Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year to all  my blog friends. I pray this year is all that you hope it to be. That the Lord blesses you with good health and finds you in the center of His will.  Who knows this may be the year that our Lord comes to take us home.  Even so Come Lord Quickly.

"Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing."  

2 Timothy 4:8

We Made It Through Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is traditionally spent with my side of the family and for most years at my parents home;.  The last couple of years because of my Mothers health we have spent it at my younger brother and his wife's home.  Some of the grandkids had said that it did not seem like Christmas without being at Nana's and Pa's.  So we went back their house this year.

We knew it would be hard. Nana 's health has improved some since her stroke this past summer. However, she is still not quite the same. She is much quieter and not able to get around as easily as before.  Then with my sister- in -love's home going, we were all rather sad but trying to keep the mood light for everyone else.  But you knew that everyone missed her so.

The meal wasn't quite as much as before but that was okay. No one had quite as much of an appetite as before.  Although we have started the tradition of having chili for the past several years.  A few traditions changed this year or were completely dropped.  Instead of my Sis-in-love bringing her Potato Salad , her daughter had that honor this year. It was delicious.  However, I had hard time eating it and not thinking of her mother for she was our designated Potato salad maker for every family gathering. She made the best.

When dessert time came it was mentioned more than once that even though a chocolate cake was there. It did not have hard candy icing.  That is my job. I let them down. I was not in the mood. I was trying to keep a tradition that my Granny always did.  She made Chocolate Peanut butter Balls.  Those things are hard work.  My hubby helped some. He said he wouldn't do that again for them.  After making all those balls and dipping them in chocolate. I just couldn't start making a cake.

Then some of mentioned that we didn't have our Christmas punch.  Mother has made that since I can remember. This was a FIRST!!! She sent Dad after an ingredient but he came home with the wrong thing.

Yes Christmas was different.  But we still had each other and we had love and no one doubted that love.  We also knew what the real meaning of Christmas and it is not all those traditions of favorite foods and places to meet. But it is THE GIFT of GOD'S SON sent down to earth as babe born in a manger to become the Savior of the World. EMMANUEL - GOD WITH US. We miss Sherry but we have the blessed hope of seeing her again because we have THE BLESSED HOPE!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

What is Your Favorite Christmas Carol, Song or Hymn

What is your favorite Christmas carol or song. ?   We all have many memories of favorite songs of this time of year.  Some of our earliest may be Jingle Bells, Jingle bell Rock, Silent Night,Oh Come All Ye Faithful or   Away in the Manger.  No matter what it is I am sure it brings back some fond memories.

  My Favorite Christmas Song is "Mary Did You Know?" Can you imagine being Mary holding your new born baby knowing that He is the Son of God and wondering what is in store for Him.  If you are a mother, you know what it is like to hold your newborn and wonder what his life will be like. If you will be able to mother him, protect him, guide him or have any wisdom at all in how to any of those things. But can you imagine what it be like to have been entrusted to bring up the Son of God until He reached the age of earthly maturity. What an awesome responsiblity?


One person who thought about the things that Mary could have thought about holding her newborn but could have not possibly known was Mark Lowry.  In 1984 he composed the following song. It gives me cold chills everytime I hear it. 

MARY DID YOU KNOW

Mary did you know, that your baby boy
Would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know, that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know, that your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered,
Will soon deliver you! 

Mary did you know, that your baby boy
Will give sight to the blind man?
Mary did you know, that your baby boy

Would calm a storm with His hand?

Did you know, that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod
And when you kiss your little baby,
You've kissed the face of God?

Oh, Mary did you know?
Mary did you know?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear,
The dead will live again,
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak
Praises of the Lamb?

Mary did you know, that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know, that your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?

Did you know, that your baby boy
Was Heaven's perfect Lamb?
And this sleeping Child you're holding
Is the Great I AM

~ Words by Mark Lowry ~
~ Music by Buddy Greene ~