Days 34-40 - Sick Leave: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....

 

 
A cool experience...

This week has been rather mundane.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

The only time you'll have a whole team that all looks just alike is if most of them are dumb because smart people don't want to hang out like a sheep.  - Dave Ramsey, EntreLeadership Podcast, November 25, 2024. 

It is safer for a believer to lie down in peace than to sit up and worry. - Charles Spurgeon, Faith's Checkbook, p. 8.

 

Nothing--no amount of fat or failure--can separate you from God's love or rob you of the conquering power you've inherited from Him. - Heather Harphan Kopp, The Dieter's Prayer Book, p. 30.

I'm thinking about...

I'm at a new stage in my financial journey.  After more than 25 years of battling, I'm finally out of debt.  Now my focus is on investments for the future (retirement, a house, etc.) and how these elements of finances work.  This process will come with a new mindset, a new set of terms, and a whole other set of skills to learn.

What I read this week...

• The Quiet Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott ✮✮✮✮ (Category:  A glorious reread)
• A Year with C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮✮
•  God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer ✮✮✮✮
• High Road Leadership by Dr. John C. Maxwell ✮✮✮✮ 

I'm currently reading...

• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• Faith's Checkbook by Charles Spurgeon
  
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
  
• The Wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton
• Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton
• Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff
  

This week's blog posts...

• First Line Friday #26: Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff is here.
  

 I am thankful for...

• A great job done by Miss Betsy at our painting party.
  

• The fun time of crafting I had with my friend Diana.
• My improving card making skills.

 

• The ability to trade my vacation days for sick leave.  I've had some kind of sinus goo since New Year's Eve.  That is NOT a vacation.  My supervisor allowed me to cancel the vacation days I asked for and resubmit a request for them to be sick days.  Not every job allows that.
• OTC decongestants.
  
• Online church services.  No, it's not the same as being there, but it helps when I can't attend.

 

 

Days 27-33 - Mad-Libs: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....The winter temps are soon to return, but today is sunny, bright, and pleasant.

 
A cool experience... 

Colorado Community Church's "Carols and Candlelight" Christmas Eve service is always a cool experience for me.  However, this year's segment for the kids was so fun.  The Worship Arts team livestreamed the service, but there isn't a saved copy on the website--otherwise I would share it with you.  "Clarence the Angel" played a little game of Mad-Libs with the children in the audience.  He asked them for certain words (actions, animals, toys, etc.) then combined them to make a funny Christmas carol.  It was so cute.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

Denial, after all, is what kills dreams.  It kills hope.  It kills what might have been a real chance to overcome a problem had the solution just been pursued in time. - Dr. Phillip C. McGraw, Life Strategies, p. 87.

I wanted to think about myself so I could forget myself. - Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project, Getting Started section.

I'm thinking about...

UPDATE: I mentioned in this post that I was considering investing in therapy.  I finally bit the bullet and asked a clinician friend at church for a recommendation.  He has a colleague closer to my end of town who he believes would be a good fit for me.  After having an initial consultation with her over the phone, I made an appointment for January 9th (weather permitting).  Let's see how this goes.

What I read this week...

• Good Leaders ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell  ✮✮✮
• The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant by Terry Felber ✮✮✮✮
• The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis  ✮✮✮

I'm currently reading...

• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis
• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer 
• High Road Leadership by John C. Maxwell
  

This week's blog posts...

• None this week..

I am thankful for...

• A solid two weeks off from work.
• A fun time shopping and being goofy at IKEA with friends..
• Good weather so that I could make it to Christmas Eve service.
• Spending Christmas Eve with my church family.
• A nice quiet Christmas
• Getting to attend all three days of the quilting retreat with my friends at Grace Fellowship.
• My recent purchases to add to my travel quilting kit: a mini iron, a pressing mat, and an LED light strip for my sewing machine.
• All the wonderful gifts and cards I received for Christmas.
  

From the Workshop...

Please see my latest Aunties Workshop blog post here

 

 

Days 21-26 - Don't Look at Me: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....

I'm thoroughly enjoying the mild weather here in Colorado.  I know that the colder "real" winter weather is coming, but for now I've got the windows down and blasting happy music as I drive and sing along.

 
A cool experience...Our administrative assistants' fellowship group, Gatekeepers LTD, had their annual Christmas lunch.  One of our admins has a six-month-old daughter.  While mama ate, I got to hold sweet baby Jordan.  It was fun getting to be the "baby whisperer" for nearly 20 minutes. 

