getting in the spirit

I have not had much to say lately except I have had a bad attitude this past week (and a half?? Not sure. Check with my hubs :)).

I blame it mostly from being in pain most of the past week. I have an owie from a stupid pod site on my stomach and while it's healing up now and confirmed to be NOT a flesh eating bacterial infection (just kidding, no one mentioned flesh eating bacteria except my husband, which is odd, because usually I'M the one to jump to the most horrific conclusion possible) it's still a little sore and tender sometimes and just generally makes life a pain in the rear.

Like this morning when I tried to put on my knee-high socks because {gasp!} it was actually chilly outside. The tape over the gauze kept ripping off as I bent over so I had to ask the hubs for help.

On the plus side, I can now confidently type the word "gauze" without misspelling it. Most of the time.

We also finally got a new Christmas tree the weekend before last and I got it up and decorated within a two days. That may not sound that great, but once I opened the box, I realized it wasn't one of those handy-dandy ones where the branches fold out and you just have to fluff them.

Nooooo. . . .I had to organize each branch by the color of tape on the metal part, then snap each branch in individually. Nice.

Considering this was my second choice for a tree and a CERTAIN supposedly customer-oriented, low-price leader of an all-in-one, one-stop store REFUSED to sell me the very LAST of the tree I wanted (it was a display model and I wasn't even asking for a discount because the price was so cheap already!!), I was already fairly irritated at it and stores in general. So, $40 more than I wanted to spend, plus gas money for driving to every store in this town AND the next looking for the one tree I wanted plus three attempts to put the lights on myself with a fourth and final attempt by the hubs......put me in a generally bad mood. I had an enjoyable time driving around and drinking an eggnog latte with my husband though, which always helps! He's kind of my favorite :)

Now I cannot keep our 6-month-old kitten out of the tree. The ornaments are HIS glittery dangly toys of goodness! The branches are HIS chew toys! The tree skirt (aka: two yards of fabric I liked) is HIS new favorite naptime spot!

So the end result is no ornaments on the bottom foot of our tree and fake presents scattered on the tree skirt to keep him from sleeping there. Plus a spray bottle kept handy to use when he gets too close. Which he has so ingeniously figured out to do from BEHIND the tv so that we can't shoot a jet of water at him because we have bad aim and would hit the tv.

My Christmas spirit has been seriously lacking but today I am reminded of people less fortunate, people struggling more than we are, people who have lost loved ones recently, and people who do not know. I am pulling myself up by my shoelaces (metaphorically) reminding myself that I'm plenty old enough to forget the trimmings and food and presents and think about little Linus reminding all his buddies what Christmas is really about.

{I prefer the classic KJV for this}

Luke 2

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
¹⁵ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
¹⁶ And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
¹⁷ And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
¹⁸ And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Amen.