Here you go, just in time for the holidays! And, I pilfered this from CJ’s blog! Thanks CJ!
Favorite Christmas … Non-religious song? White Christmas – and my favorite version is from the movie “Holiday Inn” when he sings it the last time in the studio…
Religious song? Silent Night, preferably sung at Midnight Worship Service by candle light. So I share with you Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht on guitar just as Josef Mohr and Franz Gruber’s first rendition was played…
Santa-related song? Santa Baby
Fictional character? The Grinch, what is not to love – especially Boris Karlof’s voice!
Dinner main course? Roast Beast – errrr, Prime Rib, complete with Yorkshire Pudding and Horseradish sauce. Dinner dessert? Bouche de Noel
Scent? Butter cookies baking in the oven…
Animated Christmas program? I have two, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
Non-animated program? Okay, “It’s a Wonderful Life” “Holiday Inn” “White Christmas” – all great flix!
Personal memory? Watching my children’s faces on the first year they “got it” on Christmas morning.
Story? Each of the Gospels give such an amazing account of truly what Christmas means…
This or That… Candy cane or peppermint patties? Peppermint patties.
Sugar cookies or gingerbread? Sugar Cookies
Tinsel or beaded strands? None of the above.
Multi-colored or single color lights? I love white lights, but my kids like multi-colored ones.
Flashing or still lights? Still, flashing lights make me dizzy.
Wreaths or mistletoe/holly? Wreaths, and yes Mistletoe too.
Rudolph or Frosty? Rudolph, of course.
Sledding or snowball fights? Sledding!!
Snow or ice/icicles? Snow
Hat or earmuffs? A hand knit hat, of course!
Getting or giving? Giving!
Snow days or plow trucks? Of course, snow days!!
Stockings or presents? Both – can you have one without the other?
Cookies and milk or letter to Santa? Okay, again – can you have one without the other?You have to also leave carrots for the reindeer!!
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Can you have one without the other, I love both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
Log Burning Channel or Real Thing? Why the real thing, of course.
Cards or e-mails? Hand made cards!
Shoveling or scraping ice off the car? Isn’t this why God invented garages and snow plows?
The Inn’s Manger or the animals? Okay, I would be honored to be have been with the animals on Christmas Eve.
Hot cocoa or eggnog? Egg Nog – home made, with brandy of course!
Jack Frost or Little Drummer Boy? The Little Drummer Boy!
Yay or Ugh…
Holiday shopping? Yes, out with the masses – just like the song Silver Bells talks about..
Icy roads? Just gives one a good reason to stay indoors with the someone you love!
Limited driving visibility? Again, an excellent reason to stay indoors and snuggle!
Christmas Carolers? Yes, and I have been one, I love to go caroling!
Mall Santas? Ummm, really not so much!
Salvation Army Santas?Again, not so much – but I hope you drop money in the kettles!I have been a bell ringer for them as well!
Blizzards? Only if you have nowhere to go, some wine, a roaring fire and someone to cuddle up with!
24/7 Holiday Radio? I love this, even though I do not listen outside of work, NPR – you know!
Freezing cold? Yes, it is hand knitted woolen garment weather!
Setting up the tree? Yes, I love this part of Christmas!!
Wrapping presents? Yes, I love wrapping presents!
Visiting/seeing family? I love spending time with loved one’s for the Holidays!
Twenty-six years ago, I released a child for adoption. I trusted faithfully that my choice was the right one, and my faith was not in vain.
As you are all aware, this daughter found me last summer and we have stepped forward together on a new path ever since.
This daughter sent me a lovely email for Thanksgiving and I would like to share this excerpt with you all:
“It’s the night before Thanksgiving and I was really wondering what you were going to be doing and hoped that you and your kids will be having a great holiday. I wanted to let you know what I am thankful for since I won’t be with you to tell you. I am thankful for God and the beautiful family that he gave me, for my health, and the health of those I love. Also for helping me find you it has been a long time coming and I am very thankful for that.”
I can tell you simply and truly, Gentle Reader, I am humbled by her beautiful words and can only tell you that I am so undeserving of them. The blessings that this child has poured upon me are sweet and most incredible.
