Thursday, December 10, 2015

PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE IN MY HEART!

Good Morning Out There! I haven't written a post in eight days! I have a lot of catching
up to do! I wanted this Advent to be a time of prayer and quiet reflection, decorating our
home and baking, everything done in a peaceful and joyful setting. What was I thinking?
I mean, whose life was I thinking about? It must be one of those Hallmark Christmas movies!
My life is always crazy, busy - in a wonderful, joyful, loud, boisterous and crazy kind of
way! No, there is not much time for peace and quiet reflection, but everything does get done, eventually!
As a matter of fact, I'm fixing to head out the door, but I wanted to at least start writing
about my Advent adventures! I don't think adventures is supposed to be an adjective/adverb
for Advent, but in my life, it fits! I'm going to hit save right now, but I (hope) plan on
finishing this post sometime later on today! Stay tuned....................... Sharla's Advent
preparations for Christmas will return!
Hey y'all, I actually made it back to my computer today! Guess what the morning prayer
in my Magnificat (that I am just now reading at 2:30 p.m.) is:
                                    Arise and greet the Lord with Joy!
I am a joyful person! I do try to thank the Lord for a new day right when I wake up but
sometimes I have to stumble around a little bit, maybe drink a few sips of coffee and then
I am greeting the Lord with Joy!
I really wanted to be able to write a new post each day of Advent, sharing some prayers
and some scriptures. One of the reasons I have been so busy is that I have been in charge
of buying the supplies for the Sack Lunch Ministry we have at our parish. I really like
making sure that we have plenty of supplies, I love helping make the lunches and handing
them out. People from another parish collected money and then went and bought a bunch
of the travel size hygiene items and some goodies and packaged them in large Ziploc bags.
They collected a bunch of coats and caps, scarves and gloves and delivered them to
the cafeteria on Monday. Some of them stayed and helped the people look for the right
size of coats and gloves after they picked up the goodie bags along with their lunches.
Watching those in need excitedly picking out a coat or another cap or some gloves was
such an amazing blessing. I'm just so thankful to be part of this much needed ministry.
Everyday this week people have dropped off individually wrapped goodies, more scarves,
hand crocheted caps and waters. The reason I had to dash out the door this morning was
because I had to go and get more groceries for the sack lunches. I was in a happy mood
as I shopped at the store and loaded up the supplies in my truck. I drove to the church and
some of the ladies helped me unload the supplies and put them away. The volunteers for
today already had the sack lunches ready. We have wonderful, hard working, faithful
volunteers who keep the Sack Lunch Ministry going!
I headed back home and planned what I was going to fix for lunch. My husband and son
like to come home for lunch. I heated up leftover goulash and added some more green
chilies and seasoning to the pan. I heated up tortillas, made lemonade and got the tea
out of the fridge. The guys came home and ate lunch while we talked about what jobs
are lined up for next week. After they went back to work I cleaned up the kitchen and
then sat down to eat.
I was thinking about Advent and the Sack Lunch Ministry and taking care of my big
family and I realized something. If we do all these things with love in our hearts, then
that is part of the preparation of Advent. Jesus wants us to love one another, to take
care of each other.
I am going to try and slow down just a little, take some deep breaths, and carry on.
This is an easy thing to remember: Pray before breakfast, pray before bed. Read from
the Book of Luke, smile at the sales clerks and if you have time, take some baked
goodies to an elderly neighbor or drop by and visit an old friend. Sing songs, bake,
decorate a little each day, drink a cup of hot cocoa. But most important of all..............
Remember -             JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
                                   
                                                                                           Bye for now, Sharla





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