I walked the CFBC labryienth last night. It was cold and dark and often hard to follow. Sorta like life at times. When I finally arrived at the center  I felt relief somehow and sad and happy all  at the same time.

I  kept on walking around the centered candlelight feeling like I had finally arrived. Like I was home. 

The year has been a true challenge of faith but through  it all the I never felt afraid. I knew I had Joyce and my family holding me up. My faith in God   and the unbelievable strength of my wife and her love for me lifts me up each day and reminds me how blessed I am.

I stayed in the center on the stone circle for a while maybe because it 

felt safe but soon realizing I wasn't at the end of my journey. Nor was I at the beginning.   even though the center of the Labrienth had caused me a few tears of remembrance....of my mom and dad,  of this years challenges  of all the friends we have lost in our church family,

I was still happy to be allowed  to continue my journey.  

I am not sure I fully understand the spirituality  of the Labrienth yet but I do understand the feelings I seem to get when I walk it. It is such a

 metaphor  for life.

..

Its a Howdy Doody Christmas

I believe this was Christmas 1951. I was with my two best friends at the time  Howdy Doody and my big brother David.  It mow seems pretty progressive of my parents to give a boy a doll. But Howdy Doody was a bid deal that year and even though my parents were pretty poor at the time, the splurged and gave me a doll. Here I am 70 years later and I still am not marked or changed forever by this gesture of love.

I did not have a lot of close friends at that time or even later in.life. A beautiful.little blonde headed girl with Shirley Temple long curls in her hair and my cousins who continue to be "best friends" were my blessings.  Howdy soon filled the spot  of best friend.  I remember talking to him and giving him presents on later Christmases.

Joyce found him in the attic  near my 35th  birthday and took him to a doll hospital and had him restored, probably from a bit of too much 

 friendship and a cracked composite head made years before plastic heads.   Howdy is hidden away  now now from fear stolen nut from.my Grand daughters that  thought he looked a little too much like" Chuckie".   

I really think my childhood gift from parents that loved me probably taught me how  to be a loving careing  father and maybe even husband.    I do know we should all cherish the memories of Christmas and continue to make new memories with our families and friends.  Merry Christmas!!!