Flashback Friday...

A little flashback to a day this past summer when things were much, much warmer!
Downright hot to be specific!
Oh, how I would welcome some of that warmth today...
(Mal is in charge of choosing our Flashback Friday pictures...)

We Pray And Wait...

Our Fletcher is quite ill and our hearts are quite sad...

Nearly three weeks ago I noticed that Kyle's male companion around our home wasn't quite acting himself so we brought him inside and when things didn't get better, we took him to the vet. Blood work indicated an infection so we immediately started him on antibiotics. There hasn't been much change however per the vet's recommendation, we have been giving the medicine time to work. By yesterday Kyle and I decided we needed to take him back... The scales indicated another loss of two pounds... X-Rays were taken... Blood work was done... A concerning preliminary diagnosis was made...

Kyle reluctantly went to work this morning...

As soon as Kyle was out the door, Fletcher was in search of his trusty master. He sniffed...He looked...He waited... No return so he settled for me...

He simply lays and willingly receives our love and affection...

I made him a nice little bed here on the floor where he lays beside me only stirring when the girls come to give him loves. We have one of Kyle's t-shirts near him so that his master can be as close as possible even though absent. I assured Kyle that this is where I would stay...

We are praying for encouraging results of tests performed yesterday...

My family would tattle on me and I would be the first to admit that I am NO fan of pets. I have enough other things to take care of without feeding their mouths, cleaning up their messes, and making sure they get outside for potty breaks yet my heart is sad and I am quite concerned.

We pray and wait for news...

A Truth That Brings Me Freedom...

The Truth of what my heart has been digesting over the past several days has been refreshing as well as life-changing. God has been nourishing me with the meat of His Word and I am so excited to discover many "keys", "nuggets" and promises that bring freedom to this mind of mine that has been captive for so very long. Captive and enslaved to so many things that I had no idea how to find liberation from. Captive and enslaved to so many things that I didn't even realize were there.

One thing that I seem to consistently struggle with is indecisiveness. I've not always been this way yet for the past several years, the reality of it has kept me bound. Should I? Shouldn't I? Should we? Shouldn't we? What is best? What is right? Is it wrong? Is there a better way? What does so-and-so think? What does so-and-so want?

I think this stronghold has been so prevalent because somewhere along the way I very much became a "people pleaser". Instead of being disciplined to set my face like flint on Christ, I started placing the approval and acceptance of others of utmost importance. Many times I put what I felt their opinion was ahead of what was right, what was wrong, what was best... In turn I often found my mind confused, overwhelmed and frustrated.

Last week, Kyle and I were discussing and deliberating a decision that needed to be made for our family. A big decision that involved a significant amount of money. A big decision that involved several dynamics. As was typical, it was the, "Should we? Shouldn't we? Is it right? Is it wrong? What do we desire? What do the girls want? What is best? What is permissible? What are the pros? What are the cons?" The longer we talked about it, the more confused we were. The more confused we were, the more frustrated we became. We prayed. We listened. Neither of us discerned a "clear" direction.

As I sat down with my study last Wednesday morning, the focus of what was being taught was:

'We win freedom on the battlefield.

In this war, the battlefield is the mind.'

The key verse was:
"You will keep him in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you."
Isaiah 26:3

Neither Kyle nor myself had peace... We needed peace... We longed for peace...

As I journeyed on in my study I learned that the key, nugget and promise to finding peace is having a mind that is steadfast on Christ. That was no surprise to me. I knew that. I've known that all my life. This time around though, something was different.

I learned that the Hebrew word for mind is yester. Yester means "frame, pattern, image; conception, imagination, thought; device... it is what is formed in the mind (i.e. plans and purposes)."

I learned that our minds work to frame every circumstance, temptation and experience we have.

I learned that each of us sees events from our own perspective and context.

I learned that each of us puts events in different frames and act accordingly.

I learned that our reactions depend on how we framed the event.

I learned that in order to have peace I must set my mind steadfast on Christ and allow HIM to frame each and every event, situation, circumstance, temptation and decision I am faced with.

