Dream Come True

Subtitle: Finding Light

"The despair I feel about the world would ruin me if I did not know how to find light.  Whatever is happening in the world, whatever is happening in our personal lives, we can find light." Mary Phifer

Two friends sent me the same link to an essay by Mary Phifer titled "Finding Light in the Winter".....I wept all the way through it. Mary acknowledges the darkness this time of year and the brokenness of the world...but also knows there is light to be found if we look for it. We can find it in the snow and the birds....and a beautiful sunset. "This time of year we must look for it." 

I found it in the drops of water hanging from the pine branches by the pond.

We raised our very young boys in the church parsonage three doors down from Foreside Community Church in Falmouth, Maine, where Paul was serving as the Pastor.  One of the many wonderful things about living in that vintage cape cod home was that it was just 1/2 mile from Town Landing Market. We could get groceries, fresh lobster, deli sandwiches, and all the treats and snacks one could possibly want including doughnuts from a local bakery. It was a dream come true.

The boys used to walk down to the store...then on down to the water to fish for crabs off the dock at the Town Landing.  A boys' dream come true.  

David Clough was a member of our church and a talented painter. His rendition of Town Landing Market captures the charm and flavor of this iconic store. Below the print is my Christmas Moment #11....and I love everything about it.

This simple display features a little church...and some special hand folded stars made by my friend Jane.

There's a tiny little house....that could be the parsonage.  

And....this very well could have also been a gift from Jane who I met through the church. It looks like something Jane would buy for me....I love it.

She and her family lived just a few blocks from Town Landing Market.

This little display evoke memories of Christmas when the boys were young. But Christmas wasn't always easy. 

It was a working holiday for Paul....so I was mostly in charge of the kids and getting ready for our own Christmas.  We didn't have extended family in the area so a big Christmas dinner was not what we needed or could manage. When our boys were older homemade pizza became our tradition....but when they were young we would walk to Town Landing Market at some point on Christmas  and buy treats. Yes...they were open for a small window of time on Christmas.  It was a boys' dream come true.  A mom and dad's too.

And finally....just before dinner tonight...I found the light in the woods.