The Victoria Advocate, A Different Perspective
‘Tis the season to celebrate our Lord’s birth. This year, we received a pleasant but unexpected reminder. Christy, our daughter’s best friend, whom we consider part of the family, had her first baby on November 29th, the day after Thanksgiving. He was three weeks early. Mom and baby are both doing well. It’s going to be a while before we see this little guy in person because they are currently stationed at an American airbase in South Korea. Trent’s dad calls him their little turkey leg.
I am making lists. Lots of Christmas shopping still needs to happen. Over the years, I’ve acquired the habit of picking up things whenever I’m out, but still have a way to go. Two young men finished the flower bed. The Declutter Movement is currently on hold, but the pantry is done. Amazing how stuff collects.
Writing-wise, I sent a brief newsletter to my subscribers last week to promote my publisher’s Black Friday sale. If you’re an ebook affectionado, those 99 cent sales are pure gold. This week, I fussed around with the normal monthly newsletter much longer than usual because a link didn’t want to cooperate. Finally, I left to clear my head. Funny how that works. Once I gained some breathing room, I realized what needed to happen. Sure enough, reloading the entire block—easier than it sounds—was exactly what it required.
Since the content editor still has the manuscript of my last book, I’ve been brainstorming ideas for a 2026 Christmas novella. The publishing process is slow and lots of competition for the monthly publishing slots exists. It requires an author to think ahead and have projects ready to go. The theme of this novella is Christmas lights, so I’m planning to visit all the pretty light events this season to research. Sounds like a delightful task.
We especially enjoyed a visit from our grandsons. Dave worked with Emmitt, the nine-year-old, making an electronic dinosaur. David and I played a card tournament—Five Crowns, Memory, The Matching Game, Hearts, Fish, and my all-time favorite, Crazy Eights. Emmitt joined us for Fish—his antics kept his brother and me smiling—when we weren’t telling him to pipe down.
Thanksgiving was a special time at our daughter’s. We joined forces with the menu so she wouldn’t have so much to cook. Dave’s Sticky Cherry Cake was a tremendous hit, and none of us could stay away from his cheese ball—even our young granddaughters were loading the treat on crackers and eating it. The brisket and turkey were perfect, and everyone likes my cornbread casserole, a recipe handed down from Mom.
And after the first day of a cold—the kind where you have no energy and feel woozy all day, Dave loaded me into the car, and took me to see a light show, Cuero’s Christmas in the Park. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a treat, and one I hope to make a yearly event. The planning committee paid much attention to getting the details right. Music played as we drove through. The signs for each light ensemble and the snowflakes in the trees gave tribute to different people—members of the community and loved ones. It was special to note the care and attention given to each part of the show. I especially loved the nativity scene across from the pond. The reflection of the lights on the water gave it an ethereal beauty.
It made me think of the Scripture, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Isaiah 9:2, NAS)
I sincerely hope the light of Christmas shines in your heart throughout this holiday season.