Christmas is one week from today.   

Are you ready?  There is always

so much to do this time of year . . baking,

buying gifts, hosting and attending parties,

caroling, sending cards, and so many other

activities that can take away our focus

on the real reason we are celebrating in

the first place.  Have you found time to

celebrate the birth of Christ with your 

family?  If you haven't, I urge you to

take time to spend time together as a

family and worship His birth.  

My family and I always attend the Christmas

eve candlelight service at my church and

then we all gather at my home and have

dinner and open presents.  This has always 

been a special time spent with the ones I

love the most.  I enjoy it more than ever now

 that I am a Nana.  I love my grandchildren more than

I could ever put into words. I love their warm hugs,

the smell of their hair, their giggles, and the

way they make me feel loved.  I can barely go one

day without seeing them.  Christmas is pure JOY 

with them in my life.  

I thought this Christmas would be difficult since 

my recent divorce.   I wondered how I would

celebrate with all the changes in my life.  There have

been moments of sadness, as I decorated the 

tree . . . as I got Christmas cards addressed to 

the both of us . . . and as I opted for minimal

decorations, instead of decking the house out

and hosting our usual open house.  

But, honestly, I can say that I have spent so

much time with God the past few months, praying

through the storm . . . that there is such a depth

of intimacy with Him that I could have only found

through suffering.  There is a reliance on Him that

can only be experienced when everything else

around me seemed to give way.   I have had

to cling to the Jesus . . . and have found it to

be the most wonderful journey in my entire 

spiritual walk.  I know that may be hard to

imagine . . . but I wouldn't trade the suffering

for what I am experiencing now!  I have grown

to depend on Him and His word and His promises!

I am not afraid of what tomorrow will bring . . . he

promises that all things will be for my good.  That

is His promise . . . and I cling to that.  I am so 

looking forward to His plans for me in the future.

There has been so many blessings we have 

experienced in our family.  We have a love

for each other that we had not felt before.  My

girls and son-in-laws are all so close.  There is

so much love when we are all together, we

can hardly contain it.  It has been amazing.  I 

would not trade this for anything in the world.  

Through the pain and suffering, we have all 

been blessed beyond measure.   

Blessings have also come through so many 

friends who have been there when I needed 

them most.  I didn't realize how many friends I 

actually had until I needed them . . . they were

there taking me to lunch, bringing me lunch,

sending cards, texting, calling to check on how I was

 doing, coming over just to cry with me, supporting 

 and encouraging me, and most of all lifting me

up in prayer.  I thank God for each and every

one of you . . . you will never know how encouraging

you are to me.  I love you all.  Thank you!

Please keep my family in your prayers.  We feel

your love and support every day.  May you and 

your family have a blessed Christmas this year!