Happy New Year!

I do believe I have violated my first New Years Resolution, to be timely in what I do. And I promised Susan I'd do a reflection/blog for January. I guess I didn't promise it on the first of January, so maybe I'm alright. I DID finish the agenda for the January CFW (Commission for Women) meeting, which is next Tuesday the 20th. Gather Us In 2009 is only 11 months away, goodness! We need to be organized and fast! Some big things are done, key note speakers and break out speakers, but so many little things to do. Actually another big thing on the agenda is to get the committee together for program booklet, which includes sponsors. Then there are the publicity flyers and registration forms. In the past we haven't been sure how many women were coming, this time I feel we will sell out. So when you see registration is open, get it in fast!

My thank you notes aren't out yet, but the tree is still up, so I don't feel so bad. I like to have them done before the tree is down. Well this year the tree didn't get decorated until Christmas Eve. My husband, Jim was out in the tree farm across the street, dragging an ice ladden tree up on the porch the weekend before Christmas ahead of the next storm. The ice hadn't melted, what to do? Inventive as I am, we wrapped it in a blanket and carried it into the downstairs handicapped accessible shower, where it sat for a few days. We would hear the ice melting and falling off it that afternoon. So, the tree thawed and the shower got cleaned, not a bad deal. Our son arrived home from Chicago on the 23rd, we told him we saved the tree decorating for him, I don't think he believed us. He was a good sport and decorated it, while I wrapped gifts on a card table in the living room Christmas Eve.

The ice storm was one reason we were so far behind. We lost power for a week. The good news was that our neighbor had power, so we were able to run an extention and keep the freezer/refrigerator running. We ran one light a night, had a minimal source of heat (propane 'woodstove' in living room), running water and four burners to heat water and some cooking. It did get old pretty quickly though. My friend Mae talked to me in the midst of no power. She said I wasn't praying for the right things. She said “ask for heat”, I replied, “I have some heat”. “Well, ask for more, then!” “Ask for light”, I replied, “I have some light”... “ask for more!” I knew we were better off than many people, so hated to ask for more. I think Mae was really specific and asked for electricity to be hooked to the Ancona's house, we got it the next day. Thank you God, and Mae. I also had a very hard work week. I am a hospice RN and I had four very ill patients that week, some of whom also needed to move to a warm place.
But Christmas came anyways.

So in the midst of bad things, there are always things to be thankful for: Here is my abbreviated list:
Heat (a little bit in December, a lot now).
A long enough extention cord and kindly neighbors to keep the pipes from freezing.
Work, that I can do what I can to help people and families when they are in crisis and that they let me into their lives at such hard times.
Children and family, to decorate the tree or let us take a shower, when we had no hot water.
Mae, to pray for the right things
God to answer those prayers.
My Commission for Women friends, for shouldering this conference and keeping me on track.
And you, for your continued support of what we do. (if you can be of help, don't hesitate to email or call!)

Blessings in the New Year. See you in November!

Anne Ancona, Chairperson CFW