Beverly Joy Roberts

The  Countdown To Christmas  has officially begun, and I love everything about the Christmas season; the music, the snow, the smell of cookies, the sound of a crackling fire, the spirit of giving and the story of the birth of Jesus. My Christmas tree has been up since November 3rd and now with December 1st only a few days away the clock is ticking.  There is much to be done before Christmas Day.  Decorating (for you slackers), shopping, cooking, baking, church and school programs, entertaining family/friends and lets not forget the eating.  I can't think of another holiday that brings as much planning, joy and happiness as Christmas. This  Countdown To Christmas has me thinking about how I want to see the next 26-days unfold.  Yes, I want all the people, fun, food and gifts but I also want to focus on the real celebrant, the One that Christmas is all about.  NO, I'm not talking about Santa, but the other Christmas guy--JESUS! In the past decade, attempts have been made

Thanksgiving is tomorrow.  If you are like most people who celebrate this day, you will take time before or after your meal to share something that you're thankful for.  I wish I could say that we practiced this tradition at every one of our Thanksgivings, but we may have missed a few years.   Over the past six months, we have had the privileged of having our son, daughter-in-law and three amazingly wonderful grandchildren living with us.  We are three generations under one roof.  Next fall, they will return to Northern Asia to continue their work there.  Our son's family has a nightly tradition called  "Thankfuls. "  They don't do " Thankfuls"  just on special occasions or over the month of November or at the Thanksgiving table.  It's every night all year long.    Some nights, our grandkids will ask us to join them for  "Thankfuls. "  We go upstairs and sit on their beds while each one says one thing that they are thankful for

Surprises can be loads of fun, like receiving a homemade German Chocolate Cake for your birthday. (See photo!  Yes, that's the husband.)   Another awesome surprise is unexpected money.  Who wouldn't want a surprise like that? I've had many great surprises in my life.  Far too many to list, but one of my top 10 surprises was when our son unexpectedly arrived home early from Northern Asia.  That was such a happy and joyous occasion.  I couldn't stop smiling.  He was home, safe and with us.  That was a welcomed surprise. However, I do realize that not all surprises are happy ones.  There are many unwelcome surprises in life and sometimes these can even cause us to question our faith.  Like sudden unemployment, the death of a loved one, relationship issues, sickness or even the loss of property or possessions.  No one would ever jump out from their hiding place and yell, "SURPRISE your house just burned to the ground!"  Yup!  All surprises are not

In October, my granddaughter's first grade class took a field trip to Potter's Zoo in Lansing, Michigan.  This zoo is about an hour drive from her school.  The kids, parents and teachers were all happy and excited to finally be on their way.  They were scheduled to go the week before, but the trip was canceled due to a  "chance of rain."   Of course, the day of the actual trip, it was colder and rainier than it would have been the week before.  It's Michigan...enough said! The school decided to push ahead in spite of the weather and off they went to the Lansing Zoo.  The bus was on the move.  I know you're thinking it so I'll go ahead and say it... the wheels on the bus went round and round. ..on the wet pavement, on their way to Lansing. About 40-minutes into the one hour trip the bus rolled to a stop...at the Saginaw Zoo .  Oopps!  This zoo was closed for the season.  After some heartfelt apologizes and lots of sighs, they pressed on and finally

The elementary school years were not easy for me.  I struggled to pay attention and found sitting in a chair for hours painfully uncomfortable.  I often wondered if my problem was due to my superior academic abilities and the teacher was teaching far below my brilliance.     Hey, it's possible.  FINE! I may have been of the "late bloomer" persuasion.   Due to my remedial learner ways, there have been plenty of life lessons that required repeating.  For example...the 4th grade.  Oh the shame! I really was an exceptionally good teenager and ended up in the National Honor Society, but oh those elementary years.  Wow-those years were another story all together! The skipping school in the 1st and 2nd grades.  Most first graders would have learned their lesson but not me.  I was a repeat offender.  There was the black crayon on the hardwood floors, the stealing and lying.  I was a bit of a scraper as well.  The mischievous things I did are far too numerous to mentio