My Family

Yesterday, I was thinking about family, particularly my family.  For the most part, we are a close knit family.  If something interesting happens in our life, other family members will more than likely get a text or a phone call so that they can share in the happening.  We are open, always sharing in each others lives.  I credit my parents for the way we are.

I have the best parents in the entire world.  My parents began to teach us at an early age about the Lord, His saving grace and the wonders that He has done (Psalm 78:4).  They chose to teach us at home, giving us an education that showed us God throughout our studies.  We were given a great example of Christ through their lives, in the way they love us and how they love each other.  Their marriage is a great example to us on how it should be.  We always groaned when they showed affection to one another in front of us, but secretly, we didn't mind it too much.  Dad is a great spiritual leader in the family, standing steadfast in the Scripture, seeking God in decisions that he made.  Mom is a Proverbs 31 woman if I ever saw one.....one of these days I hope to be like her.  I love how well she has shown us girls how to be submissive wives.  I couldn't have ask for better parents, they love us all so much!

I also have the best siblings in the world.  They are my best friends now that we are grown up.  They were while we were growing up too, but it is different now that we are adults.  Again, for the most part we are all close, some more than others.  I love that we all have different strengths. I was commenting recently on how nice it is to call different siblings with different problems/questions.  We all have niches that we can help each other with.  I love how we can finish one another's movie quotes and how the in-laws all look at us like we are crazy when we do.  I love it when we are all together laughing at a situation, recalling past events or just laughing at how nuts our family is.  I'm happy that we've had lots of additions to the core group.  Without them, it just wouldn't be the same and we are blessed that they joined us.  One should question their sanity though.....just kidding! :)

There is nothing like family.  Nothing else can replace the group of people that God put you in when you were born.  As crazy as my family can be, I wouldn't trade them for anything!   I miss them a lot but I'm grateful that they are just a phone call away. 

P.S. I'm also happy that I married into another great Godly family, with another great set of parents! I wouldn't trade them for anything either.  The family keeps getting bigger!

Merry Christmas

Here was our 2012 Christmas card......you may be getting one in the mail, you may not be.  That is because this was my first year doing picture Christmas cards and I didn't order enough. Who knew we had so many people to send them to?!  So, I'm doing the next best thing and wishing you Merry Christmas via the web, which is slightly impersonal, sorry!

Next thing.....we (Mr. E did most of the work while I supervised) put up lights on our house, something that I haven't done much of since I left home.  Yes, I've decorated, but not by lighting up the outside like I used to do at my parent's house.  Forgive the bad picture.....phone pics at night just don't turn out very well.

The stocking tradition continues.  This year I got to make one for my husband.  It is exciting to be able say that during the holidays!  I know that may sound like a little thing, but for me, it isn't.  (FYI, he did get his name on the top!)

This last picture I took this morning whilst up at the unearthly hour of 6 am.  (The older I get, the more I realize I'm not a morning person!)

There was such a distinct line in the sky between the light and the darkness.  When I was in school, my mom had us memorize Scripture.  I still can remember all the passages that I learned, including John 3 where it talks about light and darkness in verses 19-21 (KJV).

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Jesus came as a baby to this world to give it light.  But even though He is the light of the world, there is still darkness.  The darkness only goes away when it is exposed to the light.  Darkness can never overcome the light, the only way that darkness comes is when the light is taken away.  There are so many people in this world who don't like the light, who don't want to know the the truth of who they are shown to them and have their deeds exposed.  Unfortunately, they don't realize the freedom that coming to the Light, Jesus, will bring to their life.   Yes, their sinfulness will be exposed, but God also says earlier in that same passage that,

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.  God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

He didn't come to condemn, He came to save us from our sins and eternal death, showing His glory for all the world to see.  

I hope you remember why we celebrate this time of the year.  Without the Light of World coming to the earth as a baby, we all would be in utter darkness.

Merry Christmas and have a blessed coming year.