"From heaven you came helpless babe

Entered our world, your glory veiled

Not to be served, but to serve

And give your life, that we might live..."

Merry Christmas!

May your hearts and minds be filled this coming year

with the reminder of the great sacrifice given for us.

{click here for more images of today}

A quiet hum of excitement..

We are waiting expectantly for Friday afternoon.

But before that day can come there are two dresses to complete...

Two days, two dresses {almost} complete.

The sewing room is still not to a completely organized state.

But there was winter light streaming through the dusty windows

and visions of little girls dancing in horizontal pleated skirts.... 

{More pictures after Friday Afternoon}

Days are meant for living...

...and breathing in the goodness of God which surrounds us. 

Drinking in the fullness of the life He has given us.

Days are meant for capturing the normal to remember...

Days are meant for resting quietly in the small circle of light from a bed lamp...

...and finding truth spread out among the pages of scripture and studies.

Days are meant for making a joyful noise- no ability necessary, just simple praise.

Music to the ears of our Maker.

Days are meant for walks in joyful company.

Days are meant for marveling in the creations His hands have formed.

Days are meant for staring into a peaceful face full of contentment, 

and seeing how we too can be completely content.

Days are meant for looking down, just to see that we are completely surrounded

by Him.

Days are meant for finding beauty and gifts in the mundane,

finding truth of faithfulness.

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

{To see more pictures Click Here}

Lydia Marie

Big Papa enjoying his sweet girl

This last Saturday we welcomed yet another niece (that makes four)

As we sat around a campfire sharing sweet fellowship with our church family

the news came over that mama was laboring.

The next morning we heard she was here. On the heels of her Great Grandpa

she entered into our lives as a sweet reminder from our Creator.

Another Papa, enjoying his sweet girl

...We are enjoying this new little one immensely....

His eyes twinkled...

... and he would shout "oh, boy!" as we came to give him a welcoming hug. His exclamations of "Oh, boy!" would continue until he would release us and we would look into those ice blue eyes, and see the life flashing behind them.

I remember...

...He was deployed to Italy shortly before D-Day. He was pulled from the lines and put in charge of entertaining the troops. He assisted the chaplains during the day, and at night he took the minds of the soldiers far from their uncertainty and fear.

...He walked in the parade as General Patton was laid to rest.

... He spoke of "meeting" our Grandma, "I followed a pair of trim ankles into the theater..." we would say, "Oh, Grandpa..." and then he would say, "Then I asked her out." And he would jut his chin out in a defiant way, as if to say, "I knew she would say yes." Grandma would shake her head and say, "Oh, Win."

...He sang, and played - music was his middle name. The barbershop concerts were a joy to attend.

...He tuned our piano, and our ears, to hear his stories.

...He played that trumpet, straightening up like the young man he was on the inside. His eyes held a far off look, he was remembering.

...If you were careful, you could capture his exact look for that day, maybe his loving look at grandma, or his quiet smile as he listened. But if you were lucky he might catch you and you could capture a man of thirty, those pictures will be cherished.

...He left behind a legacy, his wife, his five children, his twenty grandchildren, and his nineteen great-grandchildren, but he took part of our hearts with him...

He passed away Friday morning the 8th of July, after saying good morning to his wife... We still weep, we still morn, we still hear his laugh and see his face, but we have said goodbye. We as a family are journeying through the cycle of life over this week and next, we celebrated a new life last evening, we will celebrate a union of two people on Friday and we will celebrate the long life of a wonderful man next week. The Lord is good, He reminds us of life for a reason. We may weep and mourn, but He is still sovereign... and through it all, we feel His peace.

"But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you;

 let the birds tell you what's going on. 

Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics. 

Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories. 

Isn't it clear that they all know and agree that God is sovereign, 

that he holds all things in his hand— Every living soul, yes, every breathing creature? 

Isn't this all just common sense, as common as the sense of taste? 

Do you think the elderly have a corner on wisdom,

 that you have to grow old before you understand life?"

Job 12:7

Simply Be...

*Lest you believe you have entered the wrong address, I assure you this is still the same place with the same goal ~ To Glorify God.*

"He says, "Be Still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

 Psalm 46:10

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about its own things.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Matthew 6:34

Simply Be... I was fearful, I worried, life was moving forward and I had no control over its path. I prayed constantly begging for a different outcome then the one that was inevitable. I prayed that I would not be separated from those I was close to, but through His perfect plan, I was. Instead of walking away from Him and putting Him on hold again, I filled myself with His words and prayed my own. I was immersed in His constancy. He called me to listen and I did. As I had my morning quiet time with Him, I found a theme. Simply Be...               His Words and those of Leslie echoed those thoughts in my mind. I contemplated the past month. When I was fearful He said, "Simply be confident in Me." I felt sorrowful, He said, "Simply be joyful." I was disquieted, He said, "Simply Be at peace."

"Today I am..." Those words stopped me. Today I am. "Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Today I am... to simply be... My constant one is sufficient to fill all my needs. What must I do? Simply Be... Be that which He created me to be. Be that which I think I cannot. Be completely dependent on Him to fill every need.

 " As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

    “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” 

Luke 10:38-42

Listening...

Sometimes words are too much, but listening seems to fill one with more. So even though it has been quiet here, I have been listening. And the words He has been speaking are magnificently full.

"...Oh Lord you have searched me...

and known me...

...my downsittings, my uprisings...

You understand my thoughts 

from afar and You know all my ways..."

Psalm 139:1-3

He has been proving Himself faithful through the pain that has felt like it might consume me, He has shown that He is my Constant One. I need no other.

"Like a bird that wanders from its nest

is a man who wanders from his place..."

Proverbs 27:8

He has been there, with me, during the joyful times and the sorrowful ones. I know that through it all He aims to refine me, so I will continue to listen.

"...But, as for me and my house

we will serve the LORD..."

Joshua 24:15

I will, Lord willing be writing more often, but please be patient with me... 

Times for Listening do not have a limit.

Nor is it obvious when or where He might call,

I wish only to be prepared 

to stop...

...to Listen.

"Arise, Shine..."

"...for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."

Isaiah 60:1

The Light has come, may he fill your coming year with joy!