There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays

I'm celebrating Christmas in Indiana again this year. I always feel I should see my Dad on Christmas if I'm able and as long as he's still on this earth.

It was a good drive. When I left Greenville, NC the weather was 71 degrees. Today in Indiana, it's a chilly 21 degrees and sunny. I went for a walk down by the river in Newburgh this morning.  It felt good. Newburgh will probably always be one of my "feel good" places.

On the drive here when I crossed from North Carolina into Tennessee, all my radio stations suddenly became country. I enjoyed listening to my Christmas music accompanied by guitars and banjos with a little country twang to them.

Mountains of Tennessee

Beautiful Tennessee

It was so good seeing my Dad. He had to go to a nursing home a couple of months ago. He seems to be adjusting well, but it was hard for me to see him there. I'm hoping to spend as much time as I can with him. I'm so thankful I still have my Dad.

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Last night I received the best present. My son called and said that the doctor was 99% sure he had removed all the cancer and that the spots on his lungs were just shadows, probably some scar tissue. And for right now, Mark will not have to have chemotherapy. He has to have check ups every six months to make sure nothing has shown back up, but I am one happy mama.
So thankful for prayers.

GOD IS SO GOOD.

 

 

 

He's Already There Preparing the Way

This week I was reminded again that GOD IS ALREADY IN OUR TOMORROW.

 

My youngest son, Mark, who lives in San Antonio, Texas had been having some health issues. Tuesday he went to the doctor and of course, they have to wait for test results. Wednesday morning they called him at work and told him the words that strike fear into the strongest of men - "You have cancer." When he called to tell me, I didn't want to believe it. I kept telling Mark, it's not going to happen. It's going to be okay. I have to believe that it's going to be okay. I called his brothers and some other people and asked them to please pray.

 

The doctor acted right away. They sent him to a specialist that day to run more tests and scheduled him for surgery on Thursday. The doctor told Mark that he was afraid the cancer had already spread into his kidneys. The cancer that he has is the most treatable if they catch it in time, but the most rapid spreading cancer if they didn't. It was so hard not being there. Mark asked me please not to come there, because he didn't want to worry about me. It's was hard. I wanted to hold him and love him and pray with him.

They did the surgery late Thursday afternoon. Mark told me that before the doctor operated he had all the people in the operating room hold hands and the doctor prayed. When I got the call from his wife, saying they were pretty sure they had removed it all and it hadn't spread to his kidneys, I had the best Christmas present a mother could ever want.

Mark still has a away to go. He will have to have some chemo and also there were a couple of small places on his lungs.

Please pray for Mark.
Pray for his recovery from the surgery.
Pray for the pathologist reports.
Pray for the doctors to have wisdom.
Pray for Mark to have comfort.
Pray for complete healing.

And also pray for a mother who knows that God loves us and is in control, but still has a lot of fear sometimes.

He goes to the doctor Monday afternoon for all the reports and to find out what the next steps are in his treatment.

I know GOD IS ALREADY IN OUR TOMORROW

I have a Father, the Master of time
He holds the world in His hands
He looks from heaven and sees where you are
Arranging your life in His plans
Preparing you now, unfolding the way
To all your tomorrows and whatever you face.

He's already in your tomorrow
He's walking one step ahead
Whether it's joy or it's sorrow
He'll do just what He said
He'll never leave you lonely
In the land of the great unknown
He's already in your tomorrow
Don't be afraid, keep pressing on.

Often you struggle, looking ahead
Dreading Tomorrow it seems
Embracing the present, forgetting the past
Giving up on your dreams
You're stranded between your faith and your fear
Yet no matter the conflict, the future is clear.

He's already in your tomorrow
He's walking one step ahead
Whether it's joy or it's sorrow
He'll do just what He said
He'll never leave you lonely
In the land of the great unknown
He's already in your tomorrow
Don't be afraid, keep pressing on.

Last Thanksgiving in San Antonio with Mark and his kids, Alexis and Gavin

A Little House Christmas

When our sons were young, I loved to read stories to them. At Christmas I had special stories I would read to them each year. One of them was a chapter from Little House On The Prairie - Santa Comes To Little House.

Laura Ingalls and her sister, Mary, were worried because the creek was swollen and they were afraid Santa Claus wouldn't be able to get to their house and bring them presents.

But to their surprise, there was a knock at the door and there stood Mr. Edwards, frozen from crossing the creek to get to their house. He told the girls he had met Santa Claus in town and Santa was too old and fat to cross the creek, so he asked Mr. Edwards if he knew the Ingalls and if he would mind delivering their presents to them.

