This is going to be semi-short and sweet!  Well, semi-short, anyway … maybe!  Thank you all for those comments on the last post!  I’ve had a few lazy days since Christmas, but I know what I’m looking forward to in regards to purging and packing, and I thought I’d take every minute I could to rest up before we really dig in!  My sister is coming next week to help with going through and deciding on what to keep, sell, and give away.  I think I’ll start in my kitchen … we have extra ‘everything’, but I know my son may use some of it downstairs in his ‘apartment’, at the new house.  It will feel so good purging 17 years worth of things we’ve collected.  It’s a great time for a fresh start here in the new year!  

We’re going to my sister-in-law’s house today for our Christmas dinner.  My husband has to work a bit this morning though, and I need to finish preparing the salad.  We’re having lasagna, and can she make a mean lasagna!  I’m taking the salad which is a regular garden bowl!!  I use two types of lettuce, head and red romaine, with thinly sliced carrots, chopped green and red peppers, thinly sliced cucumber and celery, cauliflower and brocolli pieces, and sometimes green onion … then we top it with chopped pecans and mandarin oranges with the Good Season’s Italian dressing, which I mix up with organic extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar.  Optional toppings have been raisins, and sunflower seeds.  It compliments any Italian dish quite nicely!  I hope you all have something nice planned for your Saturday as well!  

We may try to go look at the house again after dinner … it’s just down the street from where we’ll be.  I want to get measurements of the windows, etc., and I just want to dream a little!  I do have some pictures of it I can share … I’m still trying to teach myself this camera, but these were taken when Ian was here for Thanksgiving … he did took some of them, and that makes them special.  Hope you don’t mind my sharing our new home with you all … and a few other family photos thrown in!  I sure do hope you all have a great weekend … I’m going to be around later on tonight when I get home, and, I do need to take down all of these Christmas decorations and change it up a bit here,
if I’m not too tired!   Blessings ~ Deborah <><



OKAY !!  IT’S ….





This is the front of the house …
that door on the lower right will be replaced …



… another view of the front of the house …
that is an enclosed porch where you see all the windows …
and ‘central air’ … we’ve not had ‘central air’ for years!!



… another photo of the side of the house … and part of  the ‘view’.



This is the deck on the back of the house … upstairs.



The view from the upper deck at the top of the staris.



A bit dark here, but these stairs lead off of the upper deck to …..



… Ian’s ‘apartment’ … such a blessing for him … his own entrance!! 



This is a view of the back of the house.



Another one showing the carport.



More of the beautiful view from the back of the house! 
Okay… where should I put the bird houses!! 
And when it snows … oh my … beautiful!
Where’s the sled!!



Another view … this is off to the right of the house and down the hill. 
Not sure what is kept in there … maybe the lawn mower? 
But, it is so pretty to look at … and if you were an artist … paint it in every season! 



This is the driveway leading right under the carport … no garage here!  Actually there was,
but his mother, who lived in the house, didn’t want it blocking the view off the back deck
 … so along came the bulldozers to demolish a 2 car garage … which I might add, was only 3 years old!
I so wish it were still there … we sure could use the storage, but that view from the deck sure is beautiful!!

 

Another view of the driveway … concrete!  How cool is that!! 
The road turns to gravel just past the mailbox ..



… and down that road, finally some neighbors … beautiful horses! 
Check out that tree on the right!!



And of course, what country road would be without these ‘neighbors!  Cows!  I’m lovin’ it!!



And a bit further, you will see my brother and sister-in-law’s house!  They did say we
could use some storage there in the barn … it’s just the two of them in that big house!
Their children are all now married and in homes of their own, it’s hard on them too!
We’ll just cheer one another up in the days to come! 

AND FINALLY …. A few family photos here! 



The ‘Moosh’ … Isn’t he beautiful!! 
Wonder how he’ll take to this move??  
Any tips for animals and moving?  

 


Ian and his ‘Mamma’! 



Ian and his ‘Papa’!



‘Papa’ and ‘Mamma’ … and it was getting cold … can you tell by my red nose!! 

