From the desk of the Tiger Lily.
This past year has been wondrous in God Showing me there are actual people who are not heinous creatures of satan from hell. It sounds silly, but it is such a new experience for me, as I have been in a constant state of stabbed in the back by people who were supposed to be "friends" for so long, that I withdrew from the world early-on in never really establishing any lasting friendships. When I was 4-5 years old, the few friends I had started to make were taken away by my parents removing me from the kindergarten and I never saw them again. When I was 7, one kid lied to me about something inconsequential to them, but it mattered to me. I confronted them about it by saying "You lied to me!", not very eloquently, but it so shocked me at the time that I just blurted it out. They answered "Yeah??" like it was completely normal. Needless to say, that "friend" was cut off immediately.
It only got worse as I grew up. We were constantly jumping from activity to activity, from organization to organization, and from church to church, as my internally-driven mother was determined to fill out a college resume for the kids and my Pharisaical father would never consent to stay at a church where the pastor did not agree with his extremely narrow interpretation of the Gospel. When I was 11, my one friend from 4-H was constantly getting me into trouble with stupid shenanigans they thought up to pull, to the point where I was grounded from seeing this person for a year. Our crime? Prank-calling a kid from my friend's church 3 times in a row. Before the year was up, the friend had moved out of state.
Since there was no point in making friends, because they could be taken away at any point, I just never made lasting friendships or expected people to stick around. It only got worse the older I grew, so after awhile I stopped trying to open up to people.
LC was the first person I met out of countless thousands in my increasingly introverted circle of acquaintance who was not rotten or treacherous. In time, with the guiding of the Holy Ghost, I knew the direction of my life led to the briar patch. Through this one step of trust, both in God and in what I knew was my one chance at a Life of Love and Freedom in Christ, the "family" that was the only form of stability in my life, abusive and dysfunctional as it was, refused to place their stamp of approval on my decision to move to the briar patch. They treated me badly, and even worse, they treated LC like LC was completely worthless. If you asked them about this fact, they of course would know absolutely nothing about it-- LC is always the problem in being "sullen" when it was exactly the opposite the entire time, not to mention all the bad-mouthing they did behind LC's back trying to get me not to move to the briar patch.
Fast-forward two years. Recently my sister finally tied the knot with a guy who is probably gay. Several months beforehand, she and my mother showed up out of the blue, four days after satan murdered my cat. (Yes, those events are related-- several of our cats disappeared on the very same day those people invaded our space. Evil always takes its wrath out on the innocent, and it has targeted our animals for way too long.) Anyway, sister said it would be "a wound that would never heal" if I didn't show up to her wedding. Meanwhile, she flaunted her tiny ring in my face like it was some great prize and my mother was bragging about relatives overseas throwing the two of them an engagement party when they went to visit, and how wonderful it all was. I was also informed that mother offered to fly a few of them over for the wedding.
Naturally, LC and I decided we would pass up the very tempting invitation to drive over halfway across the country, spending money we don't have on gas, wear and tear on the car, a hotel, food, formal clothes, and a fancy gift, just for the honor of getting treated like the hired help for a few days by the relatives. I refused to be window dressing to make the groom's relatives believe I was somehow a part of this "happy family" merely for the sake of appearances. (This same sister never bothered to send a card or pick up the phone over the last two years, so I stopped sending her birthday cards and including her in the Christmas cards.) The date came and went, and I was hoping that would be the end of it.
A few days ago I unexpectedly received a Christmas card in the mail from my mother. She actually wrote a letter detailing the pageantry and magic that was my sister's wedding to the closet homo. The first dig came at this point, as she "felt His presence blessing the union", which was clearly not what she "felt" when I told her of my decision to move to the briar patch. Her next dig came in a description of how her coworkers came to "support her" and also "because they love your sister". It was "such a surprise" they showed up which made her glad to know she had "real friends". I'm 50,000% sure those "friends" would come over and rebuild the wooden dock without her asking, like LC did, or completely re-do her bathroom like I did. The last dig was about going overseas to "visit Mommy" (which is my Grandma, who is very long-lived and at this point doesn't recognize anyone anymore), so it was actually code for "guilt trip those awful relatives who didn't show up to the wedding", and also an attempt to get me to visit her after she had nebulous "health issues" on Thanksgiving.