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

On the pronunciation of the word pecan (pəˈkän):  "Pee-can" is what you use when you ain't got no indoor toilet."- Auntie

Don't be jealous of what some else has if you don't want to do what they did to get it. - Joyce Meyer, The Power of Thank You, p. 152.

Leadership is the ability to add value to others. - John C. Maxwell

I'm thinking about...

I've nearly completed my 25 for 2025 list.  Now on to the 2025 Happier challenge put out by Gretchen Rubin and the one word for this season in my life.  Last week, the Happier podcast issued the 2025 challenge:  Read 25 in 2025.  The goal is to read for at least 25 minutes a day.  I really enjoyed the Write 24 in 2024 challenge this year because it made me focus more on my daily journaling practice.  The problem with this new challenge is that it isn't a challenge for me.  Nearly every day I read for at least 30 minutes  (more when I have time).  Books in all forms are already a part of my daily routine. So what 25 "thing" can I substitute for this challenge?  Maybe Write 25 in 2025, but focus on creative writing like blogs and books.  It's a thought.

What I read this week...

• The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer ✮✮✮
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮
• The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮

I'm currently reading...

• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis
• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  
• Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell

This week's blog posts...

• If at First You Don't Succeed:  The Weekly Hodgepodge is here.

 I am thankful for...

• Rubber tips on new gel pins to keep them from leaking.
• Coffee.
• Mug/candle warmers
• Babies
• Our Gatekeepers LTD group at work.
• All the beautiful Christmas cards I've received so far.
• Being in the Christmas spirit this year.
• Kind delivery drivers who actually read and follow directions.
• Fun co-workers who have become forever friends.
• 
  I'm thankful that the college deans I work for/with aren't very "dean-ly."  Don't get me wrong, they are distinguished, respected, and knowledgeable.  However, they are not academic stuffed shirts who have no sense of humor.  Quite the opposite. 
• The quilt journal I was given for Christmas last year.  I've enjoyed chronicling the quilts and quilt tops I've finished.
• Mild weather.
• Good neighbors.
• The fun of watching squirrels chase each other up a tree.
• The convenience of an on-site laundry room.
• Old fashioned gospel tracts. 
  

From the Workshop...

Please see my latest Aunties Workshop blog post here

 

 

Days 19 & 20 - If at First You Don't Succeed: The Weekly Hodgepodge [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

 

What's one thing you want to get done before the calendar flips to a new year?

Not so much things to get done before the end of the year, but things to prepare myself for 2025.   I'm preparing my 25 for 2025 list and looking over goals for the coming year.  I'm also planning out what I'm going to do (and not do) during my two week Christmas stay-cation.

What's something that brought a smile to your face this year?

Aw, I only get to pick ONE thing?  I know I mentioned it in my last post and will probably mention it again in one of my 2024 "best of" posts, but my quilting design wall.  That flannel and foam board structure makes me grin like a possum.

What do you like on a cracker? Do you have a favorite cracker variety? 

My favorite cracker toppings are either cheese or peanut butter.  I enjoy eating all kinds of crackers:  saltine crackers, oyster crackers, graham crackers, wheat crackers, Ritz crackers, Captain's Wafers, Keebler Club Crackers,...you get the idea. BTW--do Cheez-Its count as a cracker?

A couple of weird things I like on crackers are butter and french onion dip (not together).  I know, it sounds gross, but these are holdovers from college.  Broke college kids will eat anything that doesn't eat them first.   And if you've seen my "before" pictures from that time period, you know it to be true.

Do you have plans for ringing in the new year in a fun or special way? Are you typically awake at midnight on the last day of the year? 

Not that I know of.  I'm normally asleep way before midnight.

What are three words that describe your 2024?

Insert your own random thought here.

Today, I am thankful for:

• A couple of quiet days after such a busy weekend.
• Journals and notebooks.
• Uniball gel pens.
• Books in all forms and the ability to read them.
• Houseplants.
• My beta fish, Freddi.
• The Dry Bar comedy YouTube channel.  They specialize in featuring clean comedians (clean, not cheesy).  Here's one of my favorites:
  

 

 In case you missed it:  

• My previous Hodgepodge post "Caught in a Snare" is here.
• My latest Five Minute Friday post "Stuff" is here.
  
• My latest Weekly Digest "Days 14-18: Party Popper" is here.
  
• My latest book review "2024 Full Shelf Challenge V. 2: 05" is here.
• My latest First Line Friday post: "#25 - The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant by Terry Felber" is here.
• My "24 in 2024" post is here.
• My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
• My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.

