My Christmas gift!

I got a laptop! I am so so happy, now I can go and use internet and keep up with all my friends and update everyone else through cyber world (and look up recipes, tips, music, news, and books, books and more books!!!)
I am so excited about my own laptop. My sil got me a gift certificate to a local coffee shop, so I am set now :) I enjoy so much writing and reading and the internet offers ways to do that in real time and share it with everyone else, especially my loved ones an ocean away and more! I also am so thankful to my hubby, who purchased this nice used laptop (a good way to save money and be green!) and uploaded all kinds of nice programs, like picasa from google, open office (a free program that works like word), mozilla firefox (our favorite internet software)...and much more (I have all our pictures, and he also bookmarked my favorite websites, like amazon and NPR). And now one big more challenge I am ready to head on: we had bought a personal finance program, (Money 2007) and I am ready to take care of our finances and budget. I am the biggest spender (but not the way you think! Jon spends the largest sum on one thing, I spend smaller amounts on groceries, things for the house, for Jman, etc!!! LOL...okay, and on occasional coffees and cutsie stuff.)


I am thinking of giving a new look to my blog. I should be able to give it a nice 'face lift' to celebrate this new calendar year, with some expert help from computer savvy dh who is at home this week (yuppie! family time!...btw, dh did GREAT this past semester. It was very hard intense work, but it paid off, I am so PROUD of him!)

So thank you to my best friend and husband (and to my folks and grandparents who pitched in)! Now he won't have to hear me say "Honey, can I borrow your laptop?"

Christmas Prayer

Peace on earth and goodwill to everyone!

I had the pleasure to go to a Christmas eve service at the local episcopal church yesterday. I enjoyed singing the old Christmas carols, beautiful old hymns, which sung in a small sanctuary with a high ceiling that echoes the tunes is something to always be enjoyed and savored. The little place was packed and dh and I got to attend along with my precious friend K. who was in town and her mother. Several scriptures were read and we joined in the chorus of Amen, Peace be with you and Hear Our Christmas Prayer. There is something in the repetition, in the kneeling and standing, in the readings that engages not only my mind but it does indeed engage my heart and my senses. And I love the way their prayers, simple and beautiful prose, seem to encompass all that we truly should be about and stand for:

"Oh Lord, we pray for the needs of your whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for the mission and unity of the Church for which your Son gave his life. (...) O Lord, because you particularly love them, we remember in your Name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry, and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn, the lonely and unloved, the aged, and little children, as well as all those who do not know and love the Lord Jesus Christ."

We took communion (which is always the highlight of the services generally) and at the end we prayed this prayer:

"Grant, we beseech you, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this night with our out-ward ears, May, through your Grace, be so grafted in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living to the honor and praise of your Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Tidings of Comfort and Joy to you! May peace reign in your hearts!
Merry Christmas!