After Christmas

The house is quiet. I woke extra early this morning for some reason. After drinking cups of coffee, I started cleaning. What on earth possessed me to do that I'll never know. Actually, it was fun. Each thing I picked up and put away gave me the opportunity to thank God for the moments of my life.

This Chistmas with Carley Ann being 3 and Anna Claire being 18 months really was fun. It's so good to watch the delight in their eyes over the new toys and watch them as they learn how to work each one. The big present they got was a pink Jeep they can ride around in the yard. It was a far cry from the pedal car I remember my brother getting when he was about their age... or was it me? I can't remember who got it, just that we had as much fun with it as Anna Claire and Carley Ann did driving around in the back yard of their house.

The special event, however, came Christmas night when they all came over to my house for Christmas dinner. My mother came to eat with us so that made four adults and two children, the perfect number to sit around the breakfast room table. I wish I had a picture to show you how beautiful the table looked and wish I had a video to show you what happened when we read the passage from Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus. After we said the blessing and everyone begin to pass food around and help the girls with their plates, I read Luke 2. Carley amazed me with how much she knew about the birth of Jesus as she interruped time and time again to add her understanding of what the verses were saying. I almost had to stop several times and just let her tell it. My heart exploded with pride and also thankgiving for I know she did not learn this on her own but have been guided by her parents.

Being a grandmother is such a joy and I'm so thankful for my family.

Lord, thank you so much for giving us the most wonderful gift of your Son. You are awesome in your wisdom and love for all of us. Thank you for knowing each of us personally and giving us all what we need each day and more. Thank you for each breath we take, each day we live, each talent you fill us with, each person you bring into our lives, the food on our table, the roof over our heads and the rain as of late.

Lord, you know each desire of our hearts. I pray today for your continued presence in the lives of my family and also for those who are in our hearts. I pray for Tom, Sandra, Norman, and all of Tom's relatives. Thank you for working in their lives in small and big ways.

By faith we all walk in the knowledge that you are Lord and have the wisdom to work out all our daily concerns. I pray for our nation and for this world that you will work in the lives of those that are responsible for making decisions in all areas that effect us. Thank you again for all your blessings for it is in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray these things.