<><><><><><>

I sure hope you don’t mind sitting through all of that!  I just wanted to share with you how
blessed we are to have found a little bit of heaven here on earth!  I can’t wait to show
you the inside!  It’s so adorable!  The owner remodeled it for his mother before she moved in.
She passed away about a year ago, and it’s been empty ever since…it’s hard on him as well,
to have to move all of her things from there.  He is in our prayers. 
He is looking forward to us being there, too!  He and his wife want to get together for pizza soon!
She is a pediatric nurse … he has his own business.  So say a prayer for us, that we can get through all of
our things without too much trouble … that I can release things I really don’t need or use anymore, and that all will go smoothly.
We are planning the move around the first of March, but after seeing these pictures here again …
I’d love to go today!  Although, looking at the place we are in now,
and all that we have yet to do, that’s almost impossible!!  But … when we do finally get in and settled …
just know there is a standing open invitation to anyone of you when you’re in the area!  
  Hugs!!

 
The weekend is over and it’s now the ‘Day After’!  So how was everyone’s Christmas?  Ours was lovely!  Since Ian wasn’t home, and our family gathering was postponed until next Saturday, Lewis and I spent the day home here, reading, cooking, eating, relaxing … just having a great day together!  We had thought about visiting my brother and his family, but he was sick, so things were postponed there as well.  We also had an invite to go to his sister’s house, but since we’ll be going there next week, we just opted to stay home for the day.  We had sunshine and about 44* today, so we didn’t have that white Christmas we so hoped for! 

Well, we had to eat, so for Christmas dinner, we decided on an English roast with red potatoes, carrots, and sweet onions all cooked up nice and tender in my special gravy.  We had buttered herbed noodles on the side, with brussel sprouts cooked in a buttery herbed chicken broth … now who doesn’t like brussel sprouts?!!  Even my son liked those when he was younger … that’s sort of unusual for a child to eat a brussel sprout, but he sure enough did!  He called us a couple of times today.  He had plans at three different places and had a wonderful day, although he is fighting a cold with a cough.  As a mom, it’s hard not being there to give him what he needs to feel better …  hey, that was my job for all those years … and moms care about those things, no matter how old our children get!  

So, tell me about your Christmas day … share a highlight or a special blessing you received … and now that Christmas is over, how long do you leave up your decorations, that is, if you have them up this year?  We didn’t due to our upcoming move … but we got a lot of beautiful Christmas cards … thanks to many of you out there in Xangaland!  Those were so fun to receive from you!  Be blessed, and have a great Wednesday, everyone!

Hugs,
~ Deborah <><


CRAFTED BY A MASTER’S HAND
~ T. Huff

Have you ever stopped and spent time watching the actual process of glassblowing?  It is an awesome procedure and must be done by a master craftsman—one who is talented, patient, skilled, and willing to wait for that perfect shape to come out of the fire. 

Glassblowing is defined as the process of forming glass into useful shapes while the glass is in a molten, semi-liquid state.  Traditionally, glass was made from raw materials, such as sand, limestone, and other compounds, and then melted in the furnace.  Glassblowing may involve several trips to the furnace and various special tools.  It takes much practice and work to come out with the beautiful, marketable pieces that we admire and buy today.

Jesus, the master craftsman, picks us up as raw material, with nothing much to be proud of.  He takes us and begins to apply the heat that is needed to make us the best and most beautiful that we can be.  Do we always like it when the heat is applied?  That would be a great, big resounding “No!”, but to burn out all the impurities we must submit and become pliable.  Oh, to be molded by His hands and come out that perfect specimen that He desires and can use!

Glass is fragile, and so are we at different times during our Christian walk, in each different season of our lives.  As did the psalmist, we may have to pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalms 51:10).  Then Jesus throws us right back in the fire to remold, to remake, and to reshape.  Sometimes we put up a fight, and sometimes we are willing to be remade, but, when He says it is time to come out of the fire, we are formed into His shape and we see through His eyes—we finally understand.  We are His special children and He loves us whatever place we are in.

When God works in us, the will, being changed and sweetly breathed upon by the Spirit of God,
desire and acts, not from compulsion, but responsively.
~ Martin Luther

The vinedresser is never nearer the branches then when he is pruning them.
~ David Jeremiah

More light than we can learn,
More wealth than we can treasure,
More love than we can earn,
More peace than we can measure,
Because one Child is born.

Christopher Fry



… Merry Christmas …
May each one of you be ever so blessed,
and have a love filled day
celebrating the Greatest Gift of all! 
Hugs ~ Deborah <><

The Light of the World 
This devotional was written by Mike DeVries

In him was life, and that life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.—John 1:4-5

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has been mindful
of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me –
Holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their innermost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but He has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but He has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendents forever,
just as He promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:46-55

Into a world of despair came hope.
Into a world of bondage came freedom.
Into a world of oppression came liberation.
Into a world of greed came generosity.
Into a world of power came love.
Into a world of darkness came light.

