Advent

(I  started this yesterday, which was Sunday. I was interrupted and am now getting back to it on Monday.)
Today is the first Sunday of Advent! HOPE
What is our hope?

Our hope is in the historical Christ, God the Father’s only Son, Jesus. 

Our hope is in the living Christ.

Our hope is in the returning Christ.


Heavenly Father, I praise You because You are our Hope.

Nativity Collection

     I have  a bazillion Nativity sets in my collection. Here is the latest one I bought. It was after Christmas last year and I found it on sale for 75% off! It's a Terracotta Holy Family, by Russ Berrie, for those of you who know about such things. I really like it and think I found a bargain!




     This next one Tim and Shauna gave me for Christmas last year. It's a favorite of mine because it's from Thailand. I was there on three different occasions and couldn't find one. So when they went last year they found this one. I love it, also, because it's the only set I have where Mary is holding Baby Jesus! He's in a manger in every other set! 
     This is Mengrai high fired stoneware. Celadon is the commonly accepted name and is believed to have been developed in China over 2000 years ago! I'd better take good care of this set! It's really beautiful but this picture doesn't do it justice at all. You'll have to come and visit me!
     I have many many more sets and may show some of them later.
Heavenly Father I praise You for Jesus. Thank You for my Nativity Set collection, but help me to keep my focus on You, not on man made sets representing the birth of Your Son. Let them simply be a reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Decorating

Tree taken with flash...
the beautiful lights don't show.
But it's not blurry...

     I'm decorating for Christmas. It's a little early for me but we had company for Thanksgiving so we had help getting the Christmas things out. Ted helped Jerry get the Christmas tree out of the pole barn. That's a big job. We've had real trees until about three years ago. We love real trees but it was getting too much for us, in our old age! Serious! So when we saw an artificial tree at a yard sale, we bought it. We've never been sorry! It's about seven feet tall and has fiber optic, twinkling lights of all colors! It's beautiful! I've tried and tried to get a picture of it, using different settings, but with these lights it turns out blurry every time. At least I'm blaming it on the lights! I set the camera on a solid surface so it's not me wiggling! 
     I have mainly angels on our tree, three snowflakes, and one little sheep, made my our former pastor's wife, Martha. I also have red balls and silver garlands.
     My grandchildren helped me get all the decorations out of our storage room. They love to do that! It's a huge job. I appreciate their help so much. 
     
Heavenly Father, I praise You for Jesus. Help us to worship Him and to keep Jesus in Christmas. Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
     

Journal

     It's time to stop and just write...
     Thanksgiving is over. Company is gone. The house is quiet. I'm still thankful! I have so many to be thankful for! I have so much to be thankful for! 
     My relationship with Jesus is #1.
     My loving husband, Jerry, is #2.
     My five children: Pam, Ted, Tim, Christy,  Rob.
     My children-in-law: Gene, Shauna, Sean, Jessica.
     My 15 grandchildren and one granddaughter-in-law: Andrew, Katie, Matthew, Kaleb, Tyler, Annie, Max, Haleigh, Miller, Megan, Sydney, Elmise, Isabella, Mason, Armon, & Madelyn.
     My mom, 96 1/2 years old, whose mind is so sharp!
     My siblings: Richard & Cookie, Lorraine, Bill & Vel.
     My very special nieces and nephews.
     All the rest of my wonderful relatives too numerous to mention.
     My wonderful friends, near and far, again too numerous to mention.
     My home: our dream home and all the comforts of home.
     My church: Pastor's Dave, Eric, & Scott with their families; my church family; the church building we worship God in; my small group; the doctrine and teachings of my denomination; and so much more.
     My health.
     My doctor.
     My computer.
     So many more blessings I can't count them. 
Heavenly Father, I praise You. You are the Master Designer, the Creator. You are Mercy and Grace, both of which I would be nothing without. You are Love.
     "How can I say thanks, for all the things, You have given me?" 
     
     

Sleepover

We had a sleepover last night for the five grandchildren who were here for Thanksgiving.

Armon, Elmise, Bella all sleeping in the sun room.

Haleigh and Sydney slept in the reading room. We all watched movies before going to bed.
Thank You for my wonderful grandchildren! They keep me on my toes!

Haleigh

Haleigh, dressed as a Greek teenager, in her Latin class presentation to the grandparents. She was beautiful!

Lord, thank You for Haleigh. She's a beautiful girl and she did a beautiful job today in their Latin class presentation. Latin is a tough language, please help her to do well in her class.

Grandparent's Day

Grandparent's Day at Midland Christian School. We have three grandchildren attending there. We were so proud of all three of them. 
Here is Armon singing with his class.

 Elmise with her class. 

 They are doing motions with a song here. It was cute.

Haleigh's Latin class doing sort of a play. They were so dressed up even with eye shadow on. They did a really good job.

Haleigh speaking in Latin! After this they each interpreted in English! It was very impressive!


Lord, Thank You for this day! We felt honored as grandparents. Elmise, Armon, and Haleigh all did such a good job. We're very proud of them and proud to be their grandparents. Please help us, as grandparents, to be examples of You. Help them to see Christ in us.

