Last Christmas Service today

S & I attended a worship service today (Sunday) with my God-sister. She took us to her home church located close by to her condo. The church reminded me of the church (in some ways -sorry it is hard to explain) like we used to attend before we left our home state for seminary. As I sat between her and S, it seemed like old times again. During Communion, even the communion wine was the same kind that we used at our old church. The sites, taste and smells was like coming full circle with the three of us there. Would have loved to have had our children and grandchildren there with us. So, today we attended our last worship service for 2008.

After the worship service, we ate more seafood and then came back to her condo, changed clothes and headed downstairs to the beach. It was a beautiful day! Even the pelicans cooperated briefly by doing a couple of fly-bys. Unfortunately, I had put my camera down to journal and missed capturing it on film. Oh, but there is always tomorrow. One of the most amazing things was how the sun danced on the water. I wrote in my journal that it looked like God had poured glitter from Heaven and with every move of the water, it glistened more.

Check out the photos from today...

Swimming Concern

My God-sister's 2nd home is at the beach. S & I are here vacationing with her. We were sharing a glass of wine and she passed me a beverage napkin. On the napkin is three "older" women standing in ankle deep water. One woman is telling the other two, "At our age, swimming is dangerous. Lifeguards don't try as hard." Now that is funny!

My Favorite Christmas Lights! Amazing!!!

Years ago, I had a boss who said his favorite Christmas lights were those of the tail lights of his children's cars as they left his home after Christmas.

I have to say that those are not my favorite Christmas lights. My favorite Christmas lights are as follows:

1) The shiny twinkle in the eyes of our children and grandchildren as they bound through the door with voices all raised saying, "Nani...Saba!" Then, there are the wonderful and healing hugs, kisses and giggles that immediately follow their greeting. Amazing!!!

2) The candlelights in our church at the Christmas Eve service.

3) The lights on our Christmas tree at home.

Although the Christmas tree has changed over the years, the ornaments have pretty much stayed the same. From the original "Leon" (please see Catherine and Craig's blogs for explanation) to the picture of Peyton (childhood friend of our family who died when he and Chris were 12 years old) to childhood ornaments handmade by our now grown children to ornaments given to us over the years by friends, the tree lights sparkle and beckon you to come and see.

This year, Steve and I put something on the tree that had not been an "official" tree ornament. It was Craig's pink panther tapered candle decoration. Craig received it from Mama Gal many years ago when he was in grade school (It was his Pink Panther phase). As Steve and I decorated the tree we came across the candle taper holder and wondered who would notice the Pink Panther. Did you, Craig, or did you Catherine? Steve and I decided that we would make it a new tradition for years to come...who will be the first to find the Pink Panther?

The house is quiet...all the children and grandchildren are homeward bound. What shined brighter than the tail lights of their cars??? It was the smiles and twinkles in the eyes of each one as they waved, giggled and blew kisses. Now that is amazing!!!

Life Lessons from a Lab.

Have you ever noticed that hindsight is 20/20? Such was the case as I stood leaning against the pole of the awning between the Education Building and the Parish Hall. I was spending a moment with God in between church and Sunday School. As I focused on one particular tree in the back part of the church property, I asked God what was it that He was trying to show me. Then, I saw it…all the beautiful leaves – all changing colors. God had a lesson He was teaching me. It was all about timing – His timing. God reminded me that He tells the trees when to change. He is in charge of the seasons. Wow! What a concept. So, if He is in charge of the seasons, He is all about perfect timing. With that new revelation, I agreed to trust Him in His timing. That is…until that afternoon.

Then Betty Jo up and died! It was quite sudden. She had not been ill; she was fine when we left for church and fine when we got home. Still, she died – without warning – she just died. While Steve frantically drove to the vet’s office, I sat in the back seat of his car holding Betty Jo’s foot and speaking peace and love to her. The vet said that it probably was an embolism or something that we could not have foreseen nor could we have prevented. It just happened. Steve and I personally thought it was incredibly bad timing!!! We loved her, she was, as our vet always told us, “A good ole dog.” We were not ready for her to die.

So reflecting on the almost 11 years that Betty Jo was with us, we thought about the life lessons she taught us. Betty Jo came just shy a month ahead of our first grandchild. Then, one by one she greeted each and every one with love and affection. Her favorite thing when the grandchildren came was to be their floor pillow. And, she was their fierce and loyal defender! She always fretted when one cried or was being disciplined. When someone came to the door, she was first to greet and stand in between the person at the door and us. But, once she checked out the newcomer and they passed her security test, she was just as loving with them as she was with us. She taught us so much about love and being loyal to those she loved. It simply was not in her nature to do anything but to love and be loyal to us and those we loved.

Second, Betty Jo was obedient. I would like to take credit for the behavior of this dog, but it was just her nature to obey. She so wanted to please. No matter how many people came to our Open House at the rectory or other church events, she always patiently waited to be invited into the room. Until then, she kept her post in the hallway facing the front door and entryway. If you said, “Betty Jo, don’t do that,” she didn’t. Her desires to please and obey overrode any desire or any predisposition that she had. She just obeyed. Betty Jo was our best greeter! She always had good manners and never was pushy to be noticed. She waited to be invited into the person’s space. Her heart was happiest when she was invited to share in the gathering of family and friends.

Did I mention forgiving??? Man, she never held a grudge. Even when LSU was playing poorly and Daddy got a little tense, Betty Jo always knew the grumbling was not against her. Daddy was quick to hug and quick to assure her that it was the game that had him grumbling and not her. Betty Jo knew and understood about forgiveness. It was always available in abundance.

