Maturity arrives within our souls as we see things differently even though we have looked at them a thousand times before.  Suddenly love and hate take on entirely different hues of colors, and the edges of each soften, as never before, …when clouds aren’t in our way

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas filled with love and joy.  I spent several days baking goodies and preparing things in advance for my Christmas Eve dinner to try and give me some extra time.  It kind of went like this…

Luckily for me, Mr. Lookin’ decides to purchase a Honey Baked Ham as we were having 12 for dinner.  Figuring that now all I would have to do are the side dishes and that would make things a bit easier.   Sure enough it never fails with me that when I give myself extra time – I do more elsewhere - like bake for 2 days, including chocolate chip cookies, pecan tarts, brownies and making the chocolate candies.  When I was totally “rum-dum” as I call it…I begin to make the side dishes ahead of time that I could.  This is where the Jell-O – Macaroni salad comes to play – done and put aside a night ahead of schedule. – Whew – I am doing so well…. (Rum-dum- but doing fine)

So Christmas Eve morning I made the dishes of sweet potatoes with pears and apples, the green bean salad and the fruit salad go with the HB ham – what could go wrong?  Even the ordurves were good and ready to just heat and served (cheese & egg puffs and crab cakes) I am so “Martha Steward” that all I needed were the camera crews and bingo - I ‘m a “star”. 

Doesn’t it always happen when you think your doing so darn well that-  “bam” something happens to prove you’re not as smart as you think you are!  At least that’s always how it happens to me.  I think it is God’s way of keeping me humble. lol…lol    First off, my Father-in-law was taken to the hospital and at 92 that is always scary.  And the stress builds – 12 for dinner and I must keep cooking and preparing for that event but we have to divide and take care of “Dad” also.  Phones never stops ringing…stress…stress.

People arrive.  We open gifts – play – talk and begin to eat and the food was good – it seemed something was missing – but all in all things went ok.  By 3:30 pm all have taken a plate of goodies home with them and Mr. Lookin’ was off to the hospital to check on Dad – things were stressful but going ok…..I am left with clean-up – dishes everywhere – but peace and quiet in the house and I can clean by myself pretty fast.

That’s when I discover as I am putting things away – that my huge bowl of “macaroni salad” is still in the refrigerator along with the Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie – and I barely have room to store the other food that we had sampled –

I had to laugh – with all the hard work and all the planning – half the food was never touched and I don’t even think we missed it.  I don’t remember eating – but I am told I did. 

By the way my Father-in-law is coming home today from the hospital and he is doing fine. My only questions is “Does anyone want some Pie, Apple or Pumpkin,  or some Macaroni Salad?”….  I have plenty… beside all the leftovers…hummmmmmm - 

I think it was Christmas, but it happened so fast – I'm just not sure…lol

         TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
 There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.  What in the
 world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge that won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?   Today I found out, thanks to the Internet.    From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.
 Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality, which the children could remember.

 The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
 Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments.
 Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
 The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke &
 John.
 The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of
 the Old Testament.
 The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
 Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy
 Spirit, Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution,
 Leadership, and Mercy.
 The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
  Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy,
 Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self
 Control.
 The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
 The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
 The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in   the Apostles' Creed.