Holidays!

Oh glorious holidays!!

The week after Christmas stretched out before me in all its luxuriousness...

Long empty days waiting to be filled with fun and adventures.

With wonderful opportunities to fill my house with lovely people!

Without work to fluff out my schedule I find I get bored so quickly...

And I didn't feel much like adventuring outdoors or shopping

So thankfully I had some very dear guests all the way from Newfoundland to brighten my week.

They came with their son Danny (who was my adopted son when he lived here) to fill my kitchen with laughter and warmth and a very noisy little new addition!

Danny is such a wonderful vision of answered prayers.

He was on a bit of a rebellious detour when he lived here a number of years ago and he married into a wonderful Godly family and is now a loving husband and father.

WOW. Never stop praying. Never stop believing.

Miracles are there for the asking!! '

I love how God brings people into my life.

And how He adds so much goodness and richness...

I get to be a part of their journey, praying and loving alongside and they get to be a part of mine.

Surprises that drop out of heaven.

I had another little party as well - an interesting combination of friends to sit around the table and snack and laugh and share.... I just get so happy to put food on the table, to light the candles and to create a space for communion.

We need each other so much.

Community.

Fellowship.

The Body.

Last week I had the "neighborhood" party to scout out the land and see how I could bless my neighbors. To see who is out there sharing this glorious piece of land.

The guys from across the street came again - so kind, so friendly.

They even brought a gift on Christmas Eve!

I will continue to lift them up before our kind Father.

The German couple came bringing me an advent wreath made from pine boughs.

Praying for open eyes and tender hearts to know the Love of God.

And the new neighbors whose house is seen from my bedroom window.

Unique family with four amazing children with names like Stormie and Winter, Jack and Frank!

How fun is that? I played cards with Frank.

So even though I don't know exactly what's next, I know who they are.

There are faces to the names and hearts created for relationship with their Creator.

I can pray. I will pray.

I will pray for opportunities to show kindness.

And tonight is New Year's.

Another chance to party!! Although sadly, so many of our kids don't come to our Saturday night gatherings anymore. So we continue to meet and make the place available.

Good food and warm fellowship.

Just in case.

And it keeps us together.

There's always someone who needs to be included and we need to have that anchor in our week.

Three families experiencing the joys and trials of life with our children.

A gift of incredible value.

So tonight we round a corner and head into the New Year.

I'm going to be asking the Father what special prayers He'd like me to proclaim over my loved ones in this coming year.

Because His Word changes Lives.

Living and Active. Powerful. Jesus.

Maranatha

Joyful Joyful

Snow in the orchard outside my window

The trees are bare

The nights are long, the days are short

BUT GOD. Oh glory. He came!

So that we can celebrate.

Even when it's dark and cold out.

Even when it is not yet as we are hoping and praying.

He loves our faith. It pleases HIM!!

So, as we wait for His second glorious return we have so much reason to celebrate.

What was, what is and what is to come!

We had a wonderful, wonderful family gathering.

EVERYONE CAME!!

From two to eighty-six, all the generations were together.

Laughing, eating, teasing, sharing.

And Jesus came. He was in our midst.

If that's not a reason to celebrate I don't know what is!!

Laughter is good medicine and it was dispensed freely and generously!

The "nose pose" was a true bonding experience.

I'm so thankful for a family that laughs and forgives easily...

What a rich heritage I have!

So, with a full and thankful heart I prepare for another smaller gathering.

The kids and I will have our little gift exchange this afternoon.

And there are more parties to come!

I am in planning mode...

So happy that there is still a full week of holidays ahead.

So much Grace

Lately I've been overwhelmed by the kindness of God.

His grace...

Extended to me in multitudes of ways, over and over and over.

Sometimes I'm more aware of it than others.

It is simply overwhelming - hard to put other words to it.

It's like this; I'm driving in the car, looking out at the trees and sky and the colors and I just can hardly bear it. So much love inside of me for Him.

I start crying. Cause His Love is pouring all over me.

I am so undeserving. Such an unfinished, imperfect, flawed piece of work.

So aware of my weaknesses, my selfishness.

So I just tell Him how much I love Him.

Cause what else is there for me to do?

This grace is an amazing thing. Really and truly.

So beautiful is this Jesus who came, wrapped in flesh and all the trouble that brings.

For me. For everyone.

It's been a beautiful season.

Celebrating Christ mas.

Birthdays

Suppers

Cards and Gifts.

All these little shadows of that great event when God's grace poured out of heaven.

The greatest gift.

The great dinner to come.

His Word. His endless kindnesses.

Causes me to weep with gratitude.

December Beauty December Fun

The Advent Season continues. With communion and candles and the sweet presence of Jesus.

I finally did Christmas baking on Saturday! I even ground some spices for the pfeffernusse with the mortar and pestal. Oh yeah. I am learning.

Below is the reindog that brings alot of joy and little treats to my students. You push the tail and "voila"... he produces.

Two amazing kids I get to work with. So Much Fun!! First time I've worked with two at one time and we have alot of good laughs as we struggle through the words and get VICTORY!

Across the street we have neighbors that sell Christmas trees! I went over there with my friend who chose THREE TREES! I enjoyed the fire and the hot chocolate and I caught a glimpse of a reindeer as we were hunting through the forest for just the right tree.

These are my actual neighbors. Who grow the trees. They are so authentically cool and very German.

I get to do dinner every second Tuesday with a group of amazing women. We celebrate life and each other regularly. The dinners are most wonderful as well.

This is Moose pretending to be a reindog. He actually enjoys the game. I know because he wags his tail and eagerly sticks his head into the hat.

And I was personally invited to a friend's book launch. A young man that is finding his way and leading others to the Source in the process. In a very relevant way. His talk was entitled "Live Like a Rockstar without the Cocaine' or something like that.

Angel Voices

Spent a magical evening surrounded by heavenly music.

Under a vaulted ceiling in a room lit with candles and Christmas lights.

It was glorious.

My mom loved it too.

She refers to this choir of girls as the "angel voices" and I was so happy to treat her to this evening of Christmas delight.

Isn't the venue amazing? And amazingly enough it's right in my neighborhood, surrounded by big pines and pastures with llamas!