Between the Holidays

"What a wonderful thought it is that some of the

best days of our lives haven't even happened yet."

ANNE FRANK

For me, the quieter days between Christmas and New Year's are a treasured time of year. The hubbub and excitement of getting ready for Christmas and then celebrating with loved ones is suddenly over. The peacefulness settles—the contrast is exquisite. This morning as I write, the snow falls gently over the neighbourhood, and in my heart, I am content.

In response to Anne Frank's words above, I'm thinking that for that dear girl her best days never came to be. She died in the second world war. There is a poignancy in the words that I have never stopped to consider before. At the same time, as long as we still have today, we choose to live in hope that some of our best days are yet still ahead of us. It keeps us moving forward. So yes, Anne, it is a wonderful thought.

Cozy winter reading

This time of year is made for reading. So says Nigel Slater, British author of the book The Christmas Chronicles in which I'm still deliciously immersed. It's a fat book of the author's musings, recipes, and traditions that opens early in November and meanders along through the holiday season through the deep winter to the very beginning of February. It's a lovely book to curl up with on a cold winter afternoon. And it will probably inspire you to slip off into your kitchen to stir up a dish of something lovely as a treat, or for lunch or supper.

A few books from Santa 

As per usual, Santa was most generous in the book department. I will mention only three today: Nature Tales for Winter Tales is an anthology of excerpts of various authors, which takes readers from late autumn through the cold midwinter and towards the promise of spring. It promises to be a cozy winter read. And the novel by Diana R Chambers The Secret War of Julia Child is a fiction tale based on some real life events when the master chef of French cooking 'found herself serving in the secrets trade in World War II Asia'. I never knew this about Julia, did you? Now Anthony Horowitz's latest mystery Close to Death is turning out to be another page turner—I started it last night and I'm about three quarters through. His books are ever surprising at how he makes those tales unfold. And you never really know until the end whodunit. Delightful.

Words I find comforting

"Only when the clamor of the outside world is silenced

will you be able to hear the deeper vibration. Listen carefully."

SARAH BAN BREATHNACH

"With the new day comes new

strength and new thoughts."

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

"Lord, grant me peace (and grace) above all else

no matter the circumstances I may face this year."

UNKNOWN

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

NEHEMIAH 8:10

"His mercies are new every morning."

LAMENTATIONS 3:23

I must say thank you

Before I close this last post of the year, I must take a moment to say a big, heartfelt thank you to you, my beautiful friends, who have followed and commented on my blog over the past year, over the past years. Your friendship has been a real boon in my life. And I am most eager, and grateful, for your continued company as we travel this new year together. Blogging here at It's A Beautiful Life where I write about life in my corner of the world is truly one of my favourite things to do—and you help make it that way. Thank you!

Happy New Year

As we open the door to 2025, I'm reminding myself—and you if you need it—to keep watching for those glimpses of heaven in unexpected places, to remember that beyond the pain, life continues to impart moments to soothe and heal our souls. Thank God for those moments. As the new year with its uncertainties and unknowns begins, I remind myself of those embracing words by C.S. Lewis, "Take courage, dear hearts". Take courage.

❦

"Here's to good days ahead."

That's my heart wish for you in 2025!

Heart hugs,

Brenda

Photo credit:

(Top) Image by Erika Wittlieb from Pixabay

Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays