For unto us...

The Christmas season will soon be drawing to a close--Christmas Day is just a night's sleep away. Soon we will be packing up the ornaments and decorations, throwing away the crumbled shreds of wrapping paper, finishing off the last of the cookies and fudge and gearing up for a new year. The holiday festivities will be over and we'll resume our daily routines once again.

But what do we have to learn from Christmas? Yes, we can rattle off the regular "peace on earth" and "joy to the world" jargon, but how do we live out the real meaning of the season? Maybe it should start at home--let's put Christmas into action with the ones we love. Let's practice giving--not just presents, but our time. In a world so fast-paced as ours today, let's make an effort to spend more time with our loved ones. Time is a precious commodity--spend it wisely.

Let's also practice giving to our communities. Our economy is suffering at the present time; one way we can help ourselves is to help those around us. As a local, family-owned business, we rely on the support of our surrounding community. In the coming year, we will strive more than ever to support the ones who support us, and that, too, is a gift we can all give--community support.

And let's share the good news. Christmas truly is a time of joy, and once again we have so much to be thankful for. There is a lot of suffering in the world, but we can still give thanks for the many blessings given to us. Christ has come to us, not in the surrounding of a lavish palace or royal estate, but in a smelly, noisy stable in Bethlehem. At this time of year, let's humble ourselves and be thankful for our blessings, for Salvation has come to earth.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given..." --Isaiah 9:6

Kneeling at the manger with you,
David

Cold weather is a-coming!

We're still eight days away from the Winter Solstice, but step outside today and you'll know that winter is here. As I write this, the temperature is hovering right at freezing; add in the windchill and it feels more like the upper teens or low 20s!

The good news is that we're supposed to have sun for the next few days; the bad news is that it's supposed to stay cold--well below freezing--for several days. Cold temperatures like these can be very hard on any potted plants that you still have outdoors, so here are a few tips for gardeners:

First, if you have any potted plants still outside (many people have potted topiaries by their front door or in front of their garage), take note of their exposure to the wind. Particularly if the plants are exposed to the northeast wind, you will want to consider relocating them to a more sheltered area.

Second, move any exposed plants into your garage for the duration of the freezing temperatures. Don't have a garage? Move your pots under your eaves or into a sheltered corner next to your house. Moving plants next to your house can increase the temperature by 10 degrees or more.

Third, mulch around the surface of your pots to provide some insulation. For added benefit, wrap pots with old blankets to further protect the roots from freezing.

Follow these steps and you'll minimize or prevent any winter damage to your plants caused by freezing temperatures. And when you're finished moving and insulating your plants, be sure to get a cup of hot chocolate for yourself--you'll need it to warm up!