Wow! That seemed easy...

As I sat there, I prayed and thought about what I had just read and my eye was drawn to the family pictures that hang on our wall. The frames that surround the picture don't change the picture themselves yet they change the look of the picture. If I put a lime-green frame around those pictures rather than the mahogany ones that are placed on them now, the pictures themselves wouldn't change but the way I see them would.

So many things in my life are that way. When I frame them with Christ, they look one way. Distinct...defined...certain. Yet when I frame them with myself, they look totally different. Blurry...questionable...confusing.

Amazing...simply amazing...

Before I consider my own opinion or the opinion of anyone else, I must first and foremost frame whatever is on my mind with Jesus. He will always bring things into the proper perspective...whether it's a decision, a circumstance, a temptation or just life in general.

I purpose to frame my mind with Jesus!

That truth brings freedom!

Wii Fun...Sooo Fun...

Wii fun...
Sooo fun...
Especially when it's with those you love...

All This And So Much More...

It's hard to believe that our baby recently turned 11...

Where have the years gone...
She's such a simple child...
Who knows exactly what she wants...
She's not swayed by others opinions...
She delights in the uniqueness that God has created within her...
She radiates joy...
She loves beyond anything I have ever seen...
Stillness is not part of her DNA...
A song is always on her lips...
A smile typically graces her face...
Pizza never grows old on her menu...
She always has a spring in her step...
Wii Dance is a daily challenge and enjoyment for her...
She has a depth of heart very few truly see...
She thinks more wisely than I realize...
Living compassion is who she is...
Her prayer life is something I should learn from...
She is amazing...
She is beautiful...
She is a gift...
She is a treasure...
She is ALL THIS AND SO MUCH MORE...

Thank you Jesus for Mal...

I Wonder...

Mallary and I are using a literature based history program this year which has been so much fun and highly enjoyable. The following is just a small portion of what we read together on Thursday and I was quite captivated by it. To be honest the book has stayed on the coffee table, and more than once I have picked it up, reread the excerpt below and pondered... Many would think the ideas and convictions of the time represented here are/were harsh, and I would admit, that I somewhat agree, yet I wonder if we went back to some of these ways and disciplines if we would take our faith and our Sabbath less for granted and more seriously. I wonder...


For the puritans the Sabbath began at sunset on Saturday, and no child might play after the sunset gun was heard. The evening was spent in reading the Bible and learning verses from it.

When the children reached home, Hope ran to her bed to get Mary Ellen (her doll baby). Presently her mother came in and said, "This is the Sabbath now, Hope. You must not play with your doll on the Sabbath."

So Hope kissed her baby and carried it into the bedroom to find a safe, warm place for it to stay until the next evening. There lay her father's Sunday coat; what cozier nest could she find for Mary Ellen than its big pocket?

Early Sunday morning, Mistress Brown came to the children's bed and awakened them, "Get up, little girls," she said. "This is the Lord's Day, and we must not waste it in bed."

After breakfast the family had prayers, after which they did such work as must be done, and then dressed for meeting.

Master Brown filled the little tin foot stove with hot coals from the hearth. Then he took down his gun from its hook and looked to see that it was ready for use. In those days no man went anywhere without his gun, not even to church, for the Indians were likely to come at any time.

Rat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat!

Is that the call to arms? Are the Indians about? Oh, no, that is only the drummer calling his people to church.

There were no bells on the first meetinghouses in New England. Sometimes the firing of a gun was the call to worship. More often a big drum, beaten on the steps of the meetinghouse, told the people it was time to come together.

At the sound of the drum Master Brown and his wife, with Elizabeth, Hope, and Aunt Faith, started to church. From every house in the village came men, women, and children. They were always ready when the drum began to beat. It was not the custom to be late to meeting and, as for staying away, one had to be very ill indeed to do that.

Elizabeth saw her dear friend, Mary, just ahead of her. Do you suppose she skipped along to speak to her, or walked to meeting by her side? No, indeed. "The Sabbath day is not the time for light talk," her mother told her.

