Today is a cold gray day, the kind of day that builds character.  And there will be worse days to come this winter.  It gives one the opportunity to learn endurance and to pull peace and joy from within.

Thanksgiving!  Hope yours was wonderful.  We had only 6 people at our Thanksgiving table, the smallest number in a very long time.  Four family members could not come.  One son in London.  One son in Dallas.  And one daughter and son-in-law in Atlanta.  So we missed all of them but look forward to Christmas when everyone will be home.

It was a fun day, nevertheless, with Mary and Liz, and Mike in from Indiana, and his girlfriend Katie who flew in from New York.  I still bought a 20 pound turkey.  Force of habit.  And everyone enjoys the leftovers.

And now here Advent is upon us!!  Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel!  We were able to celebrate the First Sunday of Advent before Mike and Katie left.

Mike loves to sing, and since his girlfriend Katie is a vocal performance major in grad. school, I did not have to twist any arms to get our little group to sing.  Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel!!

"Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord."  Psalm 122