Friday, December 11, 2009

Merry Christmas

Hello All,

This holiday season brings us to a new level of trust...and frustration...and fighting "tradition" depression...I'll explain.

For as long as I can remember, the day after Thanksgiving we have always gone out for our tree. This is something my mom and I did and I carried this into my married life...it has been something we look forward to all year as I make a huge deal about it. My husband has always picked the most unusual tree and the children would each get a turn sawing it down.

We'd bring it home, hose it down and set it up to dry while we ran through the house putting up all the other decorations and getting hot cocoa and treats ready for the decorating event....

I was certain that we'd be in our own farm by now and truly expected getting our tree and doing the tree tradition...I was wrong and have been fighting depression and hopelessness...

Through this I feel as the Lord is saying to me "trust me"...and this is hard! I feel as though He is showing me that I have put a tremendous amount of faith, trust, and hope in my "traditions" to make our family have a wonderful Christmas instead of the real reason for Christmas!

To our delight, the friends we are staying with had a surprise for us! The day after Thanksgiving they had us come over to pick up our tree! They had pulled out of storage a mini table top tree! I was overwhelmed and was filled with joy as I saw my children light up with enthusiasm and planing which one of their ornaments they would pick to go on the tree.

We cared our humble little tree back to our "home" and set it up...it took all of five minutes! I thought now what? We found our Christmas movies and popped one in and started off our holiday - maybe not what I expected or wanted but I'm willing to see what the Lord wants for us during this time. He is gracious and will comfort us through this time and show us what He wants to cleanse us from and show us what the truth about this holiday is.

I fully expect to be filled with His joy and strength. I truly am looking forward to our family being a blessing to those who need hope and joy and strength!

We decided to choose three families whom we've gotten to know a bit and, with our friends we are staying with, will be blessing them with caroling and gifts of food. We are all looking forward to this - probably me the most as a new tradition might just be being started. (I have to give credit for this inspiration to some dear friends of ours. They never failed to show up at our house to bless us with caroling and gifts of food - it really blessed our hearts and made us feel so loved and cared for...so we are caring on, here in Eastern Washington, with their gift of giving of yourself)

May you find ways to bless others this Christmas season...maybe a smile and a heartfelt "Merry Christmas" to the store clerk who is really tired of saying "happy holidays"....maybe a hug to someone...maybe a gift of food...the Lord will show you ways to bless others in His name!

May all the joy and peace of this season fill your hearts...

P.S. - unfortunately my computer is now needing to go to the computer hospital and I can not upload any pictures....so as I promised before, weeks and weeks ago, when I get this new problem fixed you'll have a lot of fun pictures to look at...the latest our mini-tree!

Pslams 144:12 -

That our sons may be as plants
and our daughters may be pillars sculptured in palace style.


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