Home is such a lovely four letter word. I am not sure there is another word that brings most folks such peace of heart. I know many of you either have family and friends coming to your homes or you are going back home to yours or theirs, but no matter the circumstance, the yearning for home is universal and timeless.
I am not sure there is anything more poignant than Bing singing; I’ll Be Home For Christmas. As one imagines every G.I. dreaming of their own home, whether it is some life-changing war from yesteryear or today…
One of my favorite Christmas movies is, The Walton’s Homecoming, which is all about the father of seven making it home for Christmas during the Great Depression. This 1970’s made for television movie, reflects the timeless notion that families should be, need to be, and have to be together at Christmas, no matter what the circumstances.
I believe everyone should be home for Christmas, whether it is realistic or not, I wish it to be so. Home is the goal, the destination, for there certainly is no place like it. Most importantly, during this season, home is where Santa comes every year and still does for us believers. So whether you are traveling to a home or staying at your own, make your home for Christmas, warm and magical with plenty of love, laughter, forgiveness, acceptance, patience, joy and of course...pie!
My mom grew up in the mountains of West Virginia during the Depression. During that time, because money was scarce for the entire country, Christmas gifts were few for most folks, so delicious holiday food took the center stage of celebrations.
My mother remembers every Christmas Eve day her family would string popcorn and cranberry garland by the warmth of the kitchen's wood stove. They would spend the entire day decorating their small, but fragrant, Christmas tree, and helping my grandmother bake her delicious breads, pies, and cheesecake! She remembers anxiously awaiting for the special Christmas Eve dinner, and was always comforted by hot buttery oyster soup, wedges of Swiss cheese, warm biscuits with orange marmalade, a fresh pineapple, and my grandmother's homemade pecan pie! After dinner, they would play dominoes while my Grandpa would recite poetry and read the Christmas story, from the Bible.
The holiday menu was always the same, and marvelously delicious, which was very soothing to a little girl growing up in bleak economic times. Strong family roots and delicious, time-honored, traditional foods truly made my mother feel secure and loved, as did a little visit from Santa each and every holiday season!
Eat pie, savor timeless, delicious memories! xoxolinda
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE
AND THE ANGEL SAID UNTO THEM, FEAR NOT, BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE FOR ALL PEOPLE.
FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID, A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.
AND THIS SHALL BE THE SIGN UNTO U; YE SHALL FIND THE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES, LYING IN A MANGER.
AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS WITH THE ANGEL A MULTITUDE OF HEAVENLY HOST PRAISING GOD AND SAYING,
GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH, PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN.
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS THE ANGELS WERE GONE AWAY FROM THEM INTO HEAVEN, THE SHEPHERDS, SAID ONE TO ANOTHER. LET US NOW GO EVEN UNTO BETHLEHEM, AND SEE THIS THING WHICH IS COME TO PASS, WHICH THE LORD HATH MADE KNOWN UNTO US.
AND THEY CAME WITH HASTE, AND FOUND MARY AND JOSEPH AND THE BABE LYING IN THE MANGER.
The Christmas spirit is love.
Love changes everything. And love is what changes the world.
God's love that shines through us...all because of a tiny baby boy.
Love is the Christmas Spirit.
Jesus' love inspired me to open my little pie shop and love all the people I can through a loving piece of pie.
Let us all remember the Christmas Spirit that lives in every human heart that walks this
Thus, do everything we can to bring it out in each other.
For the Christmas spirit is truly and simply, LOVE.
IF AS HEROD, WE FILL OUR LIVES WITH THINGS, AND AGAIN WITH THINGS;
IF WE CONSIDER OURSELVES SO UNIMPORTANT THAT WE MUST FILL EVERY
MOMENT OF OUR LIVES WITH ACTION, WHEN WILL WE HAVE TIME TO MAKE THE
LONG, SLOW JOURNEY ACROSS THE DESERT AS DID THE MAGI?
OR SIT AND WATCH THE STARS AS DID THE SHEPHERDS?
OR BROOD OVER THE COMING OF THE CHILD AS DID MARY?
FOR EACH OF US, THERE IS A DESERT TO TRAVEL.
A STAR TO DISCOVER
AND A BEING WITHIN OURSELVES TO BRING TO LIFE. -- AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Let the Christmas spirit fill your lives with love, and purpose to follow your very own star, to be the very best you.
Merry Christmas!
Eat pie, and God Bless Us Everyone! -- xoxolinda