Christmas with Family

                                            

• AJ's sister
• To sit and watch these two this weekend was quite an adventure.
• After all these years I have yet to spend any amount of quality time with Paul and his family.  We have made the trips up North for short visits and yet it was always with the whole gang there.  You see he has four sisters and a brother, so when they all get together it is quite the crowd.  Missy and Conner came to visit us on Sat while Rod ran in a marathon in Fla.  The girls had not really gotten to watch their daddy in action with just one sibling at a time.  Needless to say we had a ton of fun this weekend.  The two are cut from the same mold and kept us laughing and watching Missy sing her heart out in my living room. 

I loved watching the girls with their aunt.  I now know where some of the personalities come from. :)

They feel in love with their Aunt Missy and when she left, Megan said, "Mom, the house is going to be so quiet without her here!"

• Missy and Megan sang their hearts out for us and we now know where the art of entertaining comes from in this family. 

Family, you gotta love them!  We have had a pretty tough year with the loss of Mom and a few friends along the way and we are currently mourning the loss of a new born baby of a friend of ours.  It makes one stop and really look at your life and the ones around you.  We have to remember that our life here on earth is a short one and we need to make sure we are spending our time and efforts on the relationships in our lives.  Family.

My prayer for my family this Christmas is that all will come to a wonderful saving relationship with our Lord and Savior and truly seek after Him. To look for Jesus in all that we do and all that goes on in our lives.  To truly be thankful for the air we breathe and the lungs to breathe with.  To find the "little" things to be thankful for.  To seek out the face of our Savior in a new borns eyes, in the birds of the air and the sparkle in the eyes of our own children as we kiss them goodnight.  Hug your loved ones close and tight.

Family.

Children are a blessing

                                                                                      

Two weeks before Chrismas

Two weeks before Christmas and all through the house the creatures were stirring and wrapping all those gifts.  They were busy writing lists of all the things they wanted.  They were busy running to and fro in the frenzy to get the best of the best.  They were looking a little like ants running all around.  The atmosphere was one of nerves on end and  busy schedules that never seem to end.  

Why?  Why do we get so crazy this time of year??  Why do we allow ourselves to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of crowds?  Is this what the true meaning of Christmas is all about?

Is Christmas not suppose to be about giving to others those things that money cannot buy?  Is it not suppose to be a part of our everyday life, no matter the date on the calendar? Then how come we get so caught up with craziness?

This has been a year to remember and one to look back on and see how short life really is.  I do not mean to sound down or depressed but I have had a new outlook on the real meaning of Christmas and wonder why do I allow myself to get all caught up with the craziness of it all. 

We all need Jesus, we all need to "taste and see that the Lord is good."  I need to learn to worship my Savior more each day and to see His grace, mercy, love and forgiveness each day of the year.  To make Christmas a part of my everyday life.  To give of Jesus each day not just in December. 

Thanksgiving 2010

It is so fun to watch how on Thanksgiving everyone goes around saying what they are thankful for.  I like to hear what each person says.  Today around our table there were many different things.  There was being thankful for food, for grace, for salvation, for being able to still move at such an old age, and there was being thankful for a life that is still impacting others even though she is in heaven. 

We spend the holidays with the Neymans each year.  Mrs. Neyman has always cooked the whole meal.  I mean the whole thing.  Last year Paul offered to cook the turkey and she said go for it.  So he did and he kept up the tradition this year.  It is so fun to spend the day with family.  We had little Maggie there today, and she is turning one in two days.  Maggies great-grandparents were there and I learned that she shares a Birthday with her great-grandaddy.  Her great-grandaddy had his first grandchild and first great-grandchild born on his Birthday.  I thought that was just too neat.  Isn't that just like the Lord to bless a man like that?

Family.  What really is the definition of family?  Holidays brings out the true definition.  Around our table today we had family that was related by blood and family related by marriage and family related by just being added to the family table.  With our family being a blended family the word family means soo much more than just being blood related.  I praise the Lord for our family.  Without the Lord in the center of our family we would not have been able to sit around the table today and be blessed with each other.  It takes a special grace and mercy to reach out to others who happen to come into ones life.  The Neymans have taken in Brad and I as if we were there own, and for that I am truly thankful.  They have truly given of their hearts by accepting us into the family.

