Today I was browsing the net and a friend passed along this news clip on thank you notes. After my previous post on being a better letter writer I thought it fitting to pass the clip on to you. Maybe it will encourage all of us to be a bit more grateful for even the little things and to tell people when we are thankful for what they have done. (the story begins after a 30 second commercial.) Enjoy.

I am addicted to hoodies and any sweatshirt type attire. This morning I counted my hoodie-esque items and the total is 20. This is the count of items that either button or zip, with a hood, but isn’t a jacket. That doesn’t count the number of pull-over sweatshirts or jackets I own. I am rarely seen without a sweater/jacket/sweatshirt so I do get good use out of them. But really, does one person really need 20 of them? It is a sickness….but I just can’t help myself.

Today LittleZabba and I were talking about the 10 commandments. I confessed to her that as a child I broke the 8th commandment: Thou Shalt Not Steal. Here is the story. (I think my Mom already knows this, but if not…well…sorry Mom.)

My Mom and I took a lot of walks. One day we walked to Revco, our local drugstore. I can’t remember why we were there, but I know that I was fascinated with the chocolate at the counter. I saw the little chocolate coin bags. They looked so fun and shiny and I wanted one. I thought my Mom wouldn’t get it for me, so I decided to steal it. However, I was smart enough to know that I wouldn’t get far with a bag of coins in my pocket, so I ripped a tiny hole in the netting and carefully slipped out a coin. I hid in the back of the store while I ate it. It was so good I went back for more. I didn’t want to draw attention to the bag by having too many missing, so I chose another bag and ripped a hole in that one and took another coin. This continued until my Mom was done shopping and it was time to go.

I don’t think I ever got caught. I felt guilty, but not guilty enough to confess…until now. Maybe I should go buy some chocolate coins and take them to my local drugstore and place them on the counter, to repay my debt.

I used to be a fairly consistent blogger. I would post something every few days or so, but lately nothing. Why is that? My motivation in the past was to keep family up to date on the latest happenings in our home. More recently my family has all connected on Facebook, so the blog didn’t seem necessary anymore.

I used to be an excellent letter writer. I would write to friends who lived close and far. I love getting notes in the mail, so it was fun to see if my friends had written a return letter. However, again, with Facebook being an active part of most of my friend’s lives the letter writing has stopped. I feel like I know what is going on in Sally Sue’s life since I just read her latest status update, so the motivation to write isn’t there.

Seeing a daily glimpse into the lives of my friends gives the impression of connecting with them, but is that what I want my friendships to be like? I should get back to intentionally writing, calling and making a personal connection.

Last weekend we were so blessed to spend time with friends. They have been living in Germany for some time and we only see them every few years. Susan and I went to college together and then taught on the same 3rd grade team. We spent every day together for 3 years. Now that they live overseas we don’t get the same face time. So we were thrilled that our schedules worked out to spend the weekend together. We had such a great time hanging out, playing games, eating & watching all the kids (5 girls!!) play together. I wish our time together had been longer, but it was good for my soul.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:8-20