When the meetinghouse was reached, Master Brown led his family to their pew. He opened a little door to let them in. The pew was much like a large box with seats around the sides.

The church was very cold, for there was no fire; but the children warmed their toes and fingers by the little foot stove their father had brought from home.

The boys were not allowed to sit with their parents. They all sat together at one side of the church or on the pulpit stairs. When all the people were in their seats, the minister climbed the steps to his high pulpit.

Only very few people had hymn books. The minister read two lines of the hymn, and they all sang them to some well-known tune. Then he read two more lines, and all sang them, and so on until they had sung all the verses.

The sermon was always very long, three hours at the least. The children could not understand what it was all about, and it was very hard for them to sit up and listen quietly.

Elizabeth was four years older than Hope, so she felt quite like a little woman. She sat up beside her mother and looked at the minster almost all the time. But sometimes she had to wink hard to keep awake.

When she thought she could not hang her feet down another minute, she would slip onto the footstool to rest.

But she was often much ashamed of Hope. Poor little Hope could not sit still ten minutes.

Hope enjoyed singing the hymns. She stood up on the footstool at her father's side and sang with all her might. Then she sat down and tried to listen to the sermon. When she began to stir about a little, her mother shook her head at her. She tried to sit still, but was soon restless again.

Then Aunt Faith gave her a sprig of some sweet, spicy plant. This kept her quiet for a while, but at last leaves, stems and all were eaten. Hope folded her hands and for a few minutes looked straight at the minister. She was trying hard to be good.

Presently, she began to be sleepy and nestled her head upon her father's arm for a nap. But now she felt something in his pocket she was sure she knew. A happy smile came over Hope's face. She was wide awake now.

Slipping her hand into the wide pocket, she drew out Mary Ellen and smoothed her wrinkled gown.

Master Brown's thoughts were all on the sermon, and even Mistress Brown did not notice her for a little time. When she did, what do you suppose she saw? Hope standing up on the seat, showing her doll to the little girl in the pew behind her!

Oh, oh, how ashamed her mother was! She pulled her little daughter down quickly and whispered, "Do you want the tithingman to come with his rod? Well, then, sit down and listen." Then, taking Mary Ellen, she slipped the doll into her big muff.

Little Hope did sit down and listen. She did not even turn around when the kind lady behind them dropped a peppermint over the high-backed pew for her.

Hope was very much afraid of the tithingman, who sat on a high seat behind the people. He had a long rod with a hard knob on one end and a squirrel's tail on the other.

When he saw a lady nodding during the sermon, he stepped around to her pew and tickled her face with the fur end of the rod. She would waken with a start and be, oh, so ashamed. She would be very glad the pew had such high sides to hide her blushing face.

Perhaps you think the boys on the other side of the church had a good time with no parents near to keep them quiet. But there was the tithingman again. When he saw a boy whispering or playing, as children sometimes do when so many are together, he rapped him on the head with the knob end of the rod.

The whispering would stop at once, for the rod often brought tears and left a headache. But the tithingman and his rod could not always keep the boys in order. We read that in one church the boys were fined for cutting the seats with their knives. In another, whips were placed here and there, and certain persons chosen to use them when they thought the boys needed to be punished.

"What shall we do with our boys?" the fathers often asked each other. At last someone thought of a plan which worked very well. What do you suppose it was? Simply this: to let each boy sit with his own father and mother.

Besides keeping the boys from playing and the grown people from going to sleep, the tithingman must turn the hourglass. In those days very few people could afford clocks, but everyone could have an hourglass. It took the fine sand just one hour to pour from the upper part of the glass through the tiny hold into the lower part.

When the sand had all run through, the tithingman turned the glass over and the sand began to tell another hour. When the glass had been turned three times, the minister closed the service. Then the men picked up their muskets and foot stoves, the women wrapped their long capes more closely about them, and all went home.

