Christmas

Overtime Shopping

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Hey Kids,

I never quite understood the day after Christmas shopping.

People are actually out shopping for deals. Yeah, deals. And this tday-after-christmas-sale-jss2tldaime for themselves, not to give away as gifts.

It’s not enough to have just finished the biggest segment of the retail year. Before the spoilage of the Christmas shopping is yet to ripen, these shoppers are out to wreck more carnage on the Retail Front.

I’m a capitalist. I believe in the market economy. I’ll defend it as the best system to sustain a people and their ideals, although, I walk down the aisles of the store where I trade my soul for lucre, and I look at the tons of crap that hang on the displays for sale. I know that every one of those items will be picked up and bought at some time. Useless junk that for some reason we believe is worth the money for which we worked hard.

I’m cheap. I hang onto my clothes longer than they can hang onto me, I wear shoes down until the sole has not only worn out its soul and lost its tread but begins to show sock. And yet I end up buying stupid stuff all the time because it’s there. I’m not above the marketing gurus that know how to get me to spend my money when I think I don’t want to.

I, however, have yet to feel the need to go non-grocery store shopping the day after Christmas for the thing that everyone else failed to buy for me. The deep discounts on the clearance Christmas chocolate, I confess, do tempt me so.

 

Day 306

Christmas Past

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The day of Christmas rarely holds up to the anticipation and wonderment of Christmas Eve. Once the morning is over, the day seems to take on a slow death.

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My book available free on Amazon Kindle from Dec. 25- 29, 2015. Merry Christmas!

Once the kids had done their thing and out the door to the other family, the two of us were left to making the day spend on our own. I immediately burnt a pound of bacon. I repented with delicious waffles.

We spent time traveling across town to try to deliver gifts on the land of the terrible Ex. And learned once again, for the second time, the evils of custodial parents.

We took a diversion drive into the hills, spotting deer and a fox on the drive. Two feet of snow tested the 4WD of the 4Runner but 4-low got us out.

The Salt Lake Valley can be picturesque especially from the west side looking towards the Wasatch front, yet few ever see if from that side. The west side has many unique characteristics that east-siders will never know.

Baked some fresh rolls to enjoy more of the shredded pork roast from yesterday. Smothered in BBQ sauce, it was just as yummy.

A quick nap brought me to the time to come to work for the.overnight. The last minute shoppers from the 24th had really trashed the store.

I remember when Christmas was the time to wish for the biggest things a kid could imagine. It was on this holiday that the magic might happen. As an adult, I find that the day just passes.

Maybe I’m just too tired and a little hurt and angry about the gifts that will sit unclaimed because I’m not deemed worthy to give them, but I can’t just pretend tonight either that I’m OK with it all.

We had a good day, my baby and I, and we talked and consoled each other. We laughed and we cried. We decided how to fix it next year.

Christmas Eve Memories

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Hey Kids,christmas_PNG3743

At the end of this Eve of Christmas Day

After all of the eating, gifting, and play;

I rest in my bed tucked away from the cold,

Thinking of Christmas’; some recent, some old.

The 24th has always been the Eve of magic and delight,

The moments where everything always seem perfectly right.

Things changed and my children have grown older and moved on

Yet in an instant, I can visit every Christmas Eve and following dawn.

Happy thoughts they are, and I will always cherish these memories of us,

And as always, wherever you are, I wish this year to be your Merriest Christmas

 

Day 304

The Gospel of Christmas Music

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Hey Kids,

We attended a Christmas concert tonight by a musical group call The Lower Lights.lowerlights

The group collects together a number of musicians and singers who have their own music careers and endeavors; about twenty of them, and they produce a series of performances that feature the wide array and harmonization of their talent, mixed with some old time gospel sounds, Christmas carols, and personalized renditions of each. They are remarkable.

For me, being the second year that I have attended one of their shows, it also wakes up a part of me that spends most of the time asleep- the thought of how life seems more beautiful when acknowledging a loving God.

I have my questions and I have my doubts. But in the end, I want all that I believe to be true. I find comfort in trusting a higher purpose to guide me quietly to the things that are best for me. I hope that there is redemption for mistakes made along the way, and I love to think that this world, this big beautiful world, was created for my use.

I won’t say that my life has no meaning if, by chance, there is no God, no Jesus, and no eternal life; but the songs that praise those thoughts and possibilities feel good. I feel a stirring within that does not come from other concepts. I find peace in them. I find hope.

I’m not so sure why I stray away from these good feelings for large periods of time; it makes no sense really. But I do enjoy the homecomings, and the concert tonight brought me there again.

It’s good religion. Good old fashion, Praise Jesus, religion. And it does my soul good.

Thanks guys and gals of The Lower Lights. I’ll see you again next year.

 

 

Day 288

December Christmas

mikemjensen Christmas, Uncategorized Tags: , , 2 Comments

Hey Kids,

It seems to me that Christmas is starting a little bit early.

I know that the stores want to start earlier and earlier. But it’s usually followed by the public outcry of “Too Early!”

Black Friday wasn’t until the day after Thanksgiving, and now many places run Black Friday specials all month long.tumblr_inline_mvjd3e9kyO1rdzepz

This year, however, everyone appears to have caved. Christmas music is playing. People are shopping, and I swear Thanksgiving could pass and no one would notice.

I like Christmas. I really do. I even love the fact that the entire month of December is all Christmas. But only the month of December.

I’m not upset about it; it’s not worth it. And if any Holiday is going to be expanded, Christmas is a good one.

But other than this post, my Christmas season begins only and once the turkey is eaten

 

NaNoWriMo: 33,101/50,000

Day 271