> $850,000,000,000.00

 https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/retailers-shrug-off-stock-turmoil-and-ring-up-strong-holiday-sales-14820420

This holiday season a six year sales record was hit -- USA spent more than $850 Billion dollars...let that sink in. Merry Christmas?


I've felt a numb boredom to the point of skipping Christmas Eve services. I have pondered; was it no snow, no watching those kids I purchased for open the gifts, my missing my always under-foot feline companion--on and on...I feel for me I have become so accustomed to our commercialization of Christmas that I need to re-engage myself with the core, true (self) core of this holiday to enjoy in a more natural way. 


 Perhaps, hearing that church pews hit record numbers of worshipers or there's a significant rise in random door-to-door carolers amid the worldly chaos or that the homeless population is on a decline. I dunno but hearing about Wall Street and Mastercard usage numbers just gives joy to me--the kind of Joy that says, yes!, this is why I felt a numb (disengage) boredom!  I am overcome with traditional Christmas boredom, the kind that tells me all this is not what Christmas is about...

The First Noel (click to listen)

#TechDownTuesday

I don't know if any pay mind to my, most often in Advent and Lent, "Try something new."
I am going to try something old--no, I am not trying to bring my hair color back hahahha

I am implementing a ‪#‎TechDownTuesday‬ for myself.
Old school. Nothing outside of phone usage, technology wise, old school phone usage; Dial and Talk! (leave it home)

Use of paper and pen, use of books vs internet, limiting the TV and go outside and "play." I feel as I get older I am realising (yes, always the UK 's' it isn't a misspell) that I allowed mainstream society to side track me.

As a child, and not having anything remotely close to a "Cleaver" household, I still was able to focus above and connect so deeply with God and God's creations--including myself!! I had a flash this morning of many actual instances, hence my; HEY! I have free will! smile emoticon

I am starting with Tuesday being I partake in the 9:15 am 30 minute'ish morning prayer at church--I can say for me, that is so elemental.‪#‎asheepsruleofthumb‬ if you will wink emoticon