early in December each year.

Plans go out the window when you get sick. I managed to get a bad cold and did not want to leave my chair for several days. All scheduled events had to go on without me. I missed my own birthday if that included going someplace. But I wasn't forgotten by friends and family. I am truly blessed. But I would have loved to be at Bible Study at FBC and share in the baby shower for one of our sweet ladies. I also missed an event I was scheduled for at Westview Bible Church. I did not want to share this cold.

Sorry to say that Paul and Laura now have colds too. So guess none of us will be in Church tomorrow. I hate to miss going to either Westview or to our old Church in Coronado. I have strong ties to Coronado and newer ties to Westview in Imperial Beach. Both are precious to me. How can I leave the place that has been home for so many years? Laura is very happy just going to Westview. Paul would probably be happy going along with Laura. But I am not ready to let go of the place that has been such a blessing for so long. They have been so good to us. For now we mainly go to the place nearer home which is Westview. But Paul and I get to Coronado at least once a month. And I stay active with the Ladies Bible Study at First Baptist Church in Coronado.

This was intended to be about sending Christmas greetings and also about well made plans. The greetings will be sent, hopefully not late. The calendar may be full but I have to be willing to let go of things if need be. I want to do each activity planned and that would have been nice this week. But we never know what tomorrow may bring. Last week my sister, Donna, wasn't going to come down for Thanksgiving since she had a bad cold. But on Thanksgiving eve her brother-in-law died so Donna and Fred's plans were changed. They needed to come to be with his family in Chula Vista. So we got to see them after all. But it was a sad time for their family.

During the year I have thoughts of what I would like to do for loved ones at Christmas. As time passes it becomes obvious that these plans are not possible. We always have to minimize what we do. It is a good thing that it is the thought that counts because that is mostly what we give now days. A small package for each grandchild and for our four children are at the top of the list. Postage costs more than what they contain, some years. I have other small gifts on the list that I try to buy. I consider cards to be the main part of our Christmas giving. Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Trying to share that precious message is the most important thing for me.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Image credits:Jerine; calsidyrose; Lauren Manning