And lastly, she was prayerful. Anyone who came to our house knew this about Betty Jo. When it came time to pray, she came into the circle and laid down in the prayer circle. She quietly stayed there until the last prayer was said and when she heard the “Amen,” she got up and began to exchange the peace with those present.

While I am not yet fully understanding God’s timing, as Steve and I traveled back home in the car from the vet’s office without Betty Jo, I knew that I fully trusted God’s timing…didn’t say I like it or even enjoy it right now, but I do without a doubt, trust it.

There is a saying going around about a dog and it goes like this, “I wish I was as good a person as my dog thinks I am.” We have much to learn about God’s creatures and what they can teach us about His love and the qualities that are in His nature.

A special thanks to Joe and Betty Crawford who decided that the Fergusons needed a dog, and gave us this incredible white lab puppy. We are so thankful for this gift of love. You guys are precious friends and we love and thank you!!!

May this New Year bring a cemented resolve to fully develop those qualities of God that are so much a part of His nature. May we all be as good a person as not only our dog knows but our God is sure we can be. Have a blessed and Christ-filled New Year!

Betty Jo Has Up and Died - Life Lessons From a Lab

Have you ever noticed that hindsight is 20/20? Such was the case as I stood leaning against the pole of the awning between the Education Building and the Parish Hall. I was spending a moment with God in between church and Sunday School. As I focused on one particular tree in the back part of the church property, I asked God what was it that He was trying to show me. Then, I saw it…all the beautiful leaves – all changing colors. God had a lesson He was teaching me. It was all about timing – His timing. God reminded me that He tells the trees when to change. He is in charge of the seasons. Wow! What a concept. So, if He is in charge of the seasons, He is all about perfect timing. With that new revelation, I agreed to trust Him in His timing. That is…until that afternoon.

Then Betty Jo up and died! It was quite sudden. She had not been ill; she was fine when we left for church and fine when we got home. Still, she died – without warning – she just died. While Steve frantically drove to the vet’s office, I sat in the back seat of his car holding Betty Jo’s foot and speaking peace and love to her. The vet said that it probably was an embolism or something that we could not have foreseen nor could we have prevented. It just happened. Steve and I personally thought it was incredibly bad timing!!! We loved her, she was, as our vet always told us, “A good ole dog.” We were not ready for her to die.

So reflecting on the almost 11 years that Betty Jo was with us, we thought about the life lessons she taught us. Betty Jo came just shy a month ahead of our first grandchild. Then, one by one she greeted each and every one with love and affection. Her favorite thing when the grandchildren came was to be their floor pillow. And, she was their fierce and loyal defender! She always fretted when one cried or was being disciplined. When someone came to the door, she was first to greet and stand in between the person at the door and us. But, once she checked out the newcomer and they passed her security test, she was just as loving with them as she was with us. She taught us so much about love and being loyal to those she loved. It simply was not in her nature to do anything but to love and be loyal to us and those we loved.

Second, Betty Jo was obedient. I would like to take credit for the behavior of this dog, but it was just her nature to obey. She so wanted to please. No matter how many people came to our Open House at the rectory or other church events, she always patiently waited to be invited into the room. Until then, she kept her post in the hallway facing the front door and entryway. If you said, “Betty Jo, don’t do that,” she didn’t. Her desires to please and obey overrode any desire or any predisposition that she had. She just obeyed. Betty Jo was our best greeter! She always had good manners and never was pushy to be noticed. She waited to be invited into the person’s space. Her heart was happiest when she was invited to share in the gathering of family and friends.

Did I mention forgiving??? Man, she never held a grudge. Even when LSU was playing poorly and Daddy got a little tense, Betty Jo always knew the grumbling was not against her. Daddy was quick to hug and quick to assure her that it was the game that had him grumbling and not her. Betty Jo knew and understood about forgiveness. It was always available in abundance.

And lastly, she was prayerful. Anyone who came to our house knew this about Betty Jo. When it came time to pray, she came into the circle and laid down in the prayer circle. She quietly stayed there until the last prayer was said and when she heard the “Amen,” she got up and began to exchange the peace with those present.

While I am not yet fully understanding God’s timing, as Steve and I traveled back home in the car from the vet’s office without Betty Jo, I knew that I fully trusted God’s timing…didn’t say I like it or even enjoy it right now, but I do without a doubt, trust it.

There is a saying going around about a dog and it goes like this, “I wish I was as good a person as my dog thinks I am.” We have much to learn about God’s creatures and what they can teach us about His love and the qualities that are in His nature.

A special thanks to Joe and Betty Crawford who decided that the Fergusons needed a dog, and gave us this incredible white lab puppy. We are so thankful for this gift of love. You guys are precious friends and we love and thank you!!!

May this New Year bring a cemented resolve to fully develop those qualities of God that are so much a part of His nature. May we all be as good a person as not only our dog knows but our God is sure we can be. Have a blessed and Christ-filled New Year!

It's All About Tradition

Tonight Steve and I continued a tradition that has been apart of our family for a very long time. Steve hung "Leon" on our Christmas tree. "Leon" continues to have a very prominent place on our tree, as well as, the photo of Peyton (those of you who knew our family when Peyton was alive knows who are speaking) and this year we added an ornament in memory of our beloved family pet, Betty Jo. For a full explantion of the tradition with Leon, please see Catherine's blog or Craig's facebook.

Our Christmas tree is combination of ornaments made by our now grown children, ornaments given by friends from our parish and some that we have added along the way. It would not suprise you that the additions Steve's HD?