And what humble gifts they received. In their stockings was a shiny new tin cup for each of them, a candy cane, a little cake with real sugar on top of it that Ma had made, and at the bottom of their stockings a shiny new penny.

And yet they were so thankful and happy about these few little gifts that they had received.

 

My sons were always worried that one day I would lose my mind and we would have a Little House Christmas and that is all they would receive for Christmas. It was always funny listening to them.

 

Usually at our church, our church families bring in gifts for the children in our church and we have a big Christmas party for the kids and they get to open the presents and they are really nice presents.

 

This year, our church decided to do something different. In Durham, NC is the Durham Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter. It's a wonderful ministry that tries to reach people with the gospel, to give them hope and change their lives.

Our church asked the kids in our church to buy a present for a boy or girl in the Durham Rescue Mission who probably wouldn't even be having a Christmas. You should see our Christmas trees at our church. Piled up underneath are toys and sacks of non perishable items for the Rescue Mission. It is amazing.

 

Most of us couldn't imagine not receiving a Christmas present. We are so blessed.

I think about how sometimes we can be disappointed because we don't receive that present that we thought sure we deserved and had to have. I know I'm the same. I couldn't imagine not having Christmas.

 

This Christmas remember whose Birthday we are celebrating and by giving the gift of love to someone else, we are giving a gift to Jesus.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS"

 

I Want To Be A Steel Magnolia

A steel magnolia is a woman who is strong and independent, yet very feminine and gentle.

 

I never wanted to be one of those helpless women who can't handle situations that come my way.

Today when I went to get in my car at Walmart, my tire was flat. Inside I kept telling myself, this happens all the time to people, I can handle it. So what do I do - I called Neal, trying my best not to start crying.

And of course, I wasn't thinking. Neal said, "Mom, you are at Walmart, they can probably fix it for you." Why hadn't I thought of that on my own. On the inside I wanted to start crying and let someone else worry with it. I didn't want to be responsible for getting a tire fixed.

So I drove around to the service center at Walmart and I needed a new tire. It had a nail in it, plus the tread on one side had wore down and thread was showing. The man showed me how bad it was. I don't know about tires. I know you have to put air in them sometimes and sometimes you have to buy new ones.

And then you always worry about being took advantage of because you are feminine and gentle.

But it all worked out and I have a brand new tire.

 

God was watching over me. That was the amazing thing today.  I will be traveling soon to see family and friends in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. I'm so thankful, that my flat tire happened while I was here in town and at a place where I was able to have it tooken care of. God had kept me safe. What a wonderful God we serve.

Psalm 121

 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,

and even for evermore.

 

 

God's promise of His love and care over us.

Christmas Tradition

I always get excited about the first Christmas card I receive for the year. It is like looking forward to something special in the mail and finally it arrives. It says to me, "Christmas is here."

As you know, I am too nostalgic. I still have Christmas cards from family and special friends that I have saved throughout the years. One of my most special Christmas cards is  from my Grandma, "Mammy."  It was mine and Jerry's first Christmas and she had written a three page letter and included it in with the Christmas card that she sent us.  I still have it.

And when I was a little girl, I can still remember Bing Crosby singing, "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas with every Christmas card I write."

As I sit here making out Christmas cards, I hope the tradition of sending Christmas cards never fades away.

I love you and hope everyone is enjoying all the many traditions of the Christmas season.

 

And please don't forget the most important part of Christmas - the birth of the Baby Jesus. His birth has changed hearts for over 2000 years with the love and the hope He brought.

 

 

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

December

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." - James Matthew Barrie   December, the last month of the year and most celebrated month of the year. You can see and feel the excitement of the children. I still remember my first Christmas after I was saved and understood why we celebrated Christmas. I'm so thankful for Jesus and His love to me. I know it's a busy month, sometimes stressful. It can be a lonely month full of memories from the past. I always pray that I'll always remember the reason for the celebration. Because of that little baby born on Christmas day, I know I have a hope that only comes from Jesus and the miracle of that first Christmas.   December   December slips in all covered in snow, And enjoys her stay while the cold winds blow. December is a month that we hold dear. And as she departs, we begin a new year.   We cherish each memory that she leaves behind Memories that are part of our hearts and mind. December gives us hope for a brighter tomorrow And erases hurts and banishes sorrow.   And all the joy and comfort she brings As we echo the words to the songs that we sing. For December is the month of a great celebration. For it's the birthday of a baby who would give us salvation.   - Patricia Rice