A NEW YEAR

Thankfully, I survived December and actually, 2 packages of gifts arrived in time for Christmas and one was deliberately mailed to arrive after Christmas when my sister and BIL returned home from Colorado. Christmas cards got out in time as well. I don't know how I did it.
   But I was exhausted on Christmas Day!
   Our Christmas Eve services went well. Would've been nice to see a few more people and nice to see some of these folks in church during the year!
   The new greyhound is learning what it means to live in a house and not a kennel. He has put his feet on the kitchen counter, he swiped a bag of hamburger buns that LH had just bought for dinner and ate all 8 buns in about 2 minutes at most. I step out of the kitchen for a minute or two and they were gone! Every. last. one. of. them!
   I can remember saying NO, so much in my life as in this past month!! He is getting better. I don't have to say NO as much, but more than I would like. Remy is a loveable fellow. He likes to be rubbed, petted, hugged and kissed. He just get the zoomies first thing in the morning when I let him out of his crate and there isn't much room to zoom. So far no injuries. He's destroyed nearly every toy and I spent a month picking up white snow(stuffing) practically every day. Many of the toys are flat
and torn.
   LH has been good throughout December. But last Sunday morning at 3 am I had to take him to the ER for fast heart beat. Picked him back up after worship and confirmation class, just about lunch time. I told him, he didn't need to that on an early Sunday morning again! I know he can't help it, but...it was Sunday!
  Now it's planning for Lent and trying to get inspiration and imagination and creativity back. Feel a bit lackluster. Praying it will come back and quickly.
    Yesterday was the lunch bunch at the Methodist church, where the staff cooks potluck style and invites folks - often single to come and eat. We feed the pre-school teachers too. It was Luau and I made Island Sweet & Sour Meatballs (with pineapple, whole cranberry sauce and barbeque sauce).
I put the crockpot in a milk crate in the back of my minivan. Well, when I cleaned up and left the church, I went to put the crockpot back in the milk crated which I moved closer to me and saw
a tiny dead mouse behind the crate! Oh my goodness! I don't know how long that mouse, dead
mouse had been in the van. It wasn't a skeleton yet, but it wasn't fluffy, furry either. And it was
small. I very rarely use the back of the van. Ugghhhh...had to take a paper towel when I got home and
get rid of it. It never really smelled that bad in the van. But what a yucky, unexpected surprise.
   I could use another day in the week. But, I believe God in great mercy, made it just 7 days long, for our sakes.
   In the meanwhile, it's near 50 degrees today in NE Ohio which is unusual for January and the sun is shining, also unusual. God's reminder to delight in the now and tomorrow will work itself out.
   Hope the New Year has begun well for you and will unfold beautifully before you with richness,
beauty, grace and awesome adventures!