Today also marks the first Thanksgiving without mom.  I have missed her alot today.  I kept thinking all day that she was at B's this year.  I miss her crazy meals she used to cook.  I miss her rambling on on the phone.  Oh, to have one more phone call.  To hear her laugh, to watch her paint, to take her to the vitamin shoppe. 
The thing that keeps me going is knowing without a shadow of a doubt mom is in heaven having a ball.  She could NOT sing, so I know she is up there right now singing her heart out.  She once told me a story of how she would go to bed early just so she could sing before Martha came in.  We'll she is singing now!!!  I love ya mom and miss ya.

Childrens Drama day

Today we went to a nursing home to perform a series of drama plays that the kids had been working on in their drama group.  Brad was the Grinch, Megan was Cindy Lou, and Jennifer played "fear" in a play.
They did an awesome job and had a great time.  The first part was for the "regular" residence-those who could come to the room and watch and not get lost coming to see the play.  Then we went into the "Alzheimer's Ward".  Well, let me just tell you it was quite a visit.  First we had a little lady tell us that no one asked her if we could come in there.  I reassured her we would only stay a minute and that we would clean up after ourselves.  She took that well and sat down.  Then an older man kept calling out during Brads part that he was just too loud.  I am not sure how much they understood our plays but they seemed to like them. 

When the plays were over we went around giving out cards and trying to talk to some of them.  Megan was offered a new home and a new car if she came to live with one resident.  I talked to one who did not know she was in Ga, but she could tell you where all her children were.  As I was enjoying talking to a sweet lady, the whole group left.  I looked up to see no one left but me and the "Alzheimer's patients."  They lock us in so I was locked in there with them.  Oh, how I almost lost it.  It took me just about a second to realize I am in a ward, locked in, with people who think they are not suppose to be there, and neither was I.  Was I going to be able to get out? Where did everyone go?  It was quite funny and as you can tell I made it out and home.:)

It got me to thinking though.  What would it be like to not remember anyone or anything?  Am I going to end up there one day and pray that my children come and visit me?  Of course I told my kiddos to NEVER put me in a place like that, just lock me up in the basement with praise and worship music, my cats and feed me every now and then and I will be fine!  ( I do realize that there may come a day that I might have to go to one and I do have sympathy for those who have to place their loved ones in a nursing home)  I just thought about how lonely life must be for some of them.  We are planning on going back and making regular visits. 

How much of life and blessings do we forget?  How much have I already forgotten about what the Lord has done in my life?  Does it really take a major "happening" for me to look to Him and remember His grace, His love, His mercy, His peace?  Oh, how I want to be more thankful, more able to remember, better at praising my Lord instead of asking "Why?"  Those residents are in a home that is not their own, in a place that is not always fun to be in, living with strangers.  Is that not us Christians?  Are we not "home", not always having fun and living with a bunch of strangers?  The question I ask myself , what am I doing with my time, my home, the people I come across everyday?  I want to be the little 'ol lady in the corner laughing at herself, singing praises to my Lord and having a ball!!! I need to be that lady now! 

I have to brag on the kids.  They are just soo awesome with the elderly and love them.  I watched as all three would go around and hug them and speak to them.  They came out of there talking about how much fun they had and that they wanted to go again soon and spread more cheer to the faces they saw. The Lord has done so much with my children and I see the love of Jesus in them and thank Him for it.  My prayer for them to see outside of themselves and learn to minister to others. 

Con't of Firsts

As you can see, I am not too good at this yet.  I ended my last blog quickly b/c I had to take Brad to school.  As I was riding down the road I was listening to the radio and a song came on that was such a great reminder of how the Lord carries us through all things.  I just love how Jesus is always there for me when I need Him the most.  He is an awsome Lord and Savior and He knows our every need.  He has carried me through some rough moments in my life and I am so thankful for His grace and peace.

I already wrote a little info on the human members of my family, so now I will write a little about my animals.  We have a dog named Tag who is such a mama's boy, a fat lazy cat named Ruffles and a fancy, prim and proper cat named Caroline. 