She has sent subtly snarky letters before. However, this one contained blatant swipes that cannot be interpreted any other way. It reminds me of those horrible Hillary voters that sent donations to Planned Parenthood in the name of their Trump-supporting relatives. Nothing new, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt.
That is why it is such a surprise to know there are people out there who don't suck at life and who aren't constantly plotting how to manipulate others into doing exactly what they want every second of the day. You do mean something to us, and you are in our hearts and prayers.
And without further ado, our Christmas cards and letters:
Merry Christmas, Tiger Lily and Lame Cherry. I'll be one of the lonely ones amongst you. God Bless you both, and may He deliver only a most pleasant surprise this Christmas Season. In Jesus' name, Amen
❄ Wishing you and LC a wondrously blessed Christmas and a magical New Year! Thank you for your prayers and friendship.
A Blessed Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
You are just like family to me.
have a great and blessed Christmas
Glad to know at this time all is well in the briar patch. Merry Christmas to the three of you and may God bless you even more in 2017.
Merry Christmas. God bless you.
I live by this: walking down the street I always say hello with a smile.. to all.. cause you do not know if that person is thinking about ending it all.. a smile can go along way.. I never walk alone.. Jesus is always with me.. and I know he pushes me no matter what kind of day I am having.. I can always say hi with a smile.. cause I know.. I might of changed someones life.. everyone we meet we touch their life.. even with that smile.. God bless you and LC.. Merry Christmas.. and all the blessing to you both.
May God bless you...WillyB
LC, thank you for your resolute commitment to stand against all the raging wickedness, for not letting down or giving up. It's truly an honor to be able to read your blog. I am grateful for the blessing you bring to my life. God bless you LC and lots of love to you! JV
Merry Christmas to you, your family, and all the little pets. Happy New Year for 2017, may it be a whole new beginning, for all of us.
Merry Christmas to you and LC.
God bless you honey. Hug LC, Momma, and those babies for me. Now that 2016 is almost in the rear view mirror I'm grateful for our connection and messengers. May our Lord bless you with His hand. May He expand your territory. May He lift you up always. You are our family. Peace be still honey
Love
TJM
Merry Christmas! Love, Sandy
Thanking you, DearHeart, with loving arms around you LC, TL, Mom, and all. Grateful to you each day. God's Blessings and Love surround you, Christine
Very Merry Christmas, TC and LC. Jesus loves you.
Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!
Bless you, Cherry. I get such a kick out of your humor and stories. Of course I am in awe of your service to God and America...God bless you and God bless America.
Merry Christmas
skinwalker.....out
God bless you and yours forever.
Thank you for your service.
Much love.
U r a blessing to many. May God bless u and your family 100 fold. Merry Christmas
Dearest Sisters...Talk about a Merry Christmas, eh? Thank You Lord, for Your Help on this marvelous night. Can't help this again; Much love to You Girls, and it wouldn't hurt to splurge a little with an extra piece of bacon for breakfast...The Viking
Thanks for all you do.
Merry Christmas LC & TL
Blessed Christmas to you both!
Wishing you ALL a Merry Christmas-May your Christmas
fill your home with joy,
your heart with love
and your life with laughter-- Have a wonderful Holiday!
Thanks and to you. Love you deplorables.
Merry Christmas Tl and LC!!!
I just read LC's beautiful and insightful Christmas Eve blog. Chad and I wish y'all a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. We have renewed hope, thank the Lord, for our country. Hope y'all enjoy this time as we celebrate Jesus. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Merry, Merry Christmas to you all! God Grant us all a better day ahead, and God Reward you for your kindness to LC and I, in Jesus' Name Amen and Amen.
agtG