Often there was another service in the afternoon. At sunset the Puritan Sabbath ended. Then the women brought out their knitting or spinning, or prepared for Monday's washing, and the children were free to play until bedtime.

*I wonder if we set aside a specific 24 hours for Sabbath, if we would respect it more reverently...

*I wonder if all work had to cease at the beginning of Sabbath, if we would plan better so that we could actually rest on the Sabbath...

*I wonder if no work, play or idleness was permitted during the Sabbath hours if we would desire the truth of God's written Word more...if we would look forward to digging deep into the meat of His Word knowing that commodity was our only option for that 24 hour period...if we would learn what stillness before God truly is...

*I wonder if our Worship Services lasted for three hours, if we would grumble less when the pastor's sermon went over by 10, 15 or even 20 minutes...

*I wonder if we revered the Sabbath in the way that God intended it to and we devoured the spoken Word that was being put forth, if we would be so engulfed in the instruction of the pastor, that we would be oblivious to all that was taking place around us...

*I wonder if even half this much discipline was implemented in our churches today if we would have a fraction of the distractions that veer us away from the Truth that God had us to hear and receive...

*I wonder if our children would be more spiritually grown and if they would have a deeper reverence and love for God if they were expected and disciplined to sit and hear the Truth of His Word spoken...

*I wonder if we revered the Sabbath as the Puritans did, if we would start our work weeks intently focused on God, our Maker...with a deeper desire to do His will...

*I wonder if we implemented just a few of these things if God would become first priority in our lives...

I wonder...

From My Daybook...

From My Daybook...

Outside my window...
newly fallen snow that glistens...

I am thinking...
I am tremendously blessed...

I am thankful for...
a warm, safe and cozy home...

I am wearing...
new p.j.'s that Kyle and the girls gave me for Christmas...

I am reading...
'Still Growing' by Kirk Cameron...

I am hoping/wishing...
Dad and Mom have a great, safe trip to Hawaii...

I am hearing...
Jim Brickman...
the turning of pages that MaKayla & Mal are reading...

One of my favorite things...
coffee with the love of my life...
Kyle...

I am remembering...
previous cruises to Hawaii with my entire family...

I am missing...
Kyle...

I am creating...
log books for our hours/grades this year...

Noticing that...
the sun is shining very bright...

From the learning rooms...
how to frame every thought with the truth and will of Christ...

From the kitchen...
unsure...
tonight is MaKayla's night to fix supper...

I am going...
NOWHERE...
snow, snow, snow...

Around the house...
Mal and MaKayla reading...
a restful, recuperating dog...
an unfinished puzzle crying for my attention...
laundry that needs folding...
a Christmas candle from Kyle that warmly burns and fills the air with Cranberry Chutney...

A few plans for the rest of the week...
school...
housework...
helping Kyle with a project in the basement...

Pondering these words...
Those "high things" are the people, things, or circumstances that outgrow our thoughts of God.

A scripture God is impressing on my heart...
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ...
2 Corinthians 10:5(KJV)

I am praying for...
a friend of ours that is currently in surgery...
Dad and Mom as they travel today...
Kyle as he leads and guides our family...
MaKayla as she seeks God in regard to His forthcoming will in her life...
Danielle as she celebrates her birthday and prepares to return to work following Tucker's birth...

I am struggling with...
discipline...

I am believing God for...
complete and abundant freedom in my life...

Sacrificially Giving Yourself...For What?

Together, we're learning that love is not a feeling;
it's a lifelong commitment.
It's a decision to love someone sacrificially,
giving yourself for their good.
~Kirk Cameron~


Personally, this spoke to me in regard to my spouse and my children...
I'm pondering what this looks like...
What needs to change in my life to make it a reality...
Giving myself sacrificially...
Giving myself for the good of those God has entrusted to me...

Today...

Today...

Today I am grateful:

*for the sun that streams through the picture window of our home...

*for the sorted laundry waiting to be washed, dried, folded and lovingly placed in their perspective rooms knowing that in as little as one and a half years those piles could be decreased by the absence of one person depending on how and where the Lord leads MaKayla following her graduation...

