We are very Blessed...

Today my mom came in as usual. She comes in usually once a week and spends the day with us. It's such a nice time for us and Patrick! Today we went to James' work, and shopped in the country store - then we all had lunch together. What a special time!! After one other stop, we were headed off to pay someone for a glider my mom is buying off of craigslist. At first I noticed the windshield wipers moving slowly....then that the clock wasn't showing the time anymore....then that the car wasn't really responding to my foot pressing harder against the gas pedal....thankfully I was in the right lane and was able to just glide off onto the shoulder. It was cold and rainy-ish - but their was a funeral home across the access rode. I felt nervous about sitting on the shoulder, so I carried P over to seek shelter in the warm dry and safe funeral home. (Mama didn't want to walk all that ways, plus she wanted to keep an eye on the car)


The lady inside graciously allowed us to sit in on their couch while I waited for James to arrive. As I sat there, I was saddened by the thought of people dealing with death at this festive time of year. Of course death is always, always sad - but at Christmas time? I think that's especially sad. A few different people were walking about....what were their stories? Which loved one from their family had died? What is their Christmas day going to feel like without their Father, Mother, Grandparent, Sibling, Relative, Friend or Child? How awful death is - yet, really, if we know Jesus, it doesn't have to be all sad. That can be a comfort. It can be a reason to keep on living - to look forward to Heaven more - but even in those comforts, their are empty spots in our daily lives, that those special people used to fill.


Perhaps too, Christmas and death have always been intertwined in a way - Christmas is a celebration of many things - one of which is the birth and coming to earth of a tiny little baby - our Savior. His purpose for coming to earth was to DIE. When our children are born, we know that they will someday die - but I don't think we expect them to die until they have lived a full life - and we don't view their reason of birth as being death. But that was why Jesus was born. He came to take away the sin of the world - and the only way to do that, was by dying-dying in my place.


Thank you dear God - Thank You for sending Jesus, and for taking away my sin. What a great sacrifice. Thank you also for blessing me with my family - and giving us life.


I'm so grateful to have all my family around me, especially during this Christmas season. Sometimes it can be so easy to take someone in our family for granted....or to be easily "bugged" by them. But we are not guaranteed the next moment. Our lives are not in our hands - they are in His. Only God knows when we will breathe our last breath. Oh that we never, never wasted any of these precious moments with each other.


Lord, please help all those who have lost someone dear to their heart. Hold them in Your arms - comfort them, and lead them to You if they do not know you already.