The bad guys after nearly running over Home Alone Kevin, "Santy don't visit the funeral homes buddy."

The wife left me yesterday. She traveled to just across the Louisiana line, hooked up with her sister, and now the two of them are visiting with their brother over in the northeast part of the state. I'm glad they are able to spend time with him. I'm glad the wife will get a much-deserved break and change of scenery. At the same time, as it always goes, things are not the same when she is away. This is how I see the day unfolding here on this Thursday, November 8, 2018. Were someone to research my blogs, not that anyone ever would, they would note that me being 'Home Alone' is one of my favorite foils to write about over all of these years. I did a little checking. In September of 2007, not long after I started these daily episodes, I wrote, perhaps for the first time, about these girls leaving and they actually were going to check on this same brother since he was recovering from surgery. I would not want to even guess how many scenes I've used from the adventures of Kevin Mccallister in the Home Alone movies. They do account for a lot of material. I am not one that needs my wife to cook for me. I've never been the helpless husband. It's not the stuff she does that I miss when she is gone. It's the 'who she is' and 'what she means to me' that makes me miss her. After all, we are one flesh. ("For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:24, New American Standard Bible, NASB) No wonder I miss her. Half of me is missing. That explains a lot. It does. It really does.

With her being gone, the word perseverance comes to mind. Truth Alert: That is very much an overstatement. She is due back on Friday because we do have an outdoor photography event scheduled for late afternoon on Saturday. This is a new professional photographer for us and we look forward to bringing Santa and Mrs. Claus to their scene. We've had photos made of us on our way into a venue but this will be our first scheduled outdoor photo shoot. It should be interesting. The wife has our home really well decorated for the fall/Thanksgiving season, however, when your home also doubles as a Christmas card background for friends who want selfies of their families with Santa, well, you do your best to accommodate. If all goes according to plan, the wife and her sister will be transitioning us to our Christmas motif next week. This set-up will allow us to open our home to invited family and friends so they can have 'The Shot' for their annual Christmas card. It's not easy to suit up for these occasions, however, it is a part of our business model: Bringing Joy to children of all ages! After Saturday's event, we will be pretty much occupied in this activity up until December 23 when I will complete the last on our schedule. Lord willing. It should be fun!

On Tuesday's, the wife hosts a ladies Bible study here in our home. I have choices. I can camp out up here in The Home Office or I can find somewhere to go to occupy myself between 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon. This past Tuesday I went and voted. I then went to the ER at one of our local hospitals to visit a dear friend of ours. She has been dealing with health issues for a number of years, but, on that day she was really weak and lethargic. I got there and visited with her and two of her children. She is a wonderful prayer warrior for the Lord. She was not feeling well at all, but, she attempted to laugh and kid with me while I was there. It was my privilege to seek God in prayer on her behalf. After that, I went over to the big mall to walk some and 'occupy myself'. I had taken a break and was sitting at a table in the food court and a lady leading around 6 to 8 people came over to my table. She asked if I was a Santa Claus. I told her I was. She asked if I was booked for that particular mall. I told her I wasn't. She then told me that she would love to have me come to be Santa at another mall in the area. She was the area manager for one of the large photography companies and she was conducting training on that particular day. I told her I would not be able to do anything like that since I am already committed for the events I have scheduled through December 23. She said that was sad since I would have been perfect. Oh well, I didn't consider it to be a lost opportunity because we enjoy doing the events we choose and the people we choose to work with. You just never know what you might encounter at the mall. Take care. Now. You hear? Amen. ....More later.