*for the reality that the LARGEST pile of sorted laundry is p.j.'s reminding me of how thankful I am for a husband who works tirelessly in order to provide the means so that I can stay home with our girls meaning that on these cold, blustery days, we snuggle in and do our school work in cozy, comfy pajamas...

*for Christian radio that streams through the airwaves of our home...

*for individually chosen instruction books that help me to teach MaKayla and Mallary...

*for bananas and peanut butter...

*that Kyle asked me to assist him with a project from work that he brought home to complete...

*for clean drinking water...

*for provisions of food, shelter, warmth and love when the next snow storm hits that is predicted to arrive tomorrow...

*for the beautiful and diverse personalities that shine through both of our children, reminding me that God crafted, knitted and created each of them into who He wanted them to be...

*for a healthy family...

*for the instructional Word of God, that teaches, rebukes, corrects, loves, guides and nurtures my soul on a day-to-day basis...

*for Biblical teaching that when consumed and digested produces abundant and satisfying fruit...

*for divine purpose and meaning lavished upon my life by my Master and Maker...a life that would otherwise be a wretched mess...

Today...

Today I am thankful...

Flashback Friday...

Oh, the warm rains of summer...
How we miss them...
You can return anytime soon...

It's A Glorious Afternoon...

It is such a glorious afternoon! I can't say that my entire day has gone that way as it has been quite stressful however by this point the Lord has turned my attitude around and things look much different than they did just four hours ago. I don't know about you but some decisions that the Lord entrusts me with, I allow to make my countenance unsettled, anxious and cranky. It seems that some of those decisions really don't have a wrong or a right answer, leaving me mentally and emotionally hanging in the balance which makes settling on a decision all the harder. I wanna say, "Come on Lord, just hang a chalkboard from the heavens saying yes or no. That's all I want...(blah, blah, blah)." He doesn't do that because He knows I would question to what extent "yes" means or by to what degree He means in saying "no". Me, the flesh that I am, seem to often be like the man in the boat that keeps yelling, "Just give me a sign...," and with every sign God sends, the man disregards, looking for a different sign that is more significant than the last.

A close friend of our family had e-mailed last week asking MaKayla, Mal and I to meet at 11:00 a.m. today for lunch. We were to pick the place. As the Lord would have it, our little corner of the world received a significant amount of snow which began falling Sunday evening and didn't stop until yesterday morning. Our family lives in no-man's-land where there is little sign of road maintenance and minimal traffic therefore this friend and I had e-mailed/text back and forth regarding our road conditions and whether or not we would be able to make it to town. I awoke this morning tossing around in my mind what would be the smartest decision and asking the Lord for direction and discernment. As the minutes and hours passed, I still felt no distinct "yes/no" answer and my level of stress, anxiousness and irritation began to mount causing all else around me to be frustrating. My patience was waning, my love was far too conditional, my focus was blurred and my reasoning was impaired. (I know, I know all of these indications as well as getting stuck in the driveway three times (did I just admit that?) should seem like obvious signals... that is unless you've already been sucked in by the monster of confusion!) The words, "If in doubt, don't," that another dear friend has shared with me many times over resonated within yet I was still unsettled. Finally, out of my hands, a resolution was decided upon and I had immediate peace... As I type this the Lord gently and lovingly reminds me that when peace isn't felt in the deepest part of my being, I need to wait! The issue with this decision was that I didn't have peace staying at home and I didn't have peace in going... Once the decision was made, my heart, mind and spirit were restful and I was so thankful to be safe with the girls in our warm home.

Since that deciding factor came at 10:30, we've enjoyed lunch together and watched the last few minutes of 'Sarah Plain & Tall. Jim Brickman is playing on the CD player and I've enjoyed a cup of hot coffee while correcting school work. MaKayla has whittled away at her school work all the while popping bubble gum she received in her stocking this Christmas at my mom's. Mallary spent a few moments making math corrections and is snuggled up on the couch starting the second in a series of mystery books. It's cold outside but it is warm in here and the sun is brightly shining on the newly fallen snow. Leftover Minestrone is in the crockpot for supper and we eagerly await Kyle's return from another day's work.

