Cathy C. Hall Writes

bake-bakery-baking-264779 So we’re fixing to close out 2018 and I thought I’d give you a peek into what goes on around here during this time of the year.

I LOVE HOLIDAY BAKING COMPETITION SHOWS! I have no idea what most of the fancy ingredients are and I sure don’t know how to pronounce them (or use them).

Honestly, I don’t much care for baking. I have my standards that I fix during the holidays and though I might be impressed by some amazing dessert I see on a show, I don’t have time to be messing with new stuff that may or may not come out amazing.

So I began to wonder–puzzling till my puzzler was sore–just why I sit glued to the screen, watching these shows and wearing out the Food Network (which I NEVER watch any other time of the year). And then a friend said, “Ummm…you think it might have something to do with your competitive spirit?”

Which is her nice way of saying, “Yo, Cathy. You are extremely competitive.”

Oh my shoe pastry! Or is it choux? Whatever. I love competition. I love watching people race against the clock! I love watching creativity-in-action, especially when things go wrong! I love when the dark horse surges ahead or when the contestant who didn’t believe in herself (or himself) suddenly comes into her (or his) own.

In the end, I don’t care much who wins, though it’s usually the one I was rooting for, and I celebrate along with him or her. Because there’s something else I love to see: that victorious moment when a contestant gets validation for all the hard work and realizes a dream come true. That’s pure joy and that’s what I love to see most of all.

And so here it is, almost Christmas, and it occurred to me that every day is kind of a competition, isn’t it? It’s a race against the clock to get everything done, to beat the obstacles that come along, threatening to derail you from the sweet dreams of your finish line.

Maybe it’s just messing up the timing on the fudge and how the heck can you save this treat? Or maybe it’s pulling out the Christmas stuff and finding a gift tag with a note from a loved one lost and how can you celebrate without him?

But then miracles of miracles, divine inspiration hits and you figure out the fudge solution! And a grown-up kid (or two!) show up on your doorstep unexpectedly and you go out to eat and laugh and fuss and laugh some more.

There’s a moment that comes along in the midst of it all, the realization of deep down joy, and my heart is full of gratitude. Because I know that despite the obstacles, be they big or small, joy has returned, and that’s a gift worth celebrating any time of year!

(Joy to you and yours today and always!)

I’ve had a bit of a day here, dealing with a situation that’s proved impossible. (Just insurance, people, no one’s jumping off cliffs.)

(Yet.)

Anyway, I’ve put on one of my favorite Christmas music CDs (Neil Diamond’s Acoustic Christmas) and I’ve got my Peppermint Tootsie Roll Pop because chocolate and peppermint and Neil fixes everything. And now that I’m in a better place, I can tell you about my friend, Sonia, and her book.

If you’ve come over from The Muffin, then you already know Sonia. If you’re just popping in, then you’ll want to read “A Christmas (Publishing) Miracle.”

41Uy077Uf1L._SX326_BO1,204,203,200_ Sonia calls me every day to ask if her books have been delivered (they’re coming Friday). Or to let me know that a friend has ordered the book (though I already know because I manage her bookshelf). And sometimes, she tells me what Father Sunny said (again). But really, Sonia just calls because she’s so darn excited. And because, though she wrote this book, I think she’s still in awe of what she’s accomplished. Sonia needs me to say, “Yep, the books are coming.” Or “Wow. You’ve sold two books!” Or even, “Father Sunny said that?!” But really, what I’m saying is, “Good for you, Sonia. You did it.”

I’m so very happy for her, and truly, it was a privilege to help her. When Sonia’s beloved husband died a few years ago, she was beyond devastated. She wasn’t interested in living in a world without Cipriano. But Sonia’s a woman of deep faith and she turned to that deep well of faith, the saints, and to the virtues that had been the constants in her life. And Sonia came back to life, back to her joyful self. This is the story she wrote about in Finding Joy in Giving Back to God.

If you’re dealing with grief, here’s a little book of hope for you. And you can help the church in the Philippines grow because Sonia’s donating all the proceeds to the Fransalian Missionaries, Inc. in the Philippines (where she grew up). But you don’t have to buy Sonia’s book for a happy ending to this story. Sonia’s joy is back and that’s a wonder to behold. She cheers me up every day.

Even on a day when insurance thinks it will get the better of me. (But it hasn’t.)

(Yet.)