Indeed, God has seen, and He has the final word. 

~ Mary’s Ponderings ~

God, oh infant God. Heaven’s fairest child, sleep well.
Enjoy the silence of the crib, for the noise of confusion rumbles in your future.
Savor the sweet safety of my arms, for a day is soon coming, when I cannot protect you.
Rest well, tiny hands.
For though you belong to the King, you will touch no satin,
own no gold, you will grasp no pen, guide no brush.
No, your tiny hands are reserved for works more precious.
To touch a leper’s open wound, to wipe a widow’s weary tear,
to claw the ground of Gethsemane.
Sleep deeply tiny eyes, sleep while you can.
For soon the blurriness will clear, and you will see the mess
we have made of your world.
You will see our nakedness, for we cannot hide,
You will see our selfishness,for we cannot give,
you will see our pain, for we cannot heal.
Lay still tiny mouth, lay still, mouth from which eternity will speak.
Tiny tongue that will soon summon the dead, that will define grace,
that will silence our foolishness.
And tiny feet, cupped in the palm of my hand, rest.
For many difficult steps lie ahead for you.
Do you taste the dust of the trails you will travel?
Do you feel the cold sea water upon which you will walk?
Do you wrench at the invasion of the nails you will bear?
Do you fear the deep descent, down the spiral staircase, into Satan’s domain?
Rest, tiny feet. Rest today, so that tomorrow you might walk with power.
Rest. For millions will follow in your steps.

-excerpt from Max Lucado

There Is No Place Where God Is Not
Charles Haddon Spurgeon



“There is no place where God is not.
God is there in a thousand wonders,
upholding rocky barriers, filling the buttercups with their perfume
and refreshing the lonely pines with the breath of his mouth.
Descend…into the lowest depths of the ocean,
where undisturbed water sleeps,
and the very sand is motionless in unbroken quiet,
but the glory of the Lord is there,
revealing its excellence in the silent palace of the sea.
Borrow the wings of the morning
and fly to the uttermost parts of the sea,
but God is there. His beauty is stamped in all of creation:

The glory of God can be seen from the smallest raindrop
to the mighty flash of lightning;
from the tiny rosebud to the huge magnolia blossom;
from the rich, fertile soil of the Mississippi Delta
to the arid, dusty land of the desert.

We can see His stamp of glory in all the world,
from the music of a sparkling brook
to the majestic tumbling waterfall;
from the gnarled, gentle hands of a loving grandfather
to the birth-fresh fragility of a baby’s fingernail;
from the silence of the stars to the peal of thunder;
from the mirror-like smoothness of a placid lake
to the wind-driven thunderous waves smashing on the shore.

In the fresh greenery of the spring;
in the dazzling color of autumn;
in the joy of discovery on a baby’s face;
and in the fulfillment and meaning of the New Birth,
we can see the glory of God.”

 We’ve had a busy week, as I’m sure all of you have!   We went to a friends house Friday night … had a chance to relax, and had a wonderful time … we played ‘Apples to Apples’ … has anyone ever played that before?  We had so much fun doing that!   On Thursday night, we went to another friend’s house … we are starting with a small home church group on Thursday nights … we’re all desiring a deeper walk with the LORD, and we are excited to see what He is going to do there in the coming New Year!

Great news … I did talk to Ian yesterday, and although he won’t be here for Christmas, we are excited to know that he’ll be here on February 1st … to stay for 12 days!  We’ll have our ’family’ Christmas then! 

Our Christmas play was postponed last week due to all the snow and ice, so we’re looking forward to that this morning.  After church, we are going to see if we can fight those crowds to get a couple more gifts that we need.  Our Christmas dinner, which was supposed to have been today with hubby’s family, has been postponed until the Saturday after Christmas … our niece and nephew aren’t able to be here until then … so we went ahead and made these plans for today.  Hubby is going to take me to dinner as well … The House of Toyko … a Japanese restaurant where they cook in front of you!  Very good food!  Then finally … home to rest.
 
