Getting Ready for 2010

There's something about the imagery of the thriving tree by the stream that I love. I want this in my mind for 2010...something I will strive for in my walk with God whom I love so much. I want Him to be pleased with me, with my faith, with my outward expressions of my faith. I take Him so for granted many days...I want to stop and think daily of all He's done for me. And love Him back by growing like a tree by a river.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says:

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

Amen to that for 2010.

My Four Christmases

My First Christmas of 2009:
"Only Love" choir presentation...beautiful Christmas trees, lights of all colors, majestic music like "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" with only violin and piano and choir, Irish dancers and choir doing "A Celtic Christmas", huge nativity scene, children's choir singing "Christmastime", singing "The Hallelujah Chorus" at mach 1 speed! This Christmas is my personal one every year...this is the way I get ready for the season...in amazing, worshipful music.

My Second Christmas of 2009:
Family Christmas Party...Presents piled high around a beautiful red and gold tree at my mom's, children, grandchildren, and a great-grandchild making 17 people as we eat, sing carols, open presents, eat dessert, just sit and talk. A wonderful time. We end it with the ladies singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in a beautiful arrangement as my sister plays for us. That's tradition! Sometimes we sound great, other times not so great! Ha.

My Third Christmas of 2009:
This takes place on Christmas Eve: We start the evening at our church for the candlelight service. I'm always a little worried since I am responsible for ordering the candles in October and getting them ready for the big night. I hope there's enough...there always is. We have a big crowd, out-of-town family members reunite with old friends, the church is beautiful, there's a children's story, beautiful music, and finally, the candles are lit as we sing all the verses of "Silent Night". This year was especially sweet as I had a little granddaughter to hold. Unfortunately, she was burning with fever with the beginning of a rough Christmas for her with a visit to urgent care on the day after Christmas. Despite that, the evening was lovely, the poinsettias decorating the church were so bright and beautiful.

My Fourth Christmas of 2009:
My home, just the three of us (hubby, son, and me) opening presents, getting a turkey in the oven and loving that smell all morning as it baked, gathering up our gifts for the baby, the daughter and son-in-law, and hauling turkey and all over to their house for a delicious Christmas lunch of turkey, stuffing, sweet potato souffle, and green bean casserole. My daughter gave me a beautiful mother-daughter pendant that I will always treasure. Again the baby was burning with fever, a call was put in to the dr. who recommended an urgent care visit the next day.

Christmas is over...at least the usual celebrating...but I will enjoy these memories all year with my pictures and albums full of the fun times! Through it all, was the knowing that the reason for all of this joy and family time is Jesus. That's all! He is sufficient.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Merry Christmas!

Here With Us

Here With Us
Sung by Joy Williams

It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky

Chorus
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Son of God, Servant King,
You're here with us
You're here with us

Verse 2
It's still a mystery to me,
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel's symphony,
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep

Chorus
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Son of God, Servant King
Here with us
You're here with us

Girls' Day Out and Bridal Flashbacks!

Such a fun day today despite the rainy, cold weather. Erin, Maddie,and I met Kelly (Erin's best friend through middle school and high school) at various bridal shops in the area. Kelly was also Erin's maid of honor as you see from the pictures above. This time I was sitting with Kelly's mom, very relaxed, loving watching Kelly try on dress after dress. We visited three bridal shops and I believe Kelly tried on 25 dresses at least. I think the winner is a gorgeous champagne-colored vintage-look dress with beading and lace and lots of glitz. We left home at 9:00 am and returned at 5:30. The baby was an angel and loved hanging out with the girls. She spent many an hour clapping, bouncing, watching everything around her and just, in general, being charming in her pink-striped leggings, pink shirt and RED hair!

Today brought back some wonderful memories of shopping with my own daughter for her wedding dress. It was an exciting time and she looked radiantly beautiful in each dress. It was hard to choose but then the moment came where she knew "this is the dress"! Ah well, maybe I'll get to be in on the dress search for Maddie one day! Balancing on my walker? Who cares! Life is good and I love these blessed and special moments!

Christmas Colors

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man
the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!"
- Charles Dickens

As I'm in the midst of all the Christmas parties, preparations, and special concerts at church, I'm trying to remember some of my childhood Christmases. Maybe having a granddaughter now makes me tend to think back and it really is quite bittersweet when I think of all the time that's passed and how old my parents are, how old I am, and that my own children are in their early to mid-twenties.

One of the first memories I have of Christmas as a child is the beautiful aluminum Christmas tree with the color wheel that was so popular in the early 60s. Wow...that was fascinating to me. I remember just sitting in our living room and watching as the colors passed every few seconds from red to green to blue...was pink in there somewhere also?

Another very distinct memory I have took place on Christmas Eve. All the cousins were outside as we were telling each other good-bye after a special supper and gifts. It was very cold outside and the sky was clear with thousands of stars visible. My uncle pointed out a light that seemed to be flashing and slowly moving across the sky. He urged us to get home and get in bed as Santa was on his way. I remember staring out the car window all the way home hoping we'd make it in time.

I feel very blessed to have had some wonderful childhood Christmases even if I can't remember all of them. My feeling of anticipation and peace at this time of year comes from the traditions and family times of my childhood. Every Christmas Eve one of the cousins recited from memory the story of Jesus' birth in Luke 2. That always happened before we could open our presents. Jesus is the most precious gift of all.