Friday September 30 2016  IT IS ALMOST CHRISTMAS!

As far as I am concerned when the calendar turns over to the month of September it means it is almost Christmas.  The older I become the faster time speeds by.  And since tomorrow will be October 1^st it is time to think about getting the Christmas tree set up.  I kid you not!  We already have it on our calendar next week to do just that.  Now, I’m not saying how quickly it will be done, but it will be started none-the-less.  So what if guests come over and see the tree up in October or November; they might think I am dorky but that won’t bother me in the least.  I already know I’m dorky!  When everything is trimmed, the lights are working, the Christmas packages wrapped and stowed away before Thanksgiving, it will be us who will be free to go to all Christmas event that pop up in December.  So many things always happen in December and if we are not ready with all our preparations we sometimes can’t participate in the fun stuff.

My goal is to be totally ready for Christmas by December 1^st (and hopefully before the week of Thanksgiving).  Now just to set the record straight, for the past several years we have just not done anything that had to do with a tree, decorations, hosting parties, or even buying many presents.  This year we want to do it differently.  We once again want the grand kids to see a tree at Gramma’s and Grandpa’s house.  We want them to have at least one memory of a Christmas celebration here at our house.  Oh, they usually come over each Christmas week but the house doesn’t look much different than it usually does. 

But then again, on the other hand they still may not see a Christmas tree here for Christmas.  As you know our goal is to downsize our belongings and one thing that we would like to downsize is the stash of Christmas paraphernalia that resides in our upstairs hall closet.  You got it!  THE CHRISTMAS TREE!  We own a beautiful artificial tree with a billion beautiful ornaments.  Actually it was on clearance at a local hardware store, completely decorated, and still looks like a million bucks.  The ornaments are beautiful and there is a plethora of them.  We thought perhaps we’d decorate the tree and see if our children were interested in having the whole shebang.  If they are not interested we plan to market it on Craig’s list right after Thanksgiving and sell it.  Perhaps someone will buy it, ornaments and all.  But in the mean time, the kids can enjoy it in October and November and then tell the story at our funeral about how we sold the Christmas tree.

Truth be told, we’ll see how it all works out.  But, I am serious about getting everything out next week and starting to decorate.  We celebrate Christmas with few gifts but lots of time together.  The memories we make while being together far outlast the memory of what we received for Christmas last year.  Who knows, if the tree DOESN’T disappear before Christmas perhaps we’ll have a party.  Once up on a time we threw some big shindigs; who knows, perhaps we have one more left in us.  Besides, I love parties!

I hope that this year Christmas day will not end with a flood at our house like it did last year.  It took about five months to get that mess ironed out and the bathroom rebuilt. 

WHAT A JOYOUS TIME TO COMMEMORATE

Kathleen Martens

September 30, 2016

www.visionsofpoetry.com

It is always best to be prepared

For what is yet to come.

Even if it is way too soon

To begin having such fun.

Christmas comes but once a year

Yet it seems to come so fast.

All the busyness of Christmas month,

And the special day seems not to last.

So much planning is always done,

And everything must be just so.

Always searching desperately for the right gift

Makes it necessary to be on the go.

I want everything done before the month

Of celebrating Christ’s Holy birth,

So I can participate in festive events

Rejoicing about His coming to earth.

My one goal is to be free

For the entire month of December.

And then it will be the family times

Which will be remembered!

What a joyous time to commemorate,

Lord, I thank You for coming to earth.

Thank You God for Your wonderful plan

Of salvation, through Your Son’s birth.

GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU THIS DAY.

AS WE ENTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON MAY YOUR JOY IN THE LORD BE COMPLETE.

P.S.  Just a reminder that I will be writing my blogs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday beginning in October.  I do hope to publish a poem daily.  I hope you will still check in on my blog-free days.  I absolutely love the challenge of coming up with something to write about each day but due to all that I must accomplish in the next few months I am hoping my daily schedule will allow more time for me to finish up the projects I am currently working on.  I enjoy hearing from my readers so please check in occasionally.  Sincerely, Kathleen