We got Tag from the pound about 6yrs ago and he is the best dog. He loves to run and play and get feild mice in our 6 acres of land.  The other day he came running up from the back and was COVERED in mud!  His tail was wagging and he had this look on his face like "look at me mom, I have had the best time of my life.  I caught a mouse, got a skull-see here it is!  I just love the farm, mom.  Aren't you so happy for me huh? huh? See!  See!"  he is a mess and I had to have Jennifer give him a bath.  He HATES baths and when he knows he is getting one he runs and hides with his head under our bed.  Jennifer is no bigger then he is and it is so funny to watch her pulling him to the tub or hose.  He drags his feet and keeps looking at me crying "HELP!" 

Ruffles is just one fat, lazy cat!  She is really no good to anyone but laying around the house and looking pretty.  She is mad at me right now so she won't come near me or sit on my lap anymore.  Back in Jan my mom passed away and I brought Caroline home to live with us.  Well Ruffles is NOT liking sharing her home or her moms lap.  Caroline has become the ruler of the home.  She came in with a bang.  She has claws, Ruffles does not, Tag does not.  She has used her claws on both Ruffles and Tag.  In fact my 100 lb Lab will not go near her.  He will stop if she is in the way and go back the way he came or go and lay down.  She is often found blocking the doorway, so he cannot get out.  It is tooo funny.  Last night, Tag walked around the couch and incounterd Caroline and she got his paw, he came limping back to me and laid down on the floor with his paw up complaining about the pain she caused him. She sleeps on my face fairly often and just loves living here.  She is the type of cat that sits soo proper and lady like.  While Ruffles sprawles out with everything showing.   I just love how the Lord uses our animals to teach us lessons and how he has blessed us with the creatures.

Well, I think this gets me started on this blog and filling you in a little on the family5.  My life revolves around them and my Lord.  The Lord uses our families to shape and mold us into who He wants us to be.  I see so much of my shortcomings when I look through the eyes of my family.  I can see where He is shaping me into a woman after His heart and yet our family is the one spot that can bring out the best and the worst in us.  At the moment I am having to learn to have a "gentle and quiet" spirit.  I am known by my harsh way of speaking and that is so not gentle and quiet.  Oh, how I struggle with this area.  The Lord is soo good to me though.  This morning we were reading our Proverbs for the day and Prov 16:31 came up-Gray hair is a crown of splendor it is attatined by a rightous life.  Brad was reading and stopped and said "Mom, you have attained your grey hair from living a rightous life."  Yea right!!  Im looking too much at the grey and what it is doing in my hair and life and not the crown of splendor they are.  Can we count these grey hairs and place them at the feet of Jesus??  Oh, may I live to give God the glory!

Firsts

So here it goes.  This is the first of many new starts for me.  I am not computer smart and therefore have to call in Brad from time to time to help me. I am thinking this blog thing just might be fun and that my family and friends can keep up with us better by my writing more of what is going on down here in the South. 

I just love my family and my home.  I am married to Paul who is a wonderful husband and who has taught me many things about the love of the Lord.  He and I have been married for about 7 yrs.  We are a blended family and all the books told us that it would take 7 yrs to blend-well it sure has.  We have had our ups and downs and lots of fights and making up but it has been sooo worth it.  He is the love of my life (next to Jesus) and he makes my heart go pitter patter.  He has brought me such laughter and smiles.  He is always saying that he may not make much money but will always make me laugh.  Paul is such a hard worker and stays on the road so that I can stay home and teach our children.  He is just soo good to us.

Brad is 15 and driving.  Wow, were did the time go?  I am not doing much driving these days since he is wanting to drive everywhere.  He is very gifted in the guitar and loves playing music, listening to music, and bugging his sisters.  He has learned alot from Paul and one of the great things is how to make us all laugh. 

Jennifer is 13 and was born in the wrong century.  She is just tooo cute, with her old fashion sense.  She loves history and anything old.  We give her a hard time but she is so innoncent and genune in her faith in the Lord.  She loves to read and write and is a great giver. 

Megan is 10 and is all out with everything she does.  She loves life and people.  She is always laughing and bugging her big brother.  She is just tooo smart for her own good. She is just like her daddy and I pray someday she will become the young lady she is meant to be.