Christmas time is here, and it’s one of my favorite holidays for two reasons. One, it is when we celebrate the birth of our savior, and second, it was one of my late Grandmother’s favorite holidays. She loved making the home festive and filled with the Spirit of Christmas. I loved helping her put up the tree, hang Christmas lights inside the house, and even bake her famous sweet potato pies for Christmas dinner as a little girl. I would help Granddaddy hang Christmas lights on the front porch and hedges that trimmed the front of the house. It was a magical time as Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” filled the house with Christmas cheer. I know what you are thinking….”Gurrrrrrl that sounds like a movie” LOL but it wasn’t. Growing up in Detroit with my Grandparents was exactly like that.

As a grandma myself, I admit that I struggle with this time of year because the memories of my grandma and her Christmas joy always made everything right this time of year, even though I’m sure it wasn’t. But as a kid, it was heaven on earth to me. Grandma made sure the house was filled with Holiday joy and the Spirit of Christ. But that was then; in the early ’70s, times were different. Fast forward to now, trying to fill grandma’s shoes is next to impossible in this day and age. Trying to keep the tradition of Christmas cheer within our homes four walls has been like a roller coaster or maybe more like a nightmare on elm street.

Our family dynamic is not what it used to be, making it hard to usher in the old holiday spirit that Grandma did so effortlessly back in the day when I was a little girl.

But then I recall a time when I was helping Grandma put tinsel on the Christmas tree, I was standing next to her as she would sitting on a chair, and I heard her mumbling something under her breath. I asked, “Grandma, what are you sayin’? She replied I’m prayin”. Maybe that’s why the home felt the way it did. As Grandma put up Christmas decorations, she prayed her way to peace, love and joy.

As I sit here typing this last post of 2021, the song, One Wish by Whitney Houston came on google chrome. I thought, “If I had one wish, what would it be?” The little girl in me wanted my Grandma back, so that I could decorate the house by her side just one more time. But the Women of fearless faith and Grammy that I have grown up to be wish for this, and that is…

Heavenly Father, please extend your ear from heaven and hear every household praying, trusting, and believing that better days are coming. You sent your only begotten Son through a virgin to guarantee that it would. Father, forgive the hearts that seem a little weary, and Father have mercy on the Spirits that seem less than joyful. Father, fix our eyes and hearts on the light of the Christ Child….your light so that peace, love and joy will fill our homes to full and overflow this Christmas season.

Amen.

If this post ministered to you or encourage you in any way, please share with your fellow Wind Sisters.

May the Joy of the Lord instantly become your strength to encourage you to overcome any fears that you might experience. Remember, in our daring to be brave, when we throw caution to the wind, casting our cares in Faith upon Him through the ride. Peace, love, and joy are set loose in the atmosphere, and it permits other riders to do the same. Allowing us to all rejoice in knowing we have triumphant victory in Riding the Good Ride of Faith.

Merry Christmas and Have a Happy New Year!

Better Days are Coming…

Be strong and of good courage,
LaShaun and Mrs. Cavatica