In life, things are constantly changing, but while change is always occurring, some things never change. I have had many changes in my life the past few years, as well as changes in the world around me.
In a few days, most of you will be fighting the crowds that flood retail stores on the day after Thanksgiving, commonly known as Black Friday. Are the sales worth spending hours in line to save a few dollars? Are the “Black Friday” sales indeed sales or just marked up products that have been marked down to the original price? What could you do with the four hours you spend waiting for the store to give you access to the “door-busters?”
This month I have officially lived in Texas for 15 years – and I am still not used to how the holidays are celebrated. Growing up we usually spent Thanksgiving at my Aunt Judy’s house in Totowa, NJ. I remember the long dining room table decked out in every food imaginable with the turkey as the main centerpiece, ready to be carved by the man of the house. The Christmas tree was put up the next day and decorated by friends and family as we listened to Christmas music and drank eggnog. There was laughter and happiness that permeated the air.
We gathered around a pink casket in our small town cemetery. It was draped with pink and purple flowers of all different varieties, and their delicate beauty stood out in sharp contrast to the dirt, the sea of gray stones, the dry, yellowed Texas grass that covered the ground, and the reason that we were all gathered in this spot: to lay a beloved body under the earth. We sang old hymns and read Scripture, and then a tall man with gray hair stood to speak.
213 E. Main St.
PO Box 577
Olney, Texas 76374
Phone: (940) 564-5558
Fax: (940) 564-3992