Currently

In Latrobe...

...it's 29 degrees, cloudy and gray, with the tiniest of snowflakes drifting in the air. 

...I'm relaxing for a minute or two (or 30) after having watched the grandchildren this afternoon. Our daughter needed to go to the dentist so my plans for the day went out the window again, but you won't catch me complaining, at least not much, about how often I watch the kids.

...chicken thighs are defrosting in the microwave so I can throw them in a pot to simmer. Chicken corn chowder is on the menu for dinner.

...The Homecoming is on TV. It's the Walton's Christmas movie, the one that started the whole series. It's always been a favorite.

...a lot of Christmas shopping got done this weekend. Most of it being done online. Now the parade of packages has begun. Boxes started arriving yesterday and will continue through the week. It feels good to be getting that monster under control. Next up is my least favorite job. Wrapping.

...Tim is already home at 3:30 in the afternoon, though he isn't actually here at the house. Everything finally worked out with the insurance and he is dropping his truck off at the garage to get the damage caused by someone trying to break into it fixed. They have a rental waiting there for him, too.

...Covid-19 continues to multiply at ridiculous rates according to the news. Our state secretary of health, Rachel Levine, claimed today that the survival rate is now only 56%. I find that unbelievable. That would mean that out of the 1 million new cases the CDC said were diagnosed last week, 440,000 of them will die. I can't buy that figure. 

...I visited the same church again yesterday and enjoyed it very much. There was a guest speaker, a pastor from Macedonia of all places! I found that interesting after having just finished a study on the ministry of Paul. He didn't, however, speak on his work, but rather on the prayer journey he and his wife have been on since the pandemic began. Oh, how that blessed me, because it nearly perfectly mirrored my own journey during these months at home. So many of the things he talked about doing, I'm doing. I was able to speak with him afterward and it was confirmation to both of us that we are on the right path, doing exactly what God wants us to do right now. I left very encouraged and I think he did, too. 

I also learned that there is a women's Bible study before church on Sundays, a Wednesday evening Bible study, and a Thursday evening prayer group. The Wednesday and Thursday groups meet in person, but are also available online. I was happy to find this out. It's hard to decided on a church if you can't get to know the members. Also, there will be 2 Christmas Eve services and one will be at noon so it will fit into our schedule. I'm so glad about that.

...And now I'd best go get those chicken thighs in the pot so supper will be ready on time.

Happy Monday! Here's to a great week full of Christmas joy and blessings!