Turning Straw Into Gold

very beautiful story Toni as always. Happy Holidays to you and your family for all the traditions you celebrate.. when we were little we didn't do much besides decorate the tree, my grandparents on the other hand had to go all out.. there was stuff all over the house and grandpop had to hang christmas lights around the trailer and on the flower bushes and anywhere else possible.. when i got married we had a tree and some yrs we had a few decorations around the house but not many, my husband had OCD so he didn't like having alot of stuff around unless it was his junk.. anyway when I moved up here with Tom in 2004 it was different, Tom's mom was a Christmasaholic... she had so many decorations that had to go all over the house and lights all over every room down stairs and she bought a 6 ft prelit tree to decorate, they couldn't have real trees because Tom is allergic to them.. so for 3 or 4 yrs untill she starting getting sick and i started getting sick the whole house looked like Santa land..after that we toned it down to just the tree which was getting to cumbersome too, and decorating the living room since that is where she spent most of her time in her "sick chair/bed".. after she died in 2010 we really toned it down, i and Tom are to sick to manage the big tree anymore so we have gotten just a little 3 ft tree in a lighted base that sits ontop of our blanket box that his daughter decorates with whatever she wants and she may put out any of her grandmothers Angels if she wants.. her grandmother collected any kind of porcelain angel she could find big or small.. some stay on the shelves behind the tv all the time some only get put out at christmas. and we have lights going around the entrance way to the living room and partially around the ceiling which stay up all yr round because his daughter wants them too.. she asked me just last night if we could put the tree up soon. I told her I will get it out of the closet and she can do it this weekend..
hope you and your's have a very joyful holiday.
much LOVE and METTA..
Love, Tina

How nice to hear about your multiple holiday celebrations - so many good memories you have to share with us. I haven't decorated for Christmas since my son moved out, shortly after his 18th birthday and I had a slight urge to do it this year, but then the energy faded and there went the urge with it! But I enjoy seeing other peoples, hearing their stories, seeing their excitement. I'll get to spend time with my family this year and I'm really looking forward to that little train trip to the Bay Area and a 'slumber party' with my sister on Christmas night :) Happy holidays to you and yours, Toni! And thank you for a year of lovely stories! Love you! M.

Toni, what about trying to find out if God really cares about your Jewish or Christian side. Is there God out there? If God exists, is there one right religion or God doesn't care? Will there be rewards for doing the rights things and punishment for doing the wrong things? I found out that there is such a thing as the truth and it is actually easy to be found and seen. As you are probably quite intelligent, it shouldn't be too hard for you to find out as well. Just take a little time to talk to both orthodox rabbis and christian priests and ask: How do you know that what you are doing is the right thing vs. the others? Talk to a couple from each side and then you will know. God is soooo good that the truth is easily found, if you just apply yourself a little.