Ready To Set Aside the Old and Embrace The New

When I think about this year and the struggles I've had to make people aware of the society I feel like crying. I feel very frustrated by the weak attendance and by the lack of support I've received. I know that I've been trying too hard to do it all myself. I should let go. I know that, yet I just can't. There are still people that want me to succeed with this project.

So I can't give it up like a bad dream. I am ready to set aside the old way of thinking about my current situation and embrace the new way of thinking about it. I do want the society to grow. I do want to make a difference in my community.

Working as part of the 125th anniversary committee has opened my eyes to the community in ways that I never thought possible. I am grateful for the experience and the opportunity to become a part of the 4th of July celebration. I know that I probably won't be doing a Tag Day again soon, but really got some insights about the community then as well.

I do have a feeling that the society will move forward this year with the History Room. The borough is supportive of our current efforts but we will need to do more. I can be grateful that I did make a difference by alerting the public about the library. They have implemented my suggestions...:-). We are still not "friends" but all I really cared about was saving those books from the dumpster. It was a high achievement for me to see that happen. I managed to save quite a few of the old Delaware County history books that the library was originally planning to throw out. I wasn't able to save all of them. Unfortunately the mindset of the whole library system is to get rid or donate any old books. It seems insane to me....a book lover to get rid of a book just because it is old.

I can't embrace the new technology that fast. I long for a simpler time even though I do use this technology on a daily basis. I am not "all-in" with it. I only use certain things such as this Blogger to express my thoughts and Facebook to connect with friends easily. I am easily frightened by the advances that threaten to take away our freedoms making us more like cattle to be tagged.

In some ways, I am ready to set aside the old and embrace the new. I know that technology does have its good side in helping connect people and bring information that wouldn't be accessible in the past to us. Yet I can't help thinking that there is a cost in all this. Will we survive? Only time will tell.

Rays of Hope-Joyful Signs of the Season

I always loved this time of year when I was small. There seemed to be such hope in the faces of the people I'd meet. I grew up during a time when people still celebrated Christmas with a Christmas concert in the auditorium. I looked forward to singing the solo in "O Holy Night" but wasn't picked.

I didn't know about the annual tree lighting and celebration when I started researching my hometown for a book. I discovered the celebration when I started getting actively involved in the community. I am a little bit sad that I wasn't able to participate as a child. The children all have such hopeful looks on their faces. I can tell that they are living in the moment eager to see Santa. I see in their faces rays of hope. It makes me feel good to see all the holiday decorations. I see these joyful signs of the season as an invitation to relax.

I do praise God for this season of light in the midst of a dark world. I do praise God for his son who came to Earth as a baby and became one of us. I do praise God for everything he has done for me and the love he is showing to me right now. God has got a hold of me and won't let go.