Lewis is off Monday, and Christmas of course, so we are hoping to see my brother’s family on that day … then after that, the rest of the week is looking busy for him, which is a blessing!  This time last year, no one was wanting new flooring, and we had a rough winter financially!  We are so very thankful that God is blessing the compnay now, and work is coming in!  **When we go through those times of need, it just gives God a chance to show us that He is our ultimate provider … for when we have Him … we have everything!!

‘Who is it that is your Shepherd?  The Lord! 
Oh, my friends, what a wonderful announcement! 
The Lord God of heaven and earth, and Almighty Creator of all things,
He who holds the universe in His hand as though it were a very little thing.
He is your shepherd, and has charged himself with the care and keeping of you, 
as a shepherd is charged with the care and keeping of his sheep.
If your hearts could really take in this thought you would never have a fear or a care again;
for with such a Shepherd how could it be possible for you ever to want any good thing’?
~ Hannah Whitall Smith ~

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Sunday … Praise Him from your heart for Who He IS!!  For He IS so worthy of all our praise and adoration! ~ I know I haven’t been around alot lately, but please don’t give up on me!  I know that we’re all busy this time of year, and unable to get around here as much … but I’m hoping to get around to visit you all later on today, and tomorrow!  
 
 Hugs,
                  ~ Deborah <>< 


Over at BetsaflyGallery, you’ll find some real pretty Christmas ‘LIGHT’ displays …. 
       when you get a chance, go take a quick peek!!

The Perfect Christmas Tree 
~ Kelly McFadden

Each year in the mall near our home, a Christmas tree looms high above the department stores as a decoration and focal point for holiday celebrations.  It is breathtaking.  Of course, this tree gets a lot of help.  In fact, to make sure the tree looks perfect and even from all sides, existing branches are cut off, extra ones are collected, and each branch is cut and trimmed. Then, holes are drilled in the tree trunk and extra branches are placed in just the right spots.  The tree is made to look flawless.

When I think about the holiday season and the message of Christ, this mall has it all wrong.  I think God looks at us more like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. You know the one I mean. A tree that is far from perfect: skimpy, left behind and unwanted.  A tree that has lots of gaps in the branches and need extra help getting decorated.

God demonstrated his power in mighty ways through the Apostle Paul.  The passage from 2 Corinthians records Paul’s requests to God to remove the afflictions he was facing, but God chose not to do so.  God demonstrated His incredible power through Paul by working through Him even in the midst of His weaknesses.  It is also these weaknesses that reminded Paul to rely on the Lord, for he knew he could not succeed without the power of God in his life. 

It is tempting to rely on our own strength or think we can do everything on our own based on the talents, energy and effort we give to something.  However, God wants us to realize instead that we need to rely on Him to be our strength.  When we rely on Him, we will not only find ourselves stronger, but we will also continue to grow and move to deeper Christian character when we allow God’s strength to work in us.  So when you face situations that are difficult and challenging, be encouraged.  God will make His power perfect in you…just as you are, with flaws and all.

Thank you Lord, for honoring even the smallest faith … for even the smallest faith is inhabited by you.  With You, in You, and through You all things are truely possible and that is what gives us hope to go on!  We trust each day to You, as You walk with us through the valleys of life that bring us low, for in that place of lowliness, we can know that You will lift us up and bring us out into a place of freedom, a place of greater faith!! You truly are more than what we could ever ask or think….You truly are more than able!  In Jesus Name, Amen

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Coming into the transforming presence of God is something that will open our eyes to a great many things.  Drawing near to Him will guarantee that we will begin to rethink the way we think, and question the way we have always considered things to be.  We progress forward toward Him until we face areas we may be unwilling to give up, or that we are not wanting to consider changing.  It’s then that we shelter our eyes from His light as He reveals truth that we choose not to see.  The painful reality is most painful to our flesh.  Our flesh chooses to cling to that which is loved in the flesh–those things that are of this earth which bring to us a sense of security and comfort.  Our flesh is unwilling to part with such things or even to consider doing so.  It is not until we can willingly deny ourselves and selfish nature, that we will move forward toward God.  It is not until we are willing to abandon all we have ever treasured, believed or thought we knew, that we will truly “throw off everything that hinders” so that we can fully come into the transforming presence of our Lord.