 

Days 14-18 - Party Popper: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....

A lovely sunny day.  A perfect fall-ish day for a Sunday drive.

A cool experience...This week, I had the privilege of attending a campus-wide function in our nearly-completed Armstrong Center.  The open house and dedication were earlier in the fall, but I was unable to participate. 

Darn cottonwood trees!

Anyway.

I didn't arrive early enough to tour the building before the meeting started, but I at least got a peek at the chapel (pictured below).  The auditorium where we met isn't quite finished, but it's coming along nicely.  They plan for us to meet there again in February, so many more elements like projector screens and extra lighting should be done.

I know it's just a building to some, but to me, it's a testimony to many hours of work, prayer, and patience.  The project was delayed for several months because of litigation (can you say "frivolous lawsuit" children?  I knew you could.).  God was faithful through the whole process.  Now we get to enjoy finishing and beautifying the inside, seeing the new library filled with books, and having music and drama events conveniently on campus.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

I don't like the stolen valor of fake plants.- Josh Johnson, comedian.

There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself...as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist!  There have been some who were so occupied with spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ. - C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce.

Asking God for what we want without thanking Him for what we have reveals a heart that is not right before Him, perhaps a selfish or greedy heart.  A heart without gratitude is very unattractive to God.. - Joyce Meyer, The Power of Thank You, p. 105.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. - Albert Schweitzer

I'm thinking about...

My 25 for 2025 list and my one word for the year/season.  Though I won't reveal them until the first of the year, I think I've narrowed down my options.  Some of the 24 for 2024 items that I didn't complete will either be added to the new list, or retooled prior to adding to the new list.

What I read this week...

• How Can I Practice Christian Meditation by Joel Beeke  ✮✮✮✮
• The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮✮
• Eternity is Now in Session by John Ortberg ✮✮✮✮
• Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮✮
  

I'm currently reading...

• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis
• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer
• God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  
• Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis
  

This week's blog posts...

• Caught in a Snare:  The Weekly Hodgepodge is here.
  
• Days 08-11: These Feet Were Made for Waling...Gingerly [40 Days of Gratitude 2024] is here.

 I am thankful for...

• My design wall. 
  

• The Posh Paper Lady.  Her YouTube channel has a plethora of instruction videos for paper crafting projects.  I've been able to create many gifts because of her easy-to-follow guidance.
  

 

• A fun family memory of an inside joke.  I saw these at the Dollar Tree and thought of my family.  Even though we don't really know where this came from, our daddy was the first one we ever heard refer to a sandwich as a "sammich."  I'm sure the other shoppers thought I was nuts for taking a picture of these in the cooler while cackling like a hyena.
  

• The near completion of the Armstrong Center (mentioned earlier).
• Making my first therapy appointment for January.
• Trifocals.
• People in my life who love and appreciate handmade items.
• Christmas parties with friends.
• Our Poco a poco kids choir cheerfully singing carols  (most of them) in the foyer of the church.
  

From the Workshop...

Please see my latest Aunties Workshop blog post here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Days 12 & 13 - Caught in a Snare: The Weekly Hodgepodge [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

 

What's one task you'd like a little Christmas elf to sneak in and take care of tonite?

Not just tonight, but for the rest of the season.  Driving.  There's many events I'm going to miss during the holidays because they are at night or the reads are icy (No, I'm not going into my rant again about how the Denver metro area needs to do a better job of illuminating the main roads.  This is one of the things that my hometown does better. )  Then there are those days when driving feels so tiring that staying home is the better option.

What's your biggest challenge during the holidays?

Maintaining my mental and physical health. Though Advent is "the most wonderful time of the year," the things that make it so can be detrimental to me if my mind isn't in a good place.  The rich foods, the gatherings I either miss or don't feel quite like I belong in when I do attend, and the conundrum of wanting to see people back home but not having the mental or financial bandwidth to do so can make a fat, sad holiday season if I don't reign in my thoughts.  The good thing is that I work very had to focus my mind and creative energies on others. The bad news is that I tend to do this instead of taking care of myself.  Is it even possible to do both?

Are you a cookie baker this time of year? If your year had to be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter what shape would it be? 

I'm a pretty decent baker of breads, cakes, and, ironically, no-bake pies.  However, my cookie skills aren't that great.  I'm on a quest for soft, moist, delectable confections.  So far, I keep getting the aforementioned geriatric dog biscuit from my last post.  This was a problem way before I moved to a higher altitude.  I'm not sure how to fix it. 

