Merry Christmas, everyone. Those words will ring true for many but not all. I pray that God was there to cover your grief and loneliness. May the God of peace comfort you and surround you with his gracious love. This is the last column of the year.
Russ and I went to see the Nazarene in Dallas with our kids Shane and Earnie. It was an impressive production. My engineer husband was enthralled with the technological aspects of this glorious event. I highly recommend it. It’s like being immersed in the word.
My kids paid extra to walk through the archaeological exhibits. I was able to see what a real “widow’s mite” looks like.
They had the ossuary of James, the brother of Jesus and many other artifacts of the time and region. It was a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours.
My grandson and great-grandson are here this week so they will be coming with me to the Bank building cleanup on Tuesday. If you haven’t put it on our calendar yet, please do so. They have asked that helpers bring gloves, grain shovels, wheelbarrows, and muscles. Hopefully, we can get the entire upstairs cleaned out. Work will start at 9:00 a.m. Come one; come all.
The rains have been wonderful, and my winter garden will appreciate it. Unfortunately, the Shoppe does not like it that much. Chrissy and I have moved plants over the rainy areas, and perhaps they will keep some of the rain off the floor. The goal is to replace the roof with one that is not flat. The lowest bid we’ve received was $42,000. That number seems impossible, but I refuse to give up.
I’ve notarized my first official document. I suspect this will not be a great money maker, but it is a service that Chrissy can offer to the community. Her first community event was the bow-making class offered by Dee Crump. It appeared to be a positive success. There were 11 ladies and miles of ribbon. I produced a nice bow to my surprise. The class was fun and the price reasonable. More classes will be offered in the upcoming months.
I’ve seen a steady flow of people heading into RS BoHo Unique looking for unique last minute Christmas gifts. Don’t forget, many of the items are locally made. Jackie carries name brands from Fredericksburg, but she has a wide variety of local products.
I was talking to Paula Sue Shannon on Sunday. I hadn’t received my Cemetery Association newsletter. Apparently, they went out around Thanksgiving, so my went astray. If you don’t get the newsletter, please contact the association or Mrs. Shannon. The association relies on donations and memorials to maintain the cemetery in pristine condition. Your donations are always welcome.
There was a large turnout for the funeral of Lee Miller. Both Lee and Paula are precious members of this community. Please keep the family in your prayers. Mondo Garcia took another trip to the ER on Sunday. He needs our prayers as do the families of Bob Collins, Lee Miller, Rick Silva, and others who have passed away in recent weeks. This will be a tough time for many families in the area.
Johnny Reeves is continuing his battle with cancer. He stands firm in his faith and doesn’t miss and opportunity to tell whoever will listen how wonderful is his God. May God be with him and Lynn.
The candlelight service on Sunday evening was most enjoyable. I was surprised at the number of people who took time out of their Christmas Eve to come and sing. One of the Butler ladies joined Clara Elkins with me to sing O Holy Night, acapella. Silent Night by candlelight never fails to delight the weary heart.
Please pray for our country, our President, our Congress and all the hurting people in the world. Pray for our border patrol agents, National Guard troops and our soldiers who are away from their families. May God bless and protect them and bring them home soon.