2013 In Review

To Celebrate the Year 2013 I turn to Robert Frost
 

Into My Own

One of my wishes is that those dark trees,

So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze,

Were not, as 'twere, the merest mask of gloom,

But stretched away unto the edge of doom.

I should not be withheld but that some day

Into their vastness I should steal away,

Fearless of ever finding open land,

Or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.

I do not see why I should e'er turn back,

Or those should not set forth upon my track

To overtake me, who should miss me here

And long to know if still I held them dear.

They would not find me changed from him they knew--

Only more sure of all I thought was true.

    
 
I'm Celebrating the End of 2013 knowing I am more sure of all I know to be true. 
It was a year of growth both in medicine and writing.  Spiritually, my faith was, and still is, being tested, and I'm growing closer to God and knowing the Holy Spirit is with me. 
 I feel ready to start 2014 as a continuation of that growth...
 

Christmas Eve Prayer from Louisiana

God,
I wanted to say something profound or share a poignant Christmas memory.  But with the growing hate towards each other in America we need more than fancy words in a sappy story.
We need You, God.
You don't just tolerate us.  You love us so much you sent your Son to die for us.
You aren't swayed by social pressures.  There are no double standards.  All humans have sinned and need salvation.  
You are The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  That doesn't change, no matter what we choose to believe.
You give Peace that goes beyond all understanding and defies world thinking. 
Thank You, God.  
Tomorrow, remind us to stop counting the number of presents and focus instead on the eternal gift of salvation through Jesus.  Until we know You, we won't know true love and compassion for others.
For by grace you are saved through faith..it is a gift of God, not of works....Ephesians 2:8-9

Celebrating Small Things

I'm managing to get this posted on Friday--a Celebration in itself!
Thanks to all the wonderful comments and encouragements. 
A few small accomplishments:
1.  My inbox on my computer is empty--folders created for the emails I need to save.  Who knew you could make a "filing cabinet "
2.  The guys at the recycle place were impressed to see me twice this week.  Old soap buckets make good recycle bins at my back door. 
3.  Hairapy.  I love going to get my hair cut and styled.  Lydia is The Best!
4.  I made a selfie I kind of like.  It must be the hair!  (usually mine is curly, though)

Merry Christmas to all.  Next week may we be celebrating time spent with family and friends. 
Jesus is the Reason we Celebrate this Season. 

Sensational Saturday

I missed the Celebrate Post on Friday.  Not to be deterred, I'm going to post it a day later. 
I don't like junk mail, nor do I like spam mail.  And yet, it keeps coming and coming.  I often ignore it....more often than not I ignore it. 

Which brings me to this Week's Celebration:

1. I cleaned off the kitchen table.  Mainly it was junk mail I shredded and recycled.

2.  I cleaned out my email box--all 789 of them.  I read the important things, most of the time.  But I'm bad about not deleting the unimportant.

3.  I've committed to daily purging instead of once a quarter or so spending two or three days working on it. We'll see next week how that goes.

Any suggestions for motivating better organization? 
Hope everyone is having a great Christmas Season. 

Celebrating: Small Marshmallows

In Louisiana we don't have much snow and sleet.  In fact, sometime we've worn shorts and T-shirts to New Year's Parties.
Sometimes, though we actually get real winter weather, and, while I know it's not like our friends up north, let's face it, 43* F is cold no matter what part of the world you live in.

Tonight I'm celebrating:
1.  Getting all my phone calls done at work. 
2.  A fire in the fire place and a good book.
3.  Swiss Miss Cocoa with those tiny little marshmallows. 

Those marshmallows are the coolest things!