Merry Christmas!!

From our family to yours, may this be a joyous and Christ-filled holiday!

Hands by Paul Brandt/Liz Brandt

It is the greatest story ever told

The prince leaves the palace and his noble throne 

To fight a battle for his subject's soul 

The fate of the world in his royal hands 

And it was an unlikely battle ground 

With the cows and the sheep and the shepherds gathered round 

As Mary held him her heart began to pound 

The weight of the world in her baby's hands 

Betrayed by the very hearts he came to save 

Father forgive them, someone heard him say 

Then like a gift, he gave his life away 

Held out to the world with his nail-pierced hands 

The hands that put the stars in place 

Bound by hands he made 

When people ask what Christmas means to me 

I think of the prince upon that Christmas tree 

I tell them about how his love set me free 

When he changed my life with a touch of his hands 

With his hands

Until next time...

I've Been Avoiding You

I know you think I may be kidding, but, in fact, I'm not.  I've been avoiding my blog for the last 3 or 4 weeks.  I should update it and I kinda wanted to...at least put some more photos on but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Mostly, I just found myself having a little pity party and being in a very complaining type mood.  Now, I do believe in being honest about how you're feeling but I sounded whiny, even to myself.  It was just a little bit of everything....the weather (seriously, it rained or snowed big time every time that I had an appointment!)...the ENTIRE family got the flu (we were all completely down and out one day - all five of us - the kids even had temperatures ranging from 101.5 to 103.4)...and just being at the end of my pregnancy (after being sick, the heat sensitivity and itchiness that I know all too well kicked in).  I even had a friend who, when I told her the kind of mood I was in, said...go ahead, complain.  So I did and it really sounded just a little pathetic, even as I was saying it.  However, things have turned now.  Last Sunday I was sitting in church - I always marvel how I get the weirdest things out of church on Sunday.  Not usually what the main points in the sermon are but some other little tangent that I can't even remember how it relates to the service, usually.  Anyway, I was sitting there when it just struck me...suck it up...this isn't about you.  You are having yourself a wonderful little pity party like life is all about you and your convenience.  It isn't...it's not about you at all.  God gives you what He does for a purpose so move on.  And I did.  Not sure what the purpose of the tormenting pregnancy symptoms are but I guess I'll try to learn to take them on more graciously (and hope the baby's not late).  Paul had it much worse than I did and he still had joy (see Philippians) so I need to take that example and focus on the big picture and get my head off this earth for a bit.

So, there you go.  The reason I've been avoiding you and the solution to all my problems :)  Now I won't post any photos today...I'm off to watch a movie...but I'll try to soon.

Until next time...