On top of that, Frick and I have struggled in our relationship for some time now, and yesterday I spent time with her and it felt like old times between us – so much so when I called her by her nickname, her face lit up and she crawled in my lap. There was no way to stop the tears from leaking from my eyes as I sat holding her.
When you least expect it, your children do things that you never hoped for nor imagined would ever happen.
It is the unexpected blessings that I am most thankful for…
Also, I need to give a shout out to our two contest winners!! Congratulations to Biddy and Beverly!!
The patients that come to my unit are healthy and have elected surgery to replace their worn out knees and hips, or back surgeries that make patients in pain again realize life that is pain free or relatively so. Unfortunately, not everyone who comes to a hospital is going to get better and go home to his or her family and friends.
Yesterday, in the small details of the day as I was frustrated with myself for the feelings of “not knowing all instantly” a beautiful thing occurred.
Clear and sweetly, suddenly a chorus of voices broke out in song – the mixture of voices was hauntingly beautiful as they sang the hymn.
One by one, I watched my co-workers grow silent as we all listened to the beauty of the song, flowing with love from this family as they raised their voices in a not so perfect harmony.
It the midst of the frenetic pace of the day – this family reminded me of what is most important.
In life, it is the little things done well that are most worth doing.
Do not forget the contest, go visit my other blogging friends and leave them some comment love.
I challenge you today to go out and do the little things well, Gentle Reader – they are well worth doing!
Early to work today, umm, make that extra early to work!
But I wanted to stop by and remind you about our ongoing contest that runs through Wednesday, so don’t forget!!
Here are the rules again:
Now, the rules. You can enter once per participating blog per day. Entries are simple… just comment on our post for the day. If you blog and would like to post about our contest, doing so will get you 5 extra entries. There will be 2 winners. Each winner will need to give us a mini bio of your family. (Ages, genders, wants, needs, likes) and we will buy prizes accordingly. Prizes will be wrapped for under the tree and sent post haste! Comments and posts from Sunday November 23 through November 26th will be taken as entries. Black Friday we will announce the winners!!!!
If you mention this contest in your blog, email me at kachrist37 (at) gmail (dot) com. Of course remember to replace the at with (@) and the dot with (.) Don’t forget to stop by the other blogs as well – their links are in the sidebar for your convenience!
I have survived my first days back at work, with restrictions, learning a new job.
It is a bit of a challenge though, sitting at a computer all day when all around me are patients needing care. Now, do not get me wrong – my co-workers are doing an admirable job in their care for them… I am not casting aspersions on them in the least, far from it!
What is the pain in my heart is that I am not caring for them.
This will be the challenge for me in the coming weeks and will give me an even better incentive to allow Olga the Barbarian to push me harder each time I see her!
I want to be back on the other side of the desk, spending the day – or night, as the case may, with the patients.
However, I do have a new appreciation for the job the Unit Secretary does – I mean think about this, this is the person who deciphers physicians illegible handwriting, stops what they are doing at the drop of a hat to do something necessary for a nurse. They answer call lights, telephones, updates and inputs orders… all while being highly accurate and not loosing their cool under all this pressure!
How quickly can I get back to patient care!!! This I find immeasurably easier and far more rewarding. However, it is good for me because I am using my arm in ways that are good for me without “pushing, pulling, or lifting”! It is also so good to be back with all my co-workers, I have missed them! In a few short weeks, I will be back on nights and then my life will be almost back to normal!
I am participating in a fun little Holiday Blog Contest along with some other friends from Plurk! Starting today and for the next 3 days, you can leave a comment here and at these, other blogs and we will enter your name into a drawing for our Holiday Give Away! Yes, we are giving you, Gentle Reader, something – we want to help cushion the cost of the Holiday for you and your family! You can enter on each blog once per day, beginning today, and ending on Wednesday. We will select a winner from all the entries on “Black Friday”! When we have randomly selected a name, if it is you, you will need to supply us with some pertinent information about you so we can “gift you accordingly”!
So, get out there and visit!
The links are here and, as you can see, in my sidebar under “Contest Blogs”!
