Straightening Up!~

I spent the morning taking the Christmas decorations down. The tree, the stockings, the snow village.  So , the house is back to normal now.  I hate leaving it up til after the first of the year.  I don't know why, but it just gets old, I guess. If you think about it, they put the stuff out in October, and leave it out til January on clearance. I just get sick of it by then.  I don't mean that in a Scrooge type way, but seriously. Can you imagine if Easter, or Halloween stuff was out for 3 or 4 months at a  time?  Ugh. 
    I got the kitchen and bathrooms cleaned this morning, too.  Swept. Mopped.  Straightened up.  Trying to get ready for school to start back up.  Hubby will head back to work.  I'm kind of glad.  I mean, I love having him home, but he really does get kind of underfoot.  I was glad that he's taken the boys out to clean up the yard, cut up wood, and do some work!  I have been away from the computer, and I'm behind on writing, blogging, and my FB page.  Having the children off from school, and the hubster home, just kind of makes my schedule all out of whack.  So. That's what's up around here at the Woods Casa.  Hope your holiday was all you wished it would be, and that you are settling back into your life. 2012 is rolling around very soon!  New beginnings, new starts!

Here's to putting it all back together! ~ Ruby Jeanette

Christmas Day~

I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.

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It's been a long , long time, since we went to church on the actual day of Christmas.  Most times, services are cancelled most places cause they're afraid nobody will come , I guess.  But we went yesterday to the new little church we've been going to for about the last 4 months or so.  It was actually a really nice service.  People seemed sincerely joyous to be celebrating the birth of Our Saviour.  Everyone was dressed in their favorite things, some new, maybe some not.  Everyone was fellowshipping and hugging and smiling.  Everyone sang at their best, and the Christmas carols rang out in the room.  Pastor Steve read God's word, and gave us some great things to think about.  Candy was given to little ones, or maybe a small gift, or card exchanged.  Mostly it was just wonderful to know that we still are able to gather to worship in our own churches, in our own ways for one more year.  It was wonderful to know that we were loved by the Saviour , and genuinely loved by those around us.  All in all, I can't think of the last time I had such a moving experience at church.  I hope all of your holidays were all that you wished them to be, and that the new year holds many blessings for everyone!

Here's to Christmas in the house of the Lord~ Ruby Jeanette

The Scrapbook~

Large scrapbooks.
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Do you have a large scrapbook?  I do.  I have several. I never really thought about it before, but their presence in my shelf is a reason for gratitude.  Why, you ask?  Well.  Having one, even most people can say, I have one scrapbook. Or, I have enough good memorable moments to fill one.  But I have several.  As in 5 or 6.  I have enough memories, good memories to fill 5 or 6!
   Moments of my own, my husband's and my children.  Fun moments, silly moments, joyful moments, even a few serious moments, like births of children, or christenings.  Pictures of me , before I was fat, and while I was fat, and now that I'm in the middle.  Pictures of my husband with long hair, short hair, and (GASP!) thinning hair, lol!  Pictures of my children , their ultrasound ones,  their birth ones, and pictures of them growing taller and taller.  Pictures of pets recent, and pets gone on.  Nearly all my past and present life captured between the pages. 
  I wonder if God keeps a scrapbook for each of us?  Does he take His snapshots of memorable places in our lives, and tag them, with captions for the photos?  Does He take them out, so to speak, and look at them and smile?  Do I have any moments for God's great scrapbook?  Do I have anything He looks at with a smile and says,  " I remember that day!  You helped that person, even though you thought no one saw."  or  "I remember this!  Look! You learned to dust yourself off after falling!  I was so proud!".
  Oh, let it be true, I pray! I pray that I have earned at  least a couple of pages in God's great scrapbook, that I may one day hear Him say , "Well done.  Well done."

Here's to knowing what really matters~ Ruby Jeanette