I am in some kind of process right now in my life. What it is, I am uncertain. Swirling emotions... ideas... concepts. And a very large feeling of uncertainty. Like King Hezekiah, I turn my face to the wall, away from distraction and toward holiness and restoration. I believe I am going through a death of sorts. Something is no longer functioning in my life that needs to go. Thoughts that hold me back. Behaviors that serve me no purpose and that do not glorify the Lord. It is a considering of my ways before Him. I am immeasurably unworthy of His Love for me, yet I relish it with all my heart. I thus turn my face to the wall - away from things, disengaging and releasing and letting go. There is a time to loose and a time to hold on. A time to purge and a time to let it all grow. First, I will loose a story.
My Grandparent's house was a beautiful place. It was immaculately kept. My grandfather prided how he had the yard looking. The grass was always neat and trimmed. The landscaping was always good and well watered, and he never let the paint on the house look gnarly. He would change into his gardening clothes when he came home from work and putter around outside. The back yard had two orange trees and a lemon three. The roots of one of the orange trees and the lemon tree mingled underground so that the oranges tasted tart like lemons, and the lemons had a wonderful sweetness to them. They were big and fat, and made the best lemonade ever.
My Grandmother kept her house immaculately. She had her routine. Up with the chickens and to bed with the cows. She would get up and prepare breakfast for my grandfather, who had three jobs before he retired. He worked the pantry at the local bowling alley (which had gourmet food, by the way) and he also worked the railroad. I could hear them puttering about in the kitchen through sleepy ears and drift off to sleep. I usually awoke to the smell of spray starch as my grandmother did her daily ironing. By the time I awakened, she would have the floors swept and all the dusting done. Wasn't much to dust or clean, because she kept the house immaculately. A big hug and kiss awaited me and then breakfast.
If it was Christmastime, this meant scampering to the den area to sit near a roaring fire to eat breakfast. She had really cool TV trays with flowers and dragonflies on them. I loved looking at them and would always request mine as close to the fireplace as possible. There were old collected Christmas Candles all over the house. Sometimes, If I got there
early enough, she would let me help her decorate the house. Cards from friends and well-wishers were all over the house. On the walls, on the mantle, on the tables - everywhere. It was such a happy scene. Stockings on the mantle, tinsel on the walls, and the best part was the lights all over the house with Santa and the Reindeer on the roof! When we turned the corner on my Grandparent's street, imagine this wonderful festive scene! A quick bump on the car horn and the door flew open with happy Grandparents meeting us at the car kissing and hugging me and my whole family.
Once inside, usually at night, we would be met with the grand scene... the 7' white flocked Christmas tree with red bulbs and a COLOR WHEEL! Mesmerizing hours staring at the whole room turning colors. Red! Orange! Green! Blue! Oooh... Red again!!!! Throw in Sees candies, hard Christmas candy, home made fudge, and loads of gifts under the tree - and the roaring fire with the ever present nut bowl loaded to the brim with filberts, pecans, almonds, walnuts and more pecans!
These are memories to cherish,
and nothing could beat the family Christmas party... Watch for Part 2...
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