How is your Christmas tradition changed now?
How is your Christmas tradition changed now due to our loved ones death (for me it was my husband Smokey). Our tradition each Christmas was to have the morning to ourselves. We had our coffee, sat in our chairs and opened our gifts. Smokey always spoiled me. He was a generous and giving man. We knew one another. I didn't have to buy him much as he was a simple and humble man. What I did give to him hit the mark. One year I bought him a years draw on the lottery, which he loved greatly. He did not win one thing on it but it saved him from buying it for himself. We always bought little things for one another. Others would call them stocking stuffers. After our alone time together, we would have my older brother Don over for a lunch kind of thing. We always served a veggie plate along with appetizers like pigs n blankets only with weiners and some kind of wings. We always had coffee and egg nog. Lisa and I would have to set up the date to get together. She usually celebrated with her Aunt Rosilyn's place in Coquitlam. This is her dad's sister's place. I was lucky to get Boxing Day. She would come over for a short time exchange presents and leave. When she got older, her boyfriend would come along with her. This year I will have Lisa, Grant and Tyson (my grandson who is 6 months old). We will get together on Boxing Day. Children make Christmas so much more enjoyable. This Christmas Lisa might be enjoying it with Grant's family or still at her Aunt Rosilyn's place.
Decorations: When Smokey and I first got together, he told me he did not like Christmas and I told him it was my favorite holiday out of the year. One day I came home and lo and behold the place was decorated with the Christmas Tree and everything. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Smokey did it all for me because he loved me. Each year he would do the decorating. In the last two years of his life, we decided to make Christmas even more simpler for ourselves. We purchased a fibre optic Christmas Tree. We take it out of the box and plug it in. We also purchased a fibre optic pointsetta. This year I will be bringing both to Dave's place. I am at Dave's place from evening to morning. There is no point having it at my place. I am home at my place during the day so I can get my resumes out on the computer and clean the house etc. My place is almost turing into my exensive office. It will change when I get that elusive job.
Changes in my life without Smokey in it: Changes are natural for us because we lost our spouses/loved one. We don't have the same routine like we used to anymore. Sunday mornings Smokey and I would do our grocery shopping for the week. Dave seems to shop for groceries on a daily basis. Before meeting Dave, I would try to shop to the week as well. Smokey would cook in the kitchen and I would have my bath about 6 - 6:30 p.m. and get my robe on. Now I have my bath whenever I want it. These days it is usually in the morning at 6 a.m. Smokey and I would stay at home during the work week and go out on the weekends. Dave picks me up after his work day is over, meet his friends at the Pumphouse and then go back to his place. The weekends for us changes all the time but somehow whatever we do we end up meeting his friends at the Pumphouse and go back to either his place or my place to cook dinner, listen to music or watch a movie. Our routine is pretty relaxing. We can't have the same routine we had with our spouse because they are not in our lives anymore. God decided to take them home.
Today I am pretty relaxed. I am trying to let go and let God take everything in my life especially the things that cause me the greatest stress like Smokey's car. It is not faith when we get stressed out, panic, worry and fear. Faith is trusting God to work these things out in our lives. When something happens, I seem to automatically go to panic mode. When something happens, I don't automatically go to trust God for this. I need to go to prayer and keep praying until God gives me the inner peace that passes all understanding. We have to remember that God is good. God takes away. God gives. It is all in God's hands even when we don't understand the "why" factor. God has His reasons. God's reasons are beyond our human understanding that is for sure. There is a purpose for everything under the sun.
I am starting to ramble on here and before you know it, I am writing a manuscript. I love to write things down on paper. It is my way. I hope you have a great and blessed day. Your Daily Strength Friend, Diane Baillie
Decorations: When Smokey and I first got together, he told me he did not like Christmas and I told him it was my favorite holiday out of the year. One day I came home and lo and behold the place was decorated with the Christmas Tree and everything. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Smokey did it all for me because he loved me. Each year he would do the decorating. In the last two years of his life, we decided to make Christmas even more simpler for ourselves. We purchased a fibre optic Christmas Tree. We take it out of the box and plug it in. We also purchased a fibre optic pointsetta. This year I will be bringing both to Dave's place. I am at Dave's place from evening to morning. There is no point having it at my place. I am home at my place during the day so I can get my resumes out on the computer and clean the house etc. My place is almost turing into my exensive office. It will change when I get that elusive job.
Changes in my life without Smokey in it: Changes are natural for us because we lost our spouses/loved one. We don't have the same routine like we used to anymore. Sunday mornings Smokey and I would do our grocery shopping for the week. Dave seems to shop for groceries on a daily basis. Before meeting Dave, I would try to shop to the week as well. Smokey would cook in the kitchen and I would have my bath about 6 - 6:30 p.m. and get my robe on. Now I have my bath whenever I want it. These days it is usually in the morning at 6 a.m. Smokey and I would stay at home during the work week and go out on the weekends. Dave picks me up after his work day is over, meet his friends at the Pumphouse and then go back to his place. The weekends for us changes all the time but somehow whatever we do we end up meeting his friends at the Pumphouse and go back to either his place or my place to cook dinner, listen to music or watch a movie. Our routine is pretty relaxing. We can't have the same routine we had with our spouse because they are not in our lives anymore. God decided to take them home.
Today I am pretty relaxed. I am trying to let go and let God take everything in my life especially the things that cause me the greatest stress like Smokey's car. It is not faith when we get stressed out, panic, worry and fear. Faith is trusting God to work these things out in our lives. When something happens, I seem to automatically go to panic mode. When something happens, I don't automatically go to trust God for this. I need to go to prayer and keep praying until God gives me the inner peace that passes all understanding. We have to remember that God is good. God takes away. God gives. It is all in God's hands even when we don't understand the "why" factor. God has His reasons. God's reasons are beyond our human understanding that is for sure. There is a purpose for everything under the sun.
I am starting to ramble on here and before you know it, I am writing a manuscript. I love to write things down on paper. It is my way. I hope you have a great and blessed day. Your Daily Strength Friend, Diane Baillie
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