Change is in the air...

I was totally upset with myself this Christmas as one of the things that I had wanted to do was make a special 2009 ornament with Webster to hang on the tree and in all the busyness... I just didn't get around to doing it! And before I knew it it was time to pack up the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings, the tags and the tinsel, the trimmings, the trappings... heh heh heh... anyone recognize that? *I'll tell you later ... anyway, I was really bummin' over not making an ornament with him as you know you only get these young years once and I tend to doubt that when he is 16 he will be so into making a special ornament with his mom. So there I was feeling guilty packing away the Christmas stuff until... I saw it... (insert Hallelujah chorus here)... there it was

Websters special ornament!!

I had totally forgotten about this ornament he made at the barn party where he takes riding lessons! I was ecstatic! And I was liberated from the grip of guilt! And thankful too! Whew!

So now that I was feeling fun and fancy free from guilt, I commenced to putting the rest of the Christmas knick-knacks and baubles away with renewed vigor and as I did... I noticed not only was there a change in my virgor level but another change was happening too...

It started out slow... but then it started to grow! ;-)

Ahhh... Yippee!... Change is in the air!

Out with the old and in with the new!

Bye-Bye Winter... and Hello Spring! Ü

Hmmm...

Now... how do I go about getting the weather to co-operate?

* Okay, so I borrowed it from Dr. Suess's How the Ginch Stole Christmas... and No, I would not consider that plagiarizing, it's only borrowing... he can have it back when I am done!

Merry Christmas!

At Christmas time, I like to reflect back on where we've been and where God has brought us and then I make up a newsletter of sorts to send it out with my Christmas cards to our friends and family. But for the past few years I haven't done it, not because I haven't had anything to write about for there has been plenty going on, but I think because I was caught up in all the busyness of life and just was not able to.
But now the dust is finally starting to settle on the whirlwind that has been these past few years and I am catching my breath. And there has been change. Some changes have been hard and some not so hard but still somehow I don't think change even when we know it is good is ever effortless.

And in the end no matter how easy or hard life can be I do know that God is working things for the best and I just need to trust in him through it. And it is something that I choose to do and to be honest I think that may be the hardest part sometimes... just letting go and believing that God knows what He is doing even when it seems my world is upside down... He still has everything in control.

 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding but in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5

I do know that Gods track record in my life is spotless, He has never failed to take care of me... even when I make mistakes! God is soooo good like that!

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

We have so much to be thankful for in life, whether we are high up on a sun shiney mountain top and can see for miles or down in a deep dark valley where we can't see the road or what step to take next... but God is there and we thank him for his provision and guidance He is ever present and abides with those who choose to abide with him.

And life on the mountain tops is so easy, life is good up there! We feel the blessings of the Lord pouring down on us like the warmth of the sunshine that lights up the sky, but it is those valleys that we dread we feel cold and alone and it can be very scarey.
I've been there... kidney failure was a deep dark valley that I did not want to enter. I knew the valley was there but hoped, then begged and pleaded that God would not have me walk that trail... but I did.
It is just like a horse that is trained to trust it's rider, I had to trust my God to take me into the place that I did not want to go and even though inside me I felt like panicking I had to trust him to lead me through it.
God knows what he is doing and it is because of my valley experiences that I have learned that I do not live by my feelings as they can be deceptive, God does not change at all... ever! He is the same God on the mountain and in the valley! I am thankful he not only reigns as the King of Kings but he also has the reigns of my heart and he will guide me through any valley of my life and and over any mountaintop and he will one day lead me home!

I pray that you all have a blessed Christmas and will let Jesus reign in your hearts this year!

Our Annual Christmas party...

Well... we have one week to go and true to my husbands style he waits until the pressure is on to do a Major project around the house!

The last one was just a few short months ago when he decided to remortgage the house and take advantage of the lower rates. Well it just so happened to be the same time that my parents were here to visit and we ended up having to revamp the entire kitchen as even though it was the same mortgage company that we had they now wanted a full appraisal instead of a drive by... and our kitchen was running in temperary mode...

See... temporary mode

So it was obvious that we did indeed need a revamping but to have to do it the same time as company being here was a wee bit hectic to say the least... and then to add to the stressors of all that we were invaded by the fleas from Hades and also their close relatives the zombie fleas (because I believe that the ones that did indeed succumb to the miriad of poisons revived to live again!)

But we did get the kitchen finished...

well finished enough anyway, as we are still in need some minor work... like the leaky pipe in the upstairs bathroom that needs to be fixed  so then we can patch that hole in the ceiling... minor stuff like that.

So that brings us to the current project.

We are upon the time of year we open our home to family and friends for our 14th annual Christmas Party and it is a week away... six days to be more specific and...

This was my house today...

Can you guess what they are doing?

And do you think it will be done by Saturday?

Ü

And one might think this would stress me out... Naaah, says I! This doesn't stress me a bit... I am cool as a cucumber... I am getting used to living on the edge... on the edge of insanity that is! Hehehehe

But in any event...sanity or insanity... Come one, Come all... I would like to invite you to join us this coming Saturday. We will have lots of food and hopefully we will remember to do the Christmas carol sing along this year which has always been a fun part of the night. And if anybody needs directions please let me know... I would love to see you all!

And if the Lord leads you to wear your work clothes that day when you come here... be it far from me to interfere with the Lord's urgings... and your obedience

No need to bring anything if you do come... but you may be encouraged to take something home... like a piggie... or two... or three! Ü