324 The Christmas Season and a Full Pond

It is a wonderful time of the year. It is December a month that usually offers the lowest grain prices of the year and the highest hopes for our lives. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in just 10 more days. We give each other gifts, in rememberance of the gift we received by His lifes work of showing us how to live and then 33 years later offering himself to die for our sins. Thus the ultimate gift of salvation in eternal life. It don't get any better than that folks. I love this season for all that it brings. When it starts even before Thanksgiving now, I kind of fight it I guess. Feeling kind of Scroggie for a few days. Thinking, Oh no, do we have to do this again, we just did it last year and the every year before. But then the music kicks in and whips me into shape and of course the thinking about that gift we receive "if we want it", puts me full bore into the season...That is where I am today, my shopping done, a few gifts yet to wrap and some great Christmas CD's playing on my home audio system.
And I will have to admit the small 8 pound ham I purchased last night for 5 bucks slowly cooking in my oven, with carrots and potatoes, giving off the sweet odor of whole cloves and brown sugar, does nothing to dampen my spirit either.
On top of all of this wonderment, we have been receiving lots of rain of late. Temperature this morning was 60 degrees, heard lots of thunder last night, more like April than December. But remember we are Hoosiers, and things can change, tonight it is to be down to 28 degrees. And not any too soon, as I could have lost my Christmas spirit had my Strawberry's started blooming again. I checked them this morning on my way to take these pictures. They have retired for the year, finally.
As you can see by the top pic, my pond is expelling water big time. It is full the water shown in the other pic is up to the bottom of the dock. I love the water conservation that my pond provides. It holds back a lot of water that runs out of my little 50 acres and meters it slowing into the drainage system. Eventually it all goes down the Ilgenfritz ditch to the Wea creek, then to the Wabash river but at a lot slower pace than if my little pond had not been built.
In case I don't get back bloggin before Christmas, let me wish you all a Merry One. Enjoy to the fullest but keep in mind why its all done...Not to surge the economy but to share a few gifts with each other and some love, thus remembering the gift of love that is ever present. One last thought as I look at the water coming threw the pipe, it reminds me of this season too. The never ending grace that our Savior provides...