Welcome back to SOLO at SIXTY!
Countdown to Christmas – 2 weeks! 14 DAYS Y’ALL! Holy moly time is flying by! I hope you are enjoying this Christmas season and finding joy each day. Even if is it just a moment of peace.
I have been enjoying my Christmas tree and decorations each and every night. And I added the final 2 pieces to complete my Christmas decor. First was my Moravian Star, given to me by my sister…. unassembled. Now, I have to brag on myself here. Have you ever seen a Moravian star? It has 26 points, y’all! And I put it together all by myself. WHEW! Honestly, the directions were very good and to the point (pun intended here!). There were 8 star points with triangle bases (assembled first) and 17 with square bases (assembled next). Final star point included the lightbulb. So… once I had it assembled, my problem was hanging the star on my front porch. Believe it or not, one of my neighbors also has a Moravian Star from Winston-Salem (small world) over their front door. I checked theirs out. They switched their porch light to include a plug. Did it themselves. Well, that was NOT happening at my house! Time to call an electrician. Luckily, I know one who came right out and switched my porch light to include a plug as well. Oh, and he also hung my star for me. My hero! My star shines brightly all day and night and will until Epiphany (January 6th). A guiding light, reminding me that no matter how dark life gets, there is always a star shining brightly over me (and all of us). I am now one happy Moravian camper!
“Always aim for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” W. Clement Stone
Wait, what is a Moravian my non-NC friends ask? (My NC friends know what a Moravian is – so many are Moravian!) I have been a Moravian since birth, though I am a practicing Presbyterian in VA, as there are no Moravian churches anywhere nearby. Moravians are the oldest Protestant Church, dating back to 1457. The Moravian motto, which I have always loved, is: In Essentials – UNITY; In Non-Essentials – LIBERTY; and in All Things – LOVE. And according to the Moravian Church, the Moravian Star is “the star of promise, the star of fulfillment, and the star of hope.” See why I wanted my own star again? We always had a Moravian Star at Christmas when I was growing up – and I remember the early ones were made of paper, assembled with paper fasteners. Paper had to be a lot harder to put together, right? And no telling what the instructions were like – I mean you could not go to YouTube for directions! But my momma always got ours put together. And she remembered the light bulb before closing it up! Like everything else, Moravian Stars have come a long way. My new one is strong plastic with NO fasteners, just twist and lock.
“The brightest stars shine for the benefit of others.”
So… what was my final missing decorative piece? The piece de resistance – my Christmas wreath for the front door. Another decoration that I proudly made myself, I might add. And what fun it was! My younger sister and younger daughter came up last Friday so that we could go to a wreath-making workshop at The Market at Grelen in Orange County, VA. My younger daughter and I did this last year and said we would do it every year. And this year I invited both sisters and both daughters, but my older sister had already committed to an art workshop, and my older daughter could not make it. They won’t miss it next year, same with my younger sister and my younger daughter! All of the greenery and berries for the wreaths are cut right there on the property. Took about 2 hours from start to finish. Oh, and we also learned how to make a bow – yes, we made our own bows people! And they look good!
“Wreaths… hung to fill our homes with holiday cheer, they’re made in circles with no beginning or end to symbolize the endless connection we have with family and dear friends.”
We had fun, not only making the wreaths, but doing it together. A new annual family tradition for sisters and daughters! We also had fun visiting a couple of wineries afterwards. And topped the night off seeing The Four County Players perform our favorite Christmas movie, White Christmas. It was fabulous and having a friend in it added to the fun! Of course, my sister and I sang our favorite song from the show, Sisters, all the way to the play (and all the way home!) with a couple other favorites as well. I think my daughter had her earphones in!
“When traveling life’s journey, it’s good to have a sister’s hand to hold on to.”
After my sister left Sunday, my younger daughter and I met my older daughter and son-in-law for a late lunch before the Carolina-UVA basketball game. Since both teams have struggled as of late, we thought, “hey, maybe we will finally win one here.” NOPE! Once again, we left the arena disappointed. Not belaboring this, because even though I take each loss personally (not sure why, but I always have), I had such a wonderful weekend!
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” Charles Dickens
You realize how insignificant a basketball loss is when you compare it to other losses. My old neighbors and I lost the sweetest neighbor (a devoted wife, beloved mother, and grandmother) yesterday. Part of a special couple who set the bar very high in marriage (59 years celebrated last August) and family for everyone who knew them. Another friend is in the hospital with her husband, praying for a miracle. Several families I know are also praying for miracles as they have sweet children battling cancer, several adult friends as well. Everyone you meet is fighting a battle of some sort, so be kind. Be a friend. Be compassionate. “Let your light so shine” in the darkness of this world, because as we all know, none of us is promised tomorrow.
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world…”
“Star light, shine bright, See me through the dark night, Light mine, half way, Guide me home for Christmas day…” Christmas Star Home Alone 2
Best,
Leslie
PS… Did you know that the next full moon, the COLD moon is tomorrow, 12/12 at 12:12 am?!?! Don’t miss it!
PSS… The latest in the 25 Days of Christmas Sweaters in case you missed it on Facebook!
SOLO at SIXTY 
OK—So you are now a Presbyterian also ! While you are eating that Lovefeast bun and drinking that sweet coffee, explain predestination to me !!!
LikeLike
Well…. I have yet to figure that one out! But Worth suggested I try the Presbyterian Church and so I did!
LikeLike