The heron was back today... first time I've seen him in ages...
my neighbors cat was outside on its leash and got all excited...
BIG bird  - lol 

I got a bit of a shock myself, when I went outside today...
I was expecting warmth, or at least minimally cool...
It was more than cool, though not cold, cold, but a bit frigid... there's apparently alot of humidity in the air which always makes it feel colder.  No sun today either.  It has been overcast all day.

a shortened version of Adamswoman's survey
Is my Christmas shopping done?
- My Christmas shopping is never done... I shop for loved ones all year long. 

Just looked at the weather report for today... 70?  What!

Not complaining... guess the extreme weather is not going to reach us on the southeastern coast.  Looks like it will be fairly mild all week.

Second Sunday of Advent - Waiting
We light a candle today, a small dim light against a world that often seems forbidding and dark.

Still one of my favorite Christmas commercials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HtSLF4vlrk

Still warm enough here, but looking very overcast, so it is coming... the cold, not the snow and ice.
Now for today's blog...

This is the story of a man named Frank who showed up in my life 8 years ago... Gee, can you imagine Frank... 8 years!  ...
This one is dedicated to you... call it part of your legacy (to me). 

This is going to be a rather unusual post today, entirely inspired by Frank.
I am not a picture poster (especially not of my bed ), but today I will post pictures.

Last night I was so pleased when I walked into my room with how nice my own bed looked (I had just got done changing the sheets that day), and I thought of the picture Frank had just posted of his nice neat bed, that I did a Frank thing and took a picture to share.  I am just loving my new snowflake blanket.
The first picture was taken without my comforter because it has been so warm that I decided I was not putting it on the bed...

then it got colder and I decided that I would need the comforter...
Once again pleased with the appearance I took another picture.

Now this morning I have made my bed in full the way I like it to look, but it is not very often so... so I took another picture.

Now let me explain...
Reading Frank's posts about how his wife likes the bed to be made has often caused me to wonder why I have, never since childhood, decorated my bed with stuffed animals or dolls.
Well my daughter recently decided to go through all the stuffed animals of hers, that have been stored with me for so long, and decide what ones would finally go home with her to her own, now purchased, home...

which ones I would continue to store (I have my great grandmothers old steamer trunk that came over with her from Germany that I have stored treasures in, presumably someday for my own grandchildren)...  I should post a picture of it one day... it is a wonderful trunk.

and which would be given away to hospitals and fire dept.'s to be given to children in times of trauma.
There were 3 bears that I decided I would launder before deciding what fate they were fit for... I can't stand the thought, and the way, people throw so many things, so wantonly, into land fills... in this country we are far too frivolous and wasteful...

anyway back to my story...
While these 3 bears wait for their 'bath' I had plopped them down on top of the pillow encased in the sham that is meant for my bed in times when I make it look nice...  I liked the way the 3 of them looked together like a little family... then I thought of Frank and his wife again and decided that these 3 bears would adorn my bed while they await their fate.

End of story... see what influence you have had on my life Frank.  I see these now and they make me smile. 

May you be blessed by my story and have a blessed and smiling day.

A good day spent with my daughter and her kitty, whom she brings with her on her visits to see me. 
She chased a lizard (my daughter, not the cat) lol - she's that kind of girl.
took me to Subway
allowed me to walk and smell the Christmas trees (instead of roses)
did my back treatment
and left at 5:00 to go have a 3 course dinner with her husband.
All in all, not a bad day.

and,
RIP: Nelson Mandela

Oh yes, and, I hope all my friends from Texas to Indiana were spared the winter storms.

I get so ill when I hear the news from around the world....
as more, and more, I see us headed towards being a country run totally by government power and dictates.  As the U.S. goes into decline and others gain the power over us.
The best country to ever live in... the country that all the people have always wanted to come to for what it offers to the people... is headed towards losing all that, and becoming one of these dictator nations.
It is so disheartening.  When government employment replaces employment by free enterprise, we are a people in trouble.

"If you do not take an interest in the affairs of government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools." - Plato

Just curious if anyone if familiar with, or has read, any of Joseph Farrell's books, or listened to any of his interviews?

Highly intriguing stuff.

I don't like being so dependent on money...

~ when seasons change,
let me in on Your plan ~

Advent - first Sunday
season to reflect and remember all that has been done for us by our God, our Lord, and our Saviour, Yahshua Messiah
... reflect, remember, and repent.

Now the gift wrapping may begin.