Reflections of My Christmas!

I love Christmas---HATE the hustle and bustle to get to the day---but muttle thru as best as possible without going to jail from hurting perfect strangers...LOL  I found myself trying to 'find' Christmas in my heart for some reason this year---I felt as though I was missing it--that warm fuzzy feeling---usually it is there all on its own--but this year---this year was different---I watched all my favorite Holiday Shows---Charlie Brown and Rudolph and the Grinch---I did all of my usual baking---met up with friends and peeps for holiday cheer before hand and yet nothin'---until this one day---this one day that I went out shopping and left the house with a mission to get it all buttoned up and finished.  Lists of scribbled notes of this and that on paper that had been crossed off of and re-assesed just to be crossed off again---food purchase lists mixed in with electronics mixed in with housewares and toiletries---unorganized would be putting it mildly! Here's what happened: 

I went into the first store---outside was this young and very sweet tall and gangly African American boy---ringing the bells for the Salvation Army---singing Christmas songs with the biggest smile and the voice of an angel--I stopped and listened for a moment and said to him---Bless you for Ringing the Bell sweet child---and he hugged me and said Merry Christmas!  Blessing number 1

Then I proceeded into the next store---I was at the checkout lane standing in line and I saw this old couple walk by holding hands---and when I say old I mean they were in their 80's---with this look of complete and udder love and happiness for each other and very smartly dressed---I noticed them stop to look at something---here it was this young boy---about 6 or 7 years old---whistling Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer---with a look of enchantment and joy on their faces ----he and his two other siblings and his mother came into the very line that I was in---and he continued to whislte away---I reached my hand out to touch the top of his head and smiled at him---he was so sweet.  Blessing number 2

Then the last store I went into---I was wandering around for what seemed like HOURS looking for where in the heck one would put the Wax Paper if one were a stock person who even knew what wax paper was---I kept passing this woman pushing this cart full of stuff---she was a bit overweight and had the most happy and sweet rosey cheeks and pretty smile and was struggling to even walk----she says to me---you look like you are lost---to which I replied---I think I may be---I just wanna find Wax Paper and get the heck out of here---she says---and mind you ---she is not an employee at this store---I can take you there--so she does and it is quite a ways away from our original destination--and I say to her---awwww thank you---I think I need to take you with me the next time I go shopping!! She says to me with MUCH delight---that would be just fine---as I have no one---I hugged her and wished her a Merry Christmas---Blessing number 3

We go to Mass on Christmas Eve---and the Church is packed FULL---there are parents coming in with their children all dressed up---I had the best time before mass started--looking at all the children in their fineries--as I totally remember those days when my kids were young---so dang CUTE. As luck would have it---the Childrens choir was singing---during Mass---Silent Night---tears came strolling down my face as I sat and reflected on the things that I previously mentioned---and at that VERY moment I finally got the warm and fuzzy feeling that I had waited and wondered about---and that my dear friends---that was my Blessing number 4----

I would like to say at this time---Blessing number 5 for me will be..... that each and every one that reads this will think about the small incoincidental blessings that come our way daily---that you will stop and really take note to the great STUFF that is going on around us constantly---stop and think about the simple blessings we all have in our lives---they are there--trust me they are---we just don't always take the time to see them---take the time people---and know that if you do.... your heart will always be warm and fuzzy mode!  Here's to a Happy 2011 New Year to all of You and Yours!