Tuesday 12/29/09 - "ONE MORE CHRISTMAS"

"ONE MORE CHRISTMAS"

There will be one more Christmas celebration in this household. Tomorrow son and his wife will be coming and there will be holidaying again. There will be baked brie and other snacks to eat, packages to be opened, and a ham dinner to be enjoyed.

When I got home from the hospital, I started in on the cleaning. I worked hard, my back was hurting, but it's night now and the back is fine. I've done most of what I wanted to accomplish. I do still have time to get a few things done tomorrow.

I still have the pastry to roll out to cover the brie that has already been stuffed with cherries and almonds. I also need to prepare the ham for the oven, but that shouldn't take too long. I have my menu written out and a timetable for the oven so I don't forget something.

I had planned to skip my Tuesday morning Al-Anon meeting tomorrow, but I think I may be able to make it. My guests probably won't get here till later in the afternoon. That would make me so happy. I need some spiritual and emotional balancing-out.

I had one of those really extraordinary days in the hospital this morning. It began with one of my first visits and almost immediately the woman in front of me told me she was in the hospital because of her alcoholism. She was weak and looked beaten and frightened. She seemed to be in that state of demoralization we know so well. I told her I was sober 24 years and that I would share with her what had worked for me. While I was there, they came to take her for an ultrasound so I went back to see her again just before I left at the end of my shift. She described some of her drinking history. The longest she had been sober was almost three months when she drank again. Her doctor told her, one more drink and she would die. She said she didn't want to die. I asked if she had a sponsor and worked the steps in Alcoholics Anonymous when she attended meetings and she said, "no". I told her she needed a higher power with the strength she lacks that could keep her sober. I explained how to go about making that connection with God - get a sponsor and work the twelve steps. We prayed. God was present. I gave her my personal numbers. Pray for her, please.

Love to you all,
Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Santa Baby by Traci Bender)

Thursday 12/24/09 - "TWAS THE DAY & NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS"

"TWAS THE DAY & NIGHT
BEFORE CHRISTMAS"

"TWAS THE DAY & NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS" and .........................

The day before the night before Christmas I had the blessing to meet a sponsee who hasn't called me in close to a year. She had called me a few days ago - out of the blue - and we set a date to do her 5th step. Then - there she was in a meeting and we went out to lunch together with two other women. What a wonderful Christmas gift.

I have completed 'most' of my Christmas shopping. I have this last day to pick up a few last minute items.

I will purchase food for a Christmas meal.

Daughter and I are having a family Christmas at home. We're planning crab legs and shrimp for our special day luncheon. Can't wait! :)

The tree, the presents, the sweet smell of our bayberry candle, and a poinsettia I treated myself to - all fill the house with a festive glow.

Son and his wife will be arriving the Tuesday after Christmas and we'll get to celebrate again.

Doggie and kitty (Lucky and Bert) are getting along at least a little bit better today than when they first met several months ago.

I am choosing to focus on the beautiful memories of Christmases past and planning/choosing to have a blessed Christmas this year.

I am sitting here at the computer looking into our family room that was reorganized, rearranged, and redecorated by daughter. She is very artistic. She has done with this junk of a room what I could never have done myself. True, a lot of things are stored away or heading for Goodwill, but that's fine with me. I love the orderliness she has brought to the room. It is warm and inviting.

Prayer Girl is wishing you and yours a Christmas that will warm your heart, soul, and mind.

Love and peace,
Prayer Girl

Sunday 12/20/09 - "GOOD MORNING SUNDAY"

"GOOD MORNING SUNDAY"

I've been battling a cold since last Wednesday night. Christmas is not a good time to be sick, but then when is? I've been taking Zicam regularly and I think the symptoms will stay mild.

Friday night was not a good sleeping night. I probably had 3 hours of sleep which for me just doesn't cut it. I was asked to speak at a 9:30 Saturday morning women's meeting. I dragged myself there and God was with me. My talk went well. I felt good about speaking and by the time I was finished I felt so much better. God is good.

Last night my three best, longtime friends and I went out to dinner and had a little gift exchange for Christmas. We ate at PeiWei that has wonderful Asian food (I had sweet and sour shrimp with extra vegetables and added sweet chile sauce) and topped the evening off with ice cream from a little shop next door.

Daughter was out with friends to the movies when I returned so I had the opportunity to wrap her presents and get them under the tree. I wrapped while watching a Disney movie, Enchanted. Even at my age, I loved it.

This morning I'm off to my Al-Anon meeting, will meet with a sponsee, and tonight there will be a small Christmas get-together with with a few Alcoholics Anonymous friends. Life doesn't get much better than this.

Love to all,
Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Pepperming Christmas by Steve Webb)

Tuesday 12/15/09 - "THE FIRST DAY OF XMAS"

"THE FIRST DAY OF XMAS"

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS,
MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME.....
ONE LG enV Touch Phone

This morning began with four hours at the hospital moving from room to room through the six floors in the south tower. It was a satisfying day and all the patients I spoke with were glad to have a visitor and were pretty easy to talk with. I was on my feet most of the time.

After the hospital, I stood with hubby in the main Verizon store looking at new phones and upgrades to our service for about three hours. We both walked out with our first Christmas presents of the season. Mine is the LG enV Touch Phone and his was the Motorola Droid.

I am now phone, text, camera, and web capable, if not entirely ready and I will probably discover a host of other possibilities. I never spent the time learning my previous cell phone, but I have vowed to myself that I will take the time to study the manual and learn how to use this one.

Upon arriving home it was time to stand some more preparing dinner. I couldn't wait to be done to just lie down and rest my weary legs. However, between a dog who wanted attention and refusing to take "no" for an answer and receiving three calls from sponsees in the next hour and a half, it wasn't till after that I was able to sit down with my legs up. Then I figured out how the heck to charge up my new touch phone. :)

I just know I am going to love my new phone. Merry Christmas to and from Prayer Girl and Mr. Steveroni. Merry Christmas to everyone.

Prayer Girl

Monday 12/7/09 - "LIVING CHRISTMAS TREES"

"LIVING CHRISTMAS TREES"

"Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me. It is an uncomfortable doctrine which the true ethics whisper into my ear. You are happy, they say; therefore you are called upon to give much." -Albert Schweitzer


I am happy. This evening I went with a sponsee and a group of other friends to the annual production of the Living Christmas Trees put on by the largest Baptist church around. I used to belong to this church when it was smaller. It is an elaborate, very professional, and primarily all volunteer show. It is produced each year for the express purpose of carrying the good news of Christ and salvation. Every year they seem to outdo themselves with their production and this year was no exception. It usually marks the turning point of my "getting into the Christmas spirit".

A group of us went out to eat at a Jason's Deli after the performance. This was a delightful experience. I knew my sponsee friend who had invited me and had the opportunity to meet others I did not already know. It felt good to be a part of this happening. I enjoyed a Turkey Reuben sandwich and tomato basil soup.

I have had so many other things on my mind that Christmas has been only barely on the radar screen. No tree up yet, no Christmas lists made or shopping yet, no decorating yet - until tonight when I put on my "Christmas top" with black pants and heels and went to the performance.

I will need to begin straightening up before I can even think about putting up the tree. Maybe this week will bring enough motivation to do this.

I know I need to go into the silence and talk to God. I need to put him in the center of this season and the center of each day. This message was also included in the theme of the Living Christmas Trees - that Christmas is all about God's gift to us. If I remember this simple message I am sure this Christmas will be a wonderful one.

God bless all of you bloggers.

Peace, love, and prayers.
Prayer Girl