He who breathes into our hearts the heavenly hope,
will not deceive or fail us when we press forward to its realization.
~ Anonymous


When God is going to do something wonderful, He begins with a difficulty….
When He is going to do something miraculous, He begins with an impossibility.
~Charles Inwood

SundayPM (late) Update!  Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers for my husband, Lewis!  He did drive home last night, and got here around 9:30PM … he said it was raining the whole way, but after he had been home for about a half an hour, it started raining ice!  I’m so thankful that God kept him safe!  It had started snowing here yesterday, then tapered off and turned to that icy mix … this morning we woke up to about a total of 4 inches here.  It’s so pretty, but very cold now …. a frigid 18 degrees!  Brrrr!  We spent the day at home … they cancelled church services this morning, due to the weather.  We have a good sized hill that leads to the church, and when there’s ice on it, there’s no gettin’ up there!  We’ve been there and done that, and also the roads to the church were pretty treacherous this morning as well.  So, we had our own little time in the Word together, then we cooked breakfast together.  We also watched an old B/W movie with Cary Grant, called “The Bishop’s Wife”.  First time I’ve seen it, and it was so sweet!  I wonder how I could have ever missed that one!  I heard they did a remake, but I don’t think I’d ever want to see that one … I like the old movies the best! 

We wanted to go out and build a ‘snow couple’ but as I said it was cold … and I can’t for the life of me remember where I put our longjohns!  Lol!!  So we opted to stay in, and had chili soup, with fresh vegies and dip for dinner, then after that, we decided to bake a huge batch of pumpkin bread so we could send some to Ian!  We ended up with 11 loaves!!  I gave some to my brother-in-law when he stopped by earlier tonight, and Lewis will take some tomorrow to the men who work for him.  After we send Ian his loaves, we’ll pass more around, and of course we’ll keep a loaf, or 2, for ourselves!  It’s yummy with peppermint tea!  After all that baking the house smells wonderful … we’re warm and safe … and the snow looks beautiful out there … it’s a perfect winter’s night, the air is crisp … the skys are clear, and the moon and stars are shining so bright … I’m so thankful for the blessings that God has given us!  I do hope you’re all safe!  Let me know how things are your way, did you get ice, snow, or both, and how much snow!  We didn’t get it as bad as was predicted … but I would have loved about 6 more inches of it!  Enjoy your evening, stay warm, and have a great Monday!   

Hugs,
               ~ Deborah <><

The spirit of Christmas needs to superseded by the Spirit of Christ.
The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal.
The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural.
The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christ is a divine person.
That makes all the difference in the world.
~Stuart Briscoe

I found this online and thought it was interesting.  Thought I’d share it with you.  Has anyone ever read this before? 

THE ORIGIN OF THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS ~ 

People often think of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ as the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that lasts for the twelve days beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 – the Day of Epiphany, when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the Light of the world and recalls the journey of the magi.

From 1558 until 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly.  During that era someone wrote ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without the risk of persecution.

‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ is, in essence, an allegory. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church.

Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality. The “true love” represents God and the “me” who receives these presents is the Christian (a Catholic in this case).

So the next time you hear “The 12 Days of Christmas,” consider how this otherwise non-religious-sounding song had its origins in the Christian faith. 

 


WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR?
John Killinger
Christmas Spoken Here

What are you expecting for Christmas this year?  Smoke curling from chimneys into cold skies and bare trees standing like sentinels watching for Santa Claus with his sleigh full of toys?  A tall fir tree bedecked with soft colored lights and trinkets and candy canes?  The smell of Christmas cookies wafting through the house, and the sound of bells and carols on the stereo? Children hanging their stockings on the mantle, or, if the stockings have gotten too large and the gifts too plentiful, laying them on the hearth by a blazing fire?

It is easy to think of Christmas images, isn’t it, because there is no season of the year so full of nostalgia and ripe with expectation.  It takes a Scrooge, with a heart of stone, not to become excited about the approach of this joyous occasion.  Visions of sugar plums or their contemporary equivalent—dance in all our heads.

But I wonder, have you ever been disappointed by Christmas?  Did you expect something Christmas that didn’t materialize? Maybe you were looking for a bonus in your pay envelope that wasn’t there or expecting somebody home who didn’t arrive or anticipating something, a mood or a feeling, that never quite came to you.  Maybe you didn’t receive a present you were looking for—the doll you had seen in the toy shop or the drum set that would have driven Mom and Dad crazy, or the microwave oven you had hinted about for months.…

Christmas can be that way.  We can build up such impossible hopes and dreams that it can’t possibly fulfill them.  That is one reason people often feel depressed when Christmas is over.  They have lived for days in a state of perpetual excitation, expecting something to happen; and, when it doesn’t, they feel sad and let down.

