I.Will.Remember.

It's a quiet evening here tonight.
The moon shines brightly from where I sit.
David Nevue is playing on the stereo.
Supper is warming in the oven.
Laundry is being washed & more waiting to be folded.
I'm the only one home at the present moment.
A rare occasion.
One I savor, when the opportunity arises.

At last things have slowed down & I.can.breathe.
Finally all the hustle & bustle of Christmas is past.
The presents are unwrapped.
Our decorations are taken down & neatly stored away until next year.
The house & our lives have returned to simplicity.
We are back to somewhat of a healthy eating pattern.
Having Kyle here at home is bliss.

The past week for me has been so full.
So good.
So special.
So enriching.
For 36 continual hours, we were with my side of the family.
Eating.
Laughing.
Swimming.
Playing.
Visiting.
Sharing.
Loving.
Remembering Aunt Renee'...

Being together was so good.
So wonderful.
So fulfilling.
So healing.
I miss each of them so much.

I'm thankful for pictures...
I'm thankful for memories...
I'm thankful for the gift of their lives.

As I have thought so much about this Christmas season, my heart is convicted. So much time that I spent on the "preparations"...rather than on the Person. Where my focus was somewhere other than on Jesus... The other evening as I was praying & reflecting, God ever so gently said to my heart, "Who are you kidding? You say that Jesus is the Reason, but do you live as though you speak? You do all of this in His name yet has He really been your focus? What about the days that you started early & ended late...weary, worn & depleted of joy?" He was right. I wasn't even going to attempt to justify. My heart was sorry. I repented. Next year, I.Will.Remember.

My heart has been restful the past few days & in that rest, I have started looking towards the new year. I'm not a big one on new year's resolutions yet I do love the idea of a fresh start, a clean slate & a renewed vision. I'm praying about a "key" verse to focus on, a new word to purposefully walk in (last years was "extend") & various areas of my life that the Lord would have me to find healing, surrender & restoration in. The more I pray & meditate, the more hopeful I am & the more eager I find myself.

Kyle & the girls will be home soon, so supper preparations are awaiting me. I pray that this finds you restful, overflowing with peace & filled with hope as 2012 approaches its arrival.

Much love to each of you... ♥

"Come unto Me, all who are weary & heavy laden, & I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you, & learn from Me, for I am gentle & humble in heart;
& you shall find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy & my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28~30

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:3

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

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.