If 2024 could be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter, it would be a ginger bread person with the head broken off.  No, not saying life is awful; it just means "Hey, we tried.  We made a good go of it; it's just a little broken."

Santa likes milk with his cookies. Do you like milk? What kind of milk is on tap in your house? (whole, 2%, skim, almond, oat, etc). What's the last thing you made that called for milk? 

I generally use 2% milk, but I do cook with buttermilk (when I can find it in the store).  The last thing I made that used milk was Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Share one favorite line from a Christmas carol or holiday tune? 

Go tell it on the mountain
     over the hills and everywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain
     that Mary's baby is not just an ordinary baby.
Tell them the Savior is born.

Insert your own random thought here.

Today, I am thankful for:

• From Monday
• Thankful the practical:  a roof over my head, food, running water, heat, a good working vehicle, clothes, shoes, and a good job.
  
• From Tuesday
• Getting to an from my dental appointment without incident.  It's a well-known fact that I avoid/refuse/detest/panic at/nearly pee my pants over driving on icy/snowy days. #ImStillSouthern.  There was no way for me to know six months ago when I scheduled the appointment that travel was going to be treacherous.  I am relieved to now know that the dentist no longer charges a cancellation fee.
• A good report at the dental office.  Yes, I need another crown, but I already knew that.  Thankfully there's nothing new to fix.
• I'm thankful for musicians who actually put DRUMS in Little Drummer Boy.  Look, being a percussionist makes me a bit biased and I know a drum solo at a baby shower is a bit unorthodox, but if you're going to sing about playing your drum for the newborn King, shouldn't you in fact PLAY it?
  

 In case you missed it:  

• My previous Hodgepodge post:  "Billie's Jeans" is here.
• My latest Weekly Digest "Days 03 & 04: Help Wanted" is here.
  
• My latest book review "2024 Full Shelf Challenge V. 2: 05" is here.
• My latest First Line Friday post: "#25 - The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant by Terry Felber" is here.
• My "24 in 2024" post is here.
• My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
• My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.

Days 08-11: These Feet Were Made for Walking...Gingerly [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Today, I am thankful for:

• Taking my first pain-free outside walk in months.   Back in August, I started noticing some pain in my left heel.  With every outdoor walk on pavement, the pain got worse.  It got to the point that any walking was very painful and wearing shoes seemed to make it worse.  Since then, I've been ginger with it, riding the stationary bike at the gym solely (I usually trade up with walking on the treadmill), icing the area, and taking ibuprofen.  This week, I went for a short walk outside and felt no pain.  I'll see how it feels tomorrow, but it is a step in the right direction (no pun intended). 
• Enjoying a fun Christmas brunch with the ladies of Table Mountain Baptist Church, my friend Diana's church.
  
• My church's kid's choir, Poco a poco.  They led worship on Sunday and did a great job.
• A stirring sermon based on the Magnificat.
  
• A friendly cashier and not being accosted by hobos at Wal-Mart.  
• The various charity projects I've seen in stores that are helping local kids have a good Christmas.
  
• My Christmas earrings for the year.  I got them at a craft fair in Evergreen.
  

Day 07: Ugly Sweaters [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Today, I am thankful for:

One of the teams I work with had the tradition of an annual team potluck/Christmas party.  One of my former supervisor's spiritual gifts was hospitality.  My current supervisor freely admits that this isn't his gift, so I volunteered to host the party at my home this year.  The theme for today's party was "Ugly Sweaters" and we had a blast.  Though we did bring up a little work stuff, most of the conversation was relaxed and animated (yes, it can be both).  Another part of the tradition is Mississippi Pot Roast being the main dish.  Well, the coworker who always prepared the roast retired last year, so I tried the recipe for the first time.  It was scrumptious.  Lord willing, I will host again next year and keep the tradition alive.

Days 05 & 06 - Billie's Jeans: The Weekly Hodgepodge [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

 

What's the best $5 gift to give someone?

It really depends on the person and his/her likes and dislikes, but I'll take a stab at it.  To get the best bang for your buck, a Dollar Tree gift card, or just the $5 cash.  Something fun and frivolous: a drink from Starbucks.  Or, skip the $5 and spend quality time with someone.  That's the best gift.

What's your favorite way to relax/unwind during the busy holiday season? 

