Saturday, December 24, 2011

Rejoice!

Rejoice!

Christmas is the day we celebrate love come down, 
God incarnate,
Jesus is born.
Halelujah!

We rejoice, in His love today,
 we rejoice that He is the King of Kings!

We rejoice that He Reigns over this Earth...the victory is His!

We rejoice that He, and He alone, saves!

We rejoice that through Him we have hope!

We rejoice that through Jesus, we have relationship and fellowship because of what He has done, and not through acts of worthiness, as they did in the Old Testament!

We rejoice that He came! 
Praise the Lord!

Have you ever thought of what it would be like if He hadn't come?
Let your mind ponder that one.


The result should be unexpressible thankfulness, 
worship, and amazement.

REJOICE!


Merry Christmas form all of us at Providence Lodge.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Boys and Men





Raising boys is hard work, 
and honestly, I am often exasperated. 

But as I read God's word,
I am encouraged to keep on,
trudging at times,
joyfully bounding at others,
always,
always
praying for them.











These are the days of our boys and men.
  They work as hard as they play.
They love, encourage, protect and provide.

May the lord bless each one 
with a measure of faith that is deep,
devoted, and unfailing.





Wednesday, December 21, 2011

My Heart, Captured


Her dimpled little hand pats my cheek.  My eyes won't open. 
Not yet, please, not yet, I beg.
The hand circles my face, first this way, then that while she exclaims, "oooooooo."
I smile.
My eyes open and I look into the chubby face so near it is blurry.
  She smiles back at me.
"Goodmorning, Olivia"  I say.  She responds with a hug.  She pats my back. 
She is mimicking me,
and alhtough my body is telling me it is not ready to be awake,
I think to myself, this is the perfect way to wake up.


Then, she puckers up big for a good morning kiss.
No  longer does it matter that she wouldn't go to sleep last night.  
No longer am I begrduging her the huge fit she threw at the dinner table yesterday, 
or the fact that it is well before 7 am and I am sure I am not fully human until after 7 am.

She is nurturing me, patting my back, cirling my face with her sweet little hands.
Who can resist such love?  Such utter cuteness?



She has captured my heart. 
Again.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

18 Roses



  I prayed that we would make it to the hospital safely, 
as the little car raced along the snowy road. 
My husband was driving,
too fast,
but something in him told him there was not much time.  
Thankfully, there was not any traffic in the middle of the night. 
We had called ahead and they met us at the emergency room door with a wheelchair.
  Loud groaning told the nurse the situation was bad, and they wheeled me to a room, 
where I was helped up to get on the hospital bed.
  It was then that my water broke and very shortly after, our daughter was born.
That was 18 years ago today.

Who would have thought that that little chubby baby with the extra long eyelashes 
would grow into such a fine woman in only 18 years? 
Who would have known that God's hand of
mercy and grace
would be upon her from the age of three, when His spirit took up residence?
 Who would have guessed 
that she would become a tremendous blessing to so many
as she grew into a woman?

It has been a wonderful journey with our daughter Anna Grace,
and we had a magnificent celebration last night with family and friends. 

Anna was given meaningful gifts from family. 
Gifts for her hope chest, 
such as green depression glass that has been in the family for four generations. 

She is going to have to get a storage shed soon, we tease her, 
for her hope chest is full and overflowing all over her room.



 Anna had plenty of helpers at hand to unwrap gifts.


Brian and I wanted to make this birthday meaningful for Anna. 
Through her teen years, we have given  her symbols of her journey to womanhood
such as a purity necklace, a hope chest, a study Bible. 

Now was the time to complete these symbolic gifts
by giving her a foot washing bowl and pitcher 
as an expression of honoring her spiritual gift of service 
and a means and reminder to carry her servant hearted nature
to her future husband and family someday. 
 


The highlight of the evening
was the moment that daddy got down on one knee
and gave her 18 pink roses,
each tagged with a message of affirmation to the godly virtues and character
we see manifest in her life.
  Brian handed each individual rose to her as he read the affirmation.




We wrapped up the evening with chocolate cheesecake,
which was just heavenly.



"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.  
Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." 
Prov. 31:10,30,31

Blessings to you, Anna, on this day.
I love  you.

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