The stress is gone! The anxiety has been swept away! My heart is restful!

It's a glorious afternoon!

Today...

Today we are enjoying a BIG splash of winter...




Sipping coffee, watching a movie, reading aloud, chatting, cross-stitching, creating...

We're spending the day together and it's wonderful!

Satisfy All My Longings...Fill All My Hollow Places...

I am currently working through Beth Moore's Bible study 'Breaking Free' and although I feel a tad bit behind in the "homework" portion of the study, I am gleaning much from what I am reading, pondering and taking in. Much of it I had previously learned when I read through her 'Get Out of That Pit' book several years ago but as I have studied and dug deep, the words have been confirming and my heart/mind/spirit have been refreshed. I wanted to share an excerpt with you...

"In my morning time with God, I ask Him to satisfy all my longings and fill all my hollow places with His lavish, unfailing love. This frees me from craving the approval of others and requiring them to fill my "cup." Then, if someone takes the time to demonstrate his or her love to me, that's the overflow! I am free to appreciate it and enjoy it, but I didn't emotionally require it!

See how the love of God that permeates the life through His Holy Spirit brings freedom? Not only am I freed, I am able to free others from having to boost me up emotionally all the time. Hallelujah! Where the Spirit of the Lord's lavish love is, there is freedom! Try it and see!

If we're not experiencing satisfaction, a hindrance exists and we want to identify it and ask God to remove it. Ordinarily, the primary hindrance to satisfaction in our lives is refusing Him access to our empty places."

I can distinctly remember when the Lord allowed this truth penetrate the core of my being and truly living it out became a reality...

This time three years ago Kyle was very ill battling his UC. We had made multiple trips to the Mayo Clinic and we were nearing the point where the doctors were closing in on making the decision that he needed to have a colectomy performed/an ileal pouch constructed. We had spent much time praying... We had tried every medicinal treatment option... We had turned it over to the Lord, trusting Him completely...

Once concluded that Kyle would definitely need surgery, the Lord distinctly spoke to me, "Mendi, this is a road that I desire for you to walk alone. I don't want you dependent on anyone but Me and Me alone. I have much to teach you through this season therefore I want you to set your sights upon Me, being careful to not look to the right or to the left."

This was way big for me as I have always been a "people person", reaching out to people as well as depending upon people, yet my heart was at peace and rest knowing God had a plan and it was something I didn't want to miss. I can remember gradually distancing myself from others so that I could follow hard after God on this intense journey. I knew that if I heard the voice of others, the voice of the Lord would be muffled. I knew that if I followed the direction of others, I would lose sight of the path the Lord desired for me/us to walk. I knew that if I sought the advice of others, God's direction would be foggy and unclear resulting in confusion. I knew that if I depended on others to keep me encouraged and uplifted, I would be let down and disappointed and I would be placing unfair expectations on those I loved the most. I was alone...with God...and it was the best place in the world that I could have been.

I learned much through that time of following hard after God and my relationship with Him flourished and grew in immeasurable ways, yet many of the friendships that I felt were close and true faltered. Others couldn't understand the "isolation" that I requested. They felt as though I was pushing them away. That I no longer wanted their companionship. That I no longer loved them. I remember writing letters to some of my closest friends explaining the "season" that God had requested me to walk through yet many of them couldn't imagine that it was God's voice that I was hearing.

That season was one of the most fruitful of my life thus far and when I shared with the girls in my accountability group one evening that I no longer needed people, they too had a hard time grasping the concept. I still love people! I love to be around people! I love to fellowship with people! I love to commune with people! I love to share with people yet I no longer need people! As Beth Moore stated, the reality of allowing God to satisfy all my longings and fill all my hollow places with His lavish, unfailing love, I have grown more in love with Jesus and I have freed others from the unattainable role of being my savior. No human can accomplish such a feat. Only One can do that for me...

