Deep Breath, Part 2

So far, so good.  🙂  On New Year’s Eve, I put twelve white votive candles on a circular mirrored plate, one for each month of 2015.  A large center candle, also white, stood in the center, welcoming the coming year as a whole, and still another white candle represented 2o14.  The latter was a way of saying good-bye and thank you to the old year, with all its ups and downs, joys and sorrows.  Life, after all, is made up of both.  I wrote out some intentions (forget resolutions, I never keep them) on index cards and, with prayer and reflection, lit the wicks.  The whole experience seemed so sacred, so right, that I didn’t want to let go of it.  Hence, I light all those candles again, every morning during my devotional time, and often again, when evening comes. I also observed Advent this year, and that, too, will be a personal tradition from now on. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.  On Christmas Day, Wendy and Jeremy, Wendy’s dad, Rick, and stepmother, Kathy, and Jeremy’s mom, Sheri, came over for turkey dinner.  We had a great time!  In addition to my pets, Bernice the Yorkie and Jitterbug the kit-cat, Rick and Kathy brought their Yorkie, Teddy, who is illegally cute, and of course Margie, my grand-Golden Retriever, was there, too.  Just to add to the happy chaos, Lily, the puppy Wendy and Jeremy had recently adopted joined us as well.  At the time, Lily was still being bottle-fed, and for such a little dog, she can make a big noise.  🙂  Our contest winners are: Pat Dennis and Marilyn Neuhoff.  Congratulations, both of you!  That said, a new round begins now.  Enter a comment and you’re in for next week.  Two winners, chosen at random, will receive an autographed copy of my latest, and I’ll announce their names on next Monday’s blog. That’s about it for today, my friends.  Happy New Year, one and all.