Happy Birthday November 23

Happy Birthday, Annie! I can't believe you're 17 years old! I actually remember when I was 17! You're a fun loving, sweet, beautiful granddaughter and I love you! You have so much of life ahead of you and so much to look forward to.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Annie! She's such a sweet person. Help her to always trust in You. You have a wonderful plan just for her. Help her to let You work out that plan. Please keep Your Hand upon her, keep her safe, help her to make wise decisions regarding friendships. I love her so much and You love her even more!

Cut Glass Pitcher and Down Sizing

     This cut glass water pitcher was given to Jerry and me as a wedding gift 51 1/2 years ago. About 40 - 45 years ago sitting in the china cabinet, no one in the room, it suddenly cracked very loudly! We had used it several times when we had special company over for dinner. The crack went around the bottom of the handle. I could no longer use it but I kept it in the china cabinet because it was so nice looking. I have lots of other pieces of cut glass that are of the same pattern, all given to us as wedding gifts. 
     While Pam was here visiting I decided this is the time to get rid of it. It's no longer functional, hasn't been for 40 years, and we're trying to down size. I've got to start somewhere. Friends have suggested taking pictures of things I really need to dispose of. So here is my picture. 
     Pam did the job for me, because I couldn't...she took it out to the recycle bin. 
     Heavenly Father, I praise You. Thank You for all the blessings we have, both materially and spiritually. Thank You for this gift given to us so many years ago. Help me to be able to dispose of things. Help me to cherish family, friends, nourishment, home, relationships, and especially my relationship with You.

Help!!!

Gene and Jerry cut a tree that had broken off and was a threat to the safety of anyone walking on the path between our house and Rob's. My camera delays taking the pictures I want! I actually had the tree falling when I snapped the picture but it didn't take until the tree was down! Arrrrrrgh!!!
Gene did other work for us too, like stacking wood on the porch and cleaning our fan that is way up in the peak of our ceiling! 

Pam and me after church. She is my beautiful oldest daughter! She helped me with choosing good, healthy, low cal foods. Hopefully you'll see a good change soon!
Lord, how I thank You for our children. Thank You for the visit to us this weekend.

Santa Parade

Haleigh is on the right behind the sign.

 Pam and Gene came to visit for the weekend! Saturday morning, because Haleigh was in the Santa Parade with the cheerleaders from Midland Christian School, we decided to go and watch the parade and hopefully get to see Haleigh. It was a cold day.






 Here are Jessica and Pam! The sun was shining brightly so sunglasses were good, jackets were necessary!

Our friend, Chris, is sitting on his own snow mobile on this float. He waving at us! He can hardly wait for real snow!

Elmise, Jessica, Armon, Rob! Thanks to our cell phones we discovered they were only about two blocks away! The joined us so we all watched together. This was the first time the kids and Aunt Pam and Uncle Gene had met. 

 I just liked this horse and sleigh. If you look carefully, you can see cardboard antlers tied to the horses head! 

A lot of work went into making this float.

 This truck is pulling the basket and burners from a hot air balloon! It was sooo cold out and the heat from this fire felt so good! Of course they had to keep moving...

Here comes Santa Claus! The star of the parade! Also...the end!
Lord, I thank You for good times, family and friends. 

15 Authors I Love

Brenda of Coffeeteabooksandme challenged us to write our 15 favorite authors off the top of our heads.


So here are mine:


Glen Williamson
Francine Rivers
Corrie ten Boom
Elizabeth Elliot
Joni Eareckson Tada
Max Lucado
Terry Blackstock
Jeanette Oke
Eugenia Price
Charles Swindoll
Catherine Marshall
John Grisham
Calvin Miller
Philip Yancey
John Maxwell


I hope someone else will take up the challenge!


Lord, thank You for the written word. Thank You, especially, for Your Word.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Ted! Oh boy, one more year til a BIG one. I can't believe my kids are catching up to me! Well, not really. I'm very proud of the man you have become. Life turned out differently than we all thought. You're a good father...no...you're a great father, to Sydney and Bella. I hope you have a good day today. I wish we could spend it with you, but with work, it's not possible. (Your work...not ours) I wish for you a happy, happy birthday!


Dear Lord, thank You for Ted. He's got a huge responsibility as a dad. Please bless him with Your Presence. Keep him safe and well. I love him so much and You love him even more.

Friends

Dustin & Megan

Saturday I went with a couple of friends to Spring Arbor, Michigan to a wedding reception of a young man and his new bride. Dustin lived here when he was a boy, his dad was our pastor. Now Dustin has grown up, is a missionary and now is married. 

While at the reception I met a friend who had read A Bride's Prayer for me at our wedding 51 years ago! 

Lorraine & me 

Lord, how I thank You for friends. Please bless Dustin and Megan as they begin their married life together. Help them as they prepare to return to the mission field.

Thank You for my friend, Lorraine, and for the good time we had visiting on Saturday after all these years. Please keep her in good health.