That’s too bad because you know what the real message of Christmas is about?  It’s about what we don’t expect.  That’s right. Christmas isn’t about what we expect; it’s about what we don’t expect.

Think about it.  Zechariah and Elizabeth didn’t expect to have a baby in their old age.  Mary didn’t expect to become the mother of the Son of God.  She couldn’t believe it when the angel told her.  “Why, I’m not even married,” she said.  Joseph didn’t expect his young bride to be pregnant.  Herod didn’t expect to be disturbed by word of the Child.  The shepherds didn’t expect to see angels in their fields.  The Magi didn’t expect to find the Savior of the world born in a manger in a poor little country village like Bethlehem.  The whole thing was a surprise.  God surprised everybody that first Christmas.

And when you think about Jesus’ teachings, you realize that surprise is in the nature of who God is.  God is full of surprises.

The meek shall inherit the earth.  Think about that.  That’s really a surprise, isn’t it?  When you look around and see the people who shove and push and talk the loudest getting ahead of everybody else, you wonder about the meek.

The first shall be last and the last first.  That’s another corker.  The high and the mighty going into heaven behind the low and the poor.…

You see, it isn’t a matter of what we’re expecting for Christmas.  It’s what we don’t expect.  That’s what we ought to be looking for, what we don’t expect because that’s the way God is.  God is a God of surprises.

I don’t have anything against traditional Christmas celebrations.  In fact, I love them.  I enjoy the trees and lights and Christmas pageants and music and presents and all the rest.  But we ought to realize that God may have some surprises in store for us this Christmas.  God may not come to us in the old familiar ways.  God may speak to us in some new event, in some place where we least expect it.

The surprises of God!  We never know where they are or when they are coming.  But the word of the Gospel is that they are and that they do come.  And this is what Christmas is all about.

Ask your children two questions this Christmas. First: “What do you want to give to others for Christmas?” Second: “What do you want for Christmas?” The first fosters generosity of heart and an outward focus. The second can breed selfishness if not tempered by the first.  ~Anonymous

I think that the true meaning of Christmas is about possibility. It is not the kind of possibility that comes from a confidence in our own skill, knowledge, ability, or a positive mental attitude. It is possibility that comes solely from the fact that God is God, and that he is the kind of God who comes into our own human existence to reveal himself and call us to himself.  ~Dennis Bratcher

Well, yesterday, I got rid of those dust bunnies … and then decided to bake some cookies … chocolate chip oatmeal walnut!  Cookies … hot from the oven with a cold glass of milk for dunkin’ … mmmm … can’t beat that!!  Didn’t do much ‘purging’ yesterday … I’ll work on some of that today … and watch the snow fall!  Well, as I said, my husband made it to Illinois without any trouble, but it’s the trip home I’m really concerned about!  The job may very well take longer than expected, making Sunday the day that he would be driving home, although he’s hoping to make it tonight!!  But, last night I heard the ‘weatherman’ say that we could get 17 inches of snow, with ice mixed in … then it will start to blow, and drift!  Makes for hazardous driving!  Now, I would be much more excited about the snow, but I want my husband to get home safely!  And 17 inches is a bit much! *I’m hearing now on the news it may be 12 inches … but ice is still inevitable … with blizzard like conditions!  

 I so appreciate your prayers for Lewis, that if it is bad, he’ll use wisdom and stay over another night, and wait to travel until it clears a bit … they’re saying Sunday afternoon … I’m just so thankful the hotel room is paid for … that was a blessing, and I did send extra clothes for him!  Now I’ll just wait, and watch, as the snow & ice begin to fall!  I have my kitchen window cracked, and I love the cold breeze that is blowing in … it smells like snow … I stepped outside, and it is beautiful, even though the snow hasn’t started yet … you can feel it though!  When it starts, I’m hoping to get pictures!  And speaking of pictures … I came across a few of my son, Ian, from the winter of 92/93.  We spent the afternoon out, building a snowman together … he played for quite a while outside that day … he was bundled up like a little bear!  He always was so cuddly!  He loved that snowman … it took a couple of weeks before he melted!  We built others, but this was his favorite!  Well, do stay safe and warm this weekend … and, if any of you are getting this storm, share your weather report! 

Warm Blessings,
                      ~ Deborah <><