Lounging on the couch with a warn throw blanket on my legs, a book, magazine, or needlework project in my hands, a warm mug of coffee or tea on the table beside me, classical music quietly playing in the background, and the aromatic pleasure of a scented candle or an oil misting from the diffuser,

How do you feel about gingerbread? Love it or no thanks? Are gingerbread houses a part of your holiday tradition? If you said yes, how does that look? Do you like ginger flavor in other kinds of dishes?

I've not eaten enough gingerbread to have an opinion.  Years ago, I tried to make gingerbread cookies, but I messed up the recipe somehow.  They had the consistency of a 40-year-old dog biscuit and were inedible.  I've never tried to build a gingerbread house from a kit, but I'm not opposed to the idea.  I've watched people online build them with their friends and/or family.  It looks like a fun group activity.

December 5th is National Blue Jeans Day...will you be celebrating? Do you have a favorite brand? A favorite pair? Do you have a hard time parting with a favorite pair of jeans? Blue jeans-joggers-leggings-yoga pants...which one do you wear most often? 

Not necessarily to celebrate the day, but I may wear jeans tomorrow.  At present, I only own one pair of jeans (that I need to get rid of).  I'm hoping to find a couple of pairs of jeans and flannel shirts to go with them. Regular jeans or jeans leggings will work.  I just want warm comfortable clothes to get me through the winter.

Insert your own random thought here.

Today, I am thankful for:

• From Monday - Ibuprofen. 
  
• From Monday - The ability to work from home.  It works well when I feel well enough to work, but not well enough to dress for work (thus the Ibuprofen).
• From Tuesday - An honest neighbor.  Something I ordered last week was delivered to the wrong address (That's THREE times Wal-Mart. I'm done!).  Since he/she (our complex has eight units, so I have no idea which neighbor) didn't know me and the packages had no address on them, he/she took the packages to our leasing office so I could pick them up.  Unfortunately, not everyone does that.
  

In case you missed it:  

• My previous Hodgepodge post:  "Scraps and Such 02" is here.
• My latest Weekly Digest "Days 03 & 04: Help Wanted" is here.
  
• My latest book review "2024 Full Shelf Challenge V. 2: 05" is here.
• My latest First Line Friday post: "#24 - The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer" is here.
• My "24 in 2024" post is here.
• My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
• My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.

Days 03 & 04: Help Wanted: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....

We had snow here in the Denver area just before Thanksgiving.  The shady spots still have remnants of the storm and some icy patches.  Even with that, the weekend has been sunny and pleasant.

A cool experience...This week was the good kind of boring.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

Mercy flows from God as freely as candy does on a parade route.- Pastor Michael Welchert Colorado Community Church, Sunday, December 1, 2024.

The best way to preach sinners to Christ is to preach Christ to sinners.  Exhortations, entreaties, and beseechings, if not accompanied with sound instruction, are like firing off powder without shot. - Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, Section 2, Lecture X, p. 185.

Giving thanks in all things at all times shows spiritual maturity, and it is something we grow into little by little. - Joyce Meyer, The Power of Thank You, p. 4.

I'm thinking about...

Therapy.  I keep struggling and fighting with this overeating thing.  I'm 52 and feel too old for this crap.  I was in counseling for a brief time, but I stopped going because I didn't feel heard.  As much as I hate to spend that kind of money, I need some outside professional help.  I keep reading books and going to meetings and trying to "do the next right thing," yet I fail more than I succeed.  Why any sane person would keep doing to themselves what I do is a mystery.  Perhaps a new therapist will help me solve the mystery and get free from this pernicious blight.

What I read this week...

• The Lord and His Prayer by N. T. Wright ✮✮✮✮
• Small Faith, Great God by N. T. Wright ✮✮✮
  

I'm currently reading...

• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis
• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer
• God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  

This week's blog posts...

• Scraps and Such 02:  The Weekly Hodgepodge is here.
• Day 01: Fortress of Solitude [40 Days of Gratitude 2024] is here.
• Day 02: Working it [40 Days of Gratitude 2024] is here. 
  

 

Today, I am thankful for:

• From Saturday - more painting and filling my creative bucket.  I'm trying some new paintings and they have gone well so far.
  
• From Saturday - The University of Alabama's victory over Auburn University in the Iron Bowl.  #RollTide
• From Saturday - Despite their loss, Jacksonville Statue University's record is still good enough for them to host and compete in the Conference USA championship against Western Kentucky University. #FearTheBeak
• From Sunday - The start of the Advent season.  This is the week of HOPE.
• From Sunday - Pastor Michael's message to start the Advent season.
• From Sunday - a much-needed afternoon nap. 
   

From the Workshop...

Please see my latest Aunties Workshop blog post here