Tuesday, December 21, 2010


My Christmas suggestions for a non eventful day.
(This is a note to myself.)

1) Martha Stewart doesn't live here and our home and  it's contents will  not be perfect, however if  I had 700 employees I could make everything appear to be perfect as well , there by which everyone else could feel bad about themselves. (But in turn, would make me feel bad.)

2) Don't produce a lot of  sweets, they make you feel weepy and cranky and when you don't feel very well everyone else suffers though quietly, and besides those foods  aren't good for the children either.
( And now that you've produced a bunch of unhealthy foods,  your gonna have to stay out of them.... wasn't that smart?!)

3) If Christmas makes you unhappy, (which is does)  then change the way it's done. Who decided that we  have to have a tree or which if any of these Christmas things are necessary. I've decided, I'm having a Mexican fiesta and if you don't like Mexican food , your gonna be hungry when you visit us for Christmas.

4) If you have to buy gifts for  - let's say for about 12 cousins, remember that these same gifts will burden their parents because PARENTS are the ones who will have to pick up the toys and even though we say we  make our children do it. Instead of gifts consider  giving each child a special piece of candy or an impressive  cookie  and a note that reads. "Merry Christmas, I bought you a goat and I sent it to a family in Guatemala. I love you,  Aunt.... (Insert name here) 
This is a win- win for everyone because some parent  in Guatemala will now have something to milk and even though they've told their child to milk it repetitively, it wont be so much of a burden but a true gift.  Your cousin will be happy with the cookie, and the kid's parents will never have anything to pick up again except for the  cookie wrapper and perhaps there's even a tax deduction  in it for you as well.

5) No matter how hard you try, some relatives do not now, nor ever have loved you. It's okay, you can love someone and not be loved in return. It's really okay. Accept the way things are and move on and don't ask why - it is what it is. Jesus loves you and that's enough. Trying to make someone love you  who doesn't is futile.

6) Don't forget to continue saying your prayers and attending Mass, and confession. When you get busy God usually gets put on the back burner and you give him the minimum- just to get by, but this is the worst time of the year to do this because you need the graces more than ever.

7) Pick a soul and make a conscious effort to offer up any and all sufferings from having to be in the presence of people who say hurtful and or stupid things. Let this stuff go as well.

8) Though we've been commanded to love one another as we love ourselves. You really do have an obligation to at least try to be lovable yourself. Don't make is so hard for others to love you in return.

9)  Don't push peoples buttons. This isn't a time to argue about other peoples life choices and besides people don't change unless they want to. Prayer is more effective than arguing and even if your right.

10) Remember to tell each of our children how much they mean to us and that we  love them... A note would be nice.......I  better get started.
*The above photo is of the road in front of our home.

15 comments:

Julie said...

This is at least as good as anything I've ever read by the Desert Fathers.

Merry Christmas, you wise sage you.

belinda said...

That's a pretty generous comment Miss Julie.

Merry Christmas to you. We are eating around noon on Saturday, do you like Mexican food?
Is Kansas outta your way?

Melody K said...

I needed to read this post, Belinda. I am in my annual stress-puppet mode. Because I have as usual set a bunch of unrealistic goals about how perfect I am going to make everything. As my husband says, it's just going to be family. Things weren't perfect when the kids still lived here. It's not perfect at their houses when we visit them. We're just so glad to be with them that it doesn't matter. If I can just hold that thought.
Merry Christmas Belinda!

belinda said...

((((Melody)))
I understand. We moms try so hard to please the people we love and even though they may not realize it.

I'm trying to make some happy memories for them but sometimes I think the only thing they'll remember is how much they fought with each other.

Pablo the Mexican said...

Feliz Navidad, Senora.

*

belinda said...

Thanks Pablo,
Merry Christmas to you...
Say, do you like Mexican food?

Pablo the Mexican said...

Dear Mrs. Belinda,

Just as much as I like Italian food...

Speaking of Mexican, I was given some rose pedals from the rose bushes at Tepeyac Hill on the 12th of December.

The Holy Mother gave roses to Saint Juan Diego, and those bushes still bloom at Tepeyac.

Each 12th of December, the pedals are gathered and given to Priests from around the world that visit Tepeyac.

I was given a few to gift to the Faithful.

During his Sainthood process, a tea was made from the pedals, and it was claimed to cause miraculous cures.

If you would like some, please send, via my e-mail an address where I might mail them to you.

I hope your Christmas is a joyous time for you and those you love.

pablo

*

Vincenzo said...

Merry Christmas Belinda

Cathy_of_Alex said...

Great post.

Blessed Christmas to you and your family.

belinda said...

Thank you Cathy, God bless you and keep you safe and healthy in the new year.

belinda said...

Dear Pablo, I would indeed love to receive some of those petals but if I gave you (a stranger;) my address, my blog administrator would have a cow ...and instantaneously.

Thank you for your kind offer. I didn't know those same bushes still existed and I'm anxious to google them.

BTW... Y'All missed some awesome tamales!! :(

Anonymous said...

How old is that photo? All we have here in Hutch today is gray & cold, no white Christmas for us.

I enjoyed your post, and in case you have leftovers, I really like tamales a lot. :)

belinda said...

Cliff!! Only another soul from Kansas would have caught me! That photo was from last winter when we had a terrible fog where 15(I think) people got into a multiple car pile up. It was terrible and there were fatalities.

We had a few flurries yesterday but no accumulation.
*****************
Since your a Kansas boy, you would understand... My activity director drove us to Wamego Kansas to view the paintings from the Colombian worlds fair of 1893. Naturally the day I showed up at the theater, they didn't open the building because they didn't have anyone who was willing to work that day. My activity director thus began to drive us all around Kansas, I think he missed hutch. It was a pretty disappointing trip BUT I'm gonna try it again. :)
*****
Merry Christmas to you and your family Mr.Cliff!

3puddytats said...

Wonderful advice ms. belinda...

One of my New Year's resolutions is to be more loveable and turn down the crankypants.

And scoop the litter box more..that I will offer up to the poor soul. Plus the puddytats will be most appreciative.

Plus scoop the litterbox more at work...

Merry Christmas!!

Sara

X said...

LOVE this post!