My World With Words

January 4, 2026

All I Want For Christmas…

Daily writing prompt

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

This is a tough question for me to answer. My mom bemoans the fact that she can no longer afford to buy me gifts, but that doesn’t bother me. I get very few gifts any more, and that’s fine, because I’m trying to downsize and gifts would just clutter up my already messy space.

A co-worker gave me a wonderful gift right before Christmas–a plateful of fudge and peanut brittle exactly the way my mom used to make it. I get nostalgic this time of year for the candy and baked goods that were so much a part of my family’s Christmas tradition. I don’t have the recipes–not that I could make peanut brittle anyway–and my mom is in assisted living, so she know longer makes any of those goods.

But the greatest gifts I’m getting these days are words of wisdom. So much of that comes from my blogging buddies, and I thank you for those thoughts. You may not be aware of the good that comes from sharing your life experience, but it’s there.

Then there are the gifts God gives us, sometimes in small measure, sometimes larger. This morning in church I was overwhelmed with the idea that I was created in the image of God, that God created me to be who I am. More than that, I felt a conviction that my parents were chosen for me, faults and all. I struggle with so much pain from my childhood and even my relationship with my parents as an adult, but perhaps that was all part of God’s plan for me. That’s pretty basic stuff for a lot of people of faith, and it’s not a new thought for me, but there was a wave of conviction I haven’t felt before.

I attend an Episcopal church, and I’m fortunate to have a priest who emphasizes God’s profound love for us despite our failings. We can fall again and again and God simply doesn’t go away. I find myself failing, but I know there is hope for the future.

I guess that’s the greatest gift anyone can give me, unwavering love despite my worst behavior.

Image Credits: Peace on Earth © cartoon-IT–stock.adobe.com; Fudge © olyina–stock.adobe.com; Family © GarkushaArt–stock.adobe.com

January 3, 2026January 1, 2026

Lookin’ Serious

After a long day of snuggling with me, Walter and Mimi are together on the futon (which has been retired from human use since it broke earlier in 2025). They look pretty stern, don’t they? But in reality they’re quite content and will likely be sound asleep before long.

Image Credits: Cesar Cat © Belinda O; Paws in Heart © Bigstock Photo; Sleeping Cats © lonesomebunny–stock.adobe.com

January 1, 2026December 31, 2025

Happy New Year and Happy (Belated) Blogaversary To Me!

I hope this year holds unexpected blessings for all of you!

Last week, on Christmas Day, I celebrated eleven years of blogging on WordPress. A lot has changed in that time, and I’m grateful for those changes. I’m also thankful for the wonderful blogging buddies I’ve made over these past eleven years. Some of you have been with me from the beginning (or close to it) and others are more recent followers, and I appreciate you all.

I don’t know where I’ll be eleven years from now, or even a year from now, but I hope I’m still blogging. Granted, I don’t post as much as I used to–at one point I was posting three to four times a week. I wasn’t working full-time then and I had a lot to say. Now I’m busier with work and such, but I still have thoughts I want to express.

But back to the new year. It’s a time for hope and reflection, and for me, a day off so I can sleep in if I want to do so. Have a wonderful day and a marvelous year!!

December 24, 2025December 31, 2025

Merry Christmas Eve!

I hope your day is filled with joy and wonder. Growing up, we always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, although Santa would show up overnight to fill our stockings and leave us one more big gift. I think we started this when I was very young and we visited both sets of grandparents for Christmas–Mom’s family Christmas Eve, Dad’s on Christmas Day. Anyway, Christmas Eve is as big for me as Christmas Day. I spend a lot of it watching some of my favorite Christmas movies–and I have many such films. Have a wonderful day!

December 20, 2025

Walter and the Box

Walter found this box (well, I left it out for him to discover) and as you can see, he proudly reigns over it. Mimi was in it later, but jumped out as soon as I tried to take a photo. I would say it’s Christmastime in our home, but this was the box that the food came in. Wait, cats only like the boxes, right? Okay, it’s Christmastime in our humble abode.