...His name is Jesus...

P.S.) Thursday evening was one of those "overflow moments" for MaKayla, Mal and I as we were invited to go along with our sweet, dear and special friend Meg and her mom, Dawn to have her wedding dress fitted. You may recall a post written by MaKayla a few weeks ago where she mentioned Megan and the example she has been to MaKayla. Megan is a beautiful young woman who loves the Lord with all that she is and Kyle and I are so thankful for the influence she is on our girls. Spending the evening with these that we love so much was such a joy...joy unspeakable. Thank God for special overflow opportunities!

Flashback Friday...

I had concluded late summer/early fall that once the weather turned "winterish" and we could no longer be out basking in the sun, I would bring back memories from this past sunny summertime and entitle them "Flashback Friday". So far our winter season has been amazingly mild compared to last year therefore it hasn't seemed unbearable however, if the meteorologists are correct, all of that is about to change in the next few days. Anyway, I had decided that just because it's cold outside that doesn't mean we can't be warmed mentally! :o)

(Sidenote...I am SO READY for spring...)

Pool visits from the Friedman Family often concluded with flat floaties...
The "big boys" were harder on them than the younger group...
A small price to pay for such valuable fun and memories...

Picture Perfect...

Besides Kyle having to return to work on Monday, life around our home front has been quite enjoyable lately. Last week after we returned home from our three-day-getaway with Mom~Dad/Grandpa~Grandma, we spent the week relaxing, watching movies, playing games and enjoying being together without somewhere we had to go or something we had to do. We slept in and stayed up late. We had yummy breakfasts of waffles and biscuits and gravy. We laughed...we shared...we loved. It was satisfying and fulfilling.

(The Wii makes people...Kyle...do crazy things...)

We finished up our last Christmas celebration on Sunday which was with my side of the family. My dad is a pastor at a small country church where Kyle used to lead worship and since we hadn't been there to visit for longer than I can believe, we decided to make celebrating with my family an all day event. Returning to Gentry was special for several reasons. First,this is the church home/church family that both MaKayla and Mallary spent the early years of their life...second, the four of us were able to reconnect and catch-up with many that we grew to love and appreciate in the fourteen years that we spent there...third, all three of us kids (Troy, Marci and I) were there. After church, we gathered at Mom and Dad's for lunch, gifts and fellowship. It was wonderful...more than wonderful. Everyone got along without any squabbles and at one point throughout the day all of us kids/grandkids (22 total) were present with the exception of Troy's oldest daughter. Our Grandma Jean who will be 89 in April, and is our mom's mom came for the afternoon which brought together five generations.

(Kyle, attempting to make Dad MU happy...)

(Cousins...friends...the older they get,
the more in common they become and the more fun they have...)

(10 of the 11 grandkids...)

(Five generations...)


(Precious Tucker...)


(My brother Troy with Mom and Savannah...)


(My Sister-In-Law Debi and T.J....)


(Gettin' Tucker ready to go home...boo-hoo)


(Lee & Danielle...)


(Bri and her daddy...)


(Ciera and her daddy...)


(MaKayla and her daddy...)


(Mark and Marci LOVE Tucker...)

It was a fantastic day that in my heart is nearly unexplainable...nearly picture perfect...nearly miraculous...a definite answer to prayer!

As I have reflected so far this week on our Christmas gatherings/celebrations/vacation, my heart is humbled and grateful that Christmas isn't "over" for me. Because of Jesus and His continual presence in my heart, mind and soul, I get to enjoy the gift of JOY every day of my life that some people only experience for less than a month each year. For so many that JOY is only present from after Thanksgiving until their last Christmas celebration of the year is attended...the reality of that breaks my heart. So many without JOY, PEACE, GLADNESS, HOPE, PURPOSE...

As I begin 2011, my heart is overflowing with thankfulness for the miraculous blessings God has showered on my life over the past few weeks and I am indebted to the grace that He lavishes over me every day that I live.