1. Here we are entering the last month of the year 2020. 2020!! Every year The Oxford English Dictionary publishing team chooses a word that captures the general mood of the year we're leaving behind, or the one word that will leave a lasting impact on the world at large. This year they needed sixteen words in order to cover the whole enchilada. 

While two of the other major dictionaries selected pandemic as their word of the year, Oxford came up with a long list including-bushfire, impeachment, acquittal, coronavirus, COVID-19, lockdown, social distancing, reopening, Black Lives Matter, Cancel Culture, BIPOC, mail-in, belarusian, moonshot, net zero (read more about each word here)

Of the words listed which ONE would you say should be in the number 1 spot? Which word/phrase on this list would you be happy to never hear again? Covid 19

2. What one word from your own list of words describing this year sums up/best reflects your 2020? Tell us why. Social distancing and wear you mask.  I miss being around family and friends. I plan to go back to church now because everyone has to wear a mask and get a temperature check and then social distance with your small group. I have been watching online, but I miss worshiping with others.

3. Do you like peppermint? Peppermint mocha, a candy cane, peppermint bark, peppermint tea, York Peppermint Pattie, peppermint ice cream...of the peppermint treats listed, which one is your favorite? Will you bake anything featuring peppermint this holiday season?  I love peppermint but I can't eat it. It is on the top of the list for causing heartburn and GERD. I use to drink a lot of peppermint tea to settle my stomach. Good for the stomach, but not the esophagus. Peppermint relaxes the opening and the acid comes up.

4. Besides Christmas, what do you associate the color red with? How about the color green? Valentine's day, heart, blood. The blood of Jesus that He shed for me. Green grass and it remind me of my grandpa cutting grass. When I smell cut grass, I think of him.

5. Is your tree up? Real or artificial? Is your house decorated? Is your shopping done? Started? Wrapped? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being Scrooge-like and 10 being Buddy the Elf, how's your Christmas spirit? My whole house is decorated except for my kitchen. We set the  7 foot pencil thin tree on Sunday. I will hang the ginger bread on it this week. I also put garland over the kitchen sink window and add gingerbread ornaments on it also. I have multiple trees in the house. The main tree is all Disney. Another pencil thin if the family room has Nativity ornaments and angels. Another tree will have cherished family ornaments. All the bedroom have trees also. Hubby keeps a Charlie brown tree in his office. 

I am half way done with shopping. I have a few things coming in the mail.  My Christmas Spirit is good. I got day 1 of my Advent study done. I am taking a crafty class called the 12 days of crafts over 6 days.  I will give myself an 8  because I don't get enough sleep and I can't find a Christmas craft box that has my Washi-crafting tape.

6. Insert your own random thought here. In the beginning of the year, the Lord gave me the word peace. Little did I know how much that word was going to be so important for me. For the most part, I did good. I think I felt the most anxious the week before and after the election. I had to remember my word peace, and I had to trust that God is in control!

 

Every year I pray for the one word that I will focus on for the year. Last year it was focus and I really needed that word because I was going through a rough time. I thought that needed to be my word again for this year. But one morning as I was praying, the word peace came to me. Tonight I was looking through some of my pages at my website and I found a page titled Peace. I opened the page and found this poem.

A prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord,union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

St. Francis lived in Italy during the 12th century. He is the patron saint of plants and animals.

Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV