CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

Maybe the "memory moments" began as I sat by "my Molly" at the funeral of  6 yr. old Milla G. this week. Such a service can have any parent wanting to hold on to sweet memories of their precious children.

This morning I wondered what memories my children and grandchildren would carry with them once I am gone. Would they remember that in their early years I always sang a little 2 line "ditty" to help them ease into their mornings. "Good morning Sunshine. How you doing friend?"

Guess what made me think of that today! My morning cuppa!

But would they recall the spiritual & sometimes quirky Christmas happenings---

• Donald Duck always goes on tree first as it's the 1st ornament bought for a Liles tree in 1969
• 24 days of no TV which they gave me as a gift (and then wanted to take it back, but didn't) 
• the lobster races on the kitchen floor, 
• Pop's "little" prayer for the "big" meal "For these and all our many blessings we thank you."
• country ham (cooked in black ironskillet) with biscuits & re-eye gravy on Christmas eve
• In 1982 when we walked "late" on the night of the full moon and discovered 2 moons that  December---13 moons that year---one of those "once in a blue moon" years
• the year the lights went out, only on our street, so we had to entertain a house full of Advent guests in the DARK---at least we could use our camp stove & run an extension cord across to our back door neighbors to plug in an electric skillet, 
• our Advent Sundays with a Jewish neighbor in attendance just to hear Mr. Liles sing "We Three Kings", 
• the on-going "hunt" for the lost Double Bubble bubble gum canister/tub, 
• always picking out a "real" Christmas tree, 
• Cutting the names off of every Christmas card we received and taking turns throughout the next year praying for the names we "drew" from the yellow smiley mug. Mug had been given us by Maxine (Mommar's sister) & Clyde---along with King Leo peppermint sticks for Molly
• taking 20 leftover Christmas trees the day after Christmas to use in Molly & Corey's wedding, 
• Lucy being small enough to bathe in the kitchen sink on our first Colorado Christmas, 
• the deer in the front yard on our 2nd Colorado Christmas as it snowed everyday we were there in 2014,
• making Christmas angels in the snow then darting back inside to the hot tub
• magic wands that turned on the Christmas lights over the big mantle,

Maybe this Christmas we can all share what we remember and then I can add to the list---remembering the One who should be the ultimate focus of the entire celebration. (Isaiah 9:6)

You, reader,  might want to start your own "Christmas Memory" list!