Small things II

The Decor

Okay first thing you need to know to understand this "small thing" is the decor of my room.  A couple of years ago I began decorating my little bedroom in what I like to call sort of "retro coastal." The color scheme is white, beige, spring green and a muted turquoise blue with little, little hints of pink. The furnishings fall along the minimalist line with pieces that are distressed and touches of rattan.  The accents include hints of willow leaves, sea shells and coastal nostalgia.  Sprinkled in this very soothing decor are just a few very tasteful (and small) flamingos.  The flamingos and my favorite throw blanket provide the splash of pink. 

The Old Hairdryer 

So I have had this little compact red hair dryer for as long as I have been back in the US.  It belonged to my folks for many years prior to that.  Having long hair that I have treated as "wash and go" has meant that the hair dryer has had sporadic use over the past several years. A month ago however I got a hair cut that  has made me want to blow dry on a more frequent basis.  My hair dryer decided that it was not fond of the frequent use.  It became rather temperamental requiring a lot of coaxing (switch flipping and sweet talking) to get it to work.  This led me to the decision to look for a replacement. When a kind family at school gave me a $15 Target gift card, I decided to try to use it towards replacing the hair dryer.  

The New Hairdryer

I had been looking at the variety of options when what should I find at Target but a bright pink hair dryer for $14.99.  Being in my budget and having the features that I wanted, I decided to buy it.  As I see my pink and black hair dryer on the little side table, I can't help but see an abstract Flamingo head. and it makes me smile every time. How gracious of God to not only provide a working hair dryer but one that fits my decor!

It's the small things.

Merry??? Christmas

So I feel obligated to say "Merry Christmas!" yet to be honest I am not exactly feeling "merry" this morning.

You see, after sniffling and dealing with drainage for a couple of weeks, today I woke up will the full blown "shoot me now" cold.  It is Christmas day and I am sick.  I have never done well with being sick on Christmas, my birthday or any holiday for that matter.  In my world, it just should not be.  So that is the foundation for my less than merry mood.  Want more????

So Mom got the cold the day before.  So that one "stable, holds it all together for this family" person is not functioning 100%.  She missed the Christmas Eve service and dinner at my house. The traditional Christmas Eve dinner at my house was reduced to Peter in one room and me in another eating our dinner.  

Because of Flu and other illnesses Larry's nursing home has been on "lock down" for almost a week. He is not able to come home today for Christmas. Because mom and I are both sick, neither one of us is going to be able to go in (hands washed and masked, as I did last night) to see him.  He will spend today at the Nursing Home in the ordinary way without visitors (and he is used to a daily visit from family.)

Need more....

Peter has continued to act as if I am his maid and personal attendant.  The Batman PJ bottoms I gave him last night were completely rejected.  And honestly I am anticipating more of the same today with the gifts I have bought him.  And when tomorrow comes no doubt there will be request for more. Ever read "If you give a mouse a cookie"???  Yeah that is Peter.  And I can't help but think Peter acts as he does because I allow it.  And well that just makes me mad at me.

Did I mention that the cream curdled twice when trying to make my tomato soup for Christmas Eve. So I made chili.

So I can't honestly greet you with Merry Christmas today because it would be a lie.  However I can greet you with "Hopeful Christmas," because today isn't really about being "merry".  It isn't really about the family smiling around the tree. Today is about hope.  We recognize today that God kept his promise to his people from way back in Genesis.  He promised a savior and he sent him.  He sent his son Jesus to do what we could not do for ourselves.  Not only that but he  will continue to do for us what we can not to for ourselves.  And we will celebrate with him one day in all His glory and splendor without sickness and sin to mar it.

Christmas marks hope fulfilled.  It gives reason to continue to hope.

So whether your Christmas is Merry and Bright today or not, I pray that it will not be without HOPE.