MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry (day after) Christmas!  I am so thankful to have all the hustle and bustle of the season nearing an end.  Not yet, of course, but soon.  I truly hope you had one of your merriest Christmases ever.  We absolutely did.  Mark and I know how truly blessed we are and simply hug each other with the knowledge that we have each other and our family is all healthy and safe.  It was an awesome Christmas indeed.

One of my best Christmas presents was coming out of Sunday school and seeing Mark with two of my most special church family members, Billy and Joe.  I didn't think he would make it to church as his back is really out of whack right now.  But there he was in his nice white shirt and red tie that looks so festive.  If you look closer, you'll see it's red with fishing lures on it, but from away, it looks Christmasy.  Anyway, what more could I ask on the Sunday before Christmas, than to have my "love" right there beside me at our last service before Christmas.  In Henderson we always made it to Christmas Eve service, but here in Central Kentucky, family has just taken over.  Also, having young ministers at my church, they need to travel away to see their family as well.

The other reason for having such an awesome Christmas was having both my children under our roof for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  Wow, talk about an awesome feeling.  It has been a special time.  My sisters and I are so blessed to have our parents able to come to each of our houses and have special family time together.  My mom and dad came Christmas morning and had a breakfast with the kids and us and our four little dogs, as well as Christina and Joe's little Beaulah, the great dane.  We did miss not having Joe here, but he was visiting family in Texas, so we understood that.  Hopefully next year when they're married they'll have it all figured out.

If the weather holds out, I'll be meeting my sisters and mom for a movie and lunch today.  It's just part of our tradition to get into Lexington and do something together the day after.  We used to shop for gift wrap, cards and Christmas sweaters, but now we just want to be together and do something, like a movie.

Mark is back at work, even though his back is killing him.  He has the strongest work ethic I've ever seen.  I hope it's a light day for him, as well as a short day.  I was sad to not have Country Christmas on sirius radio, but I can still listen to traditional Christmas and I have my own cd's.

I do have to add that the Christmas season got even sadder than when i last blogged.  Our friends' little granddaughter, Sadie, passed away on December 21st.  This was not the Christmas miracle we all had been praying for.  I can't even begin to describe the deep sadness that has befallen all of us who know and love this special family.  But, they continue to lift us up because they are celebrating the fact that Sadie is no longer suffering from all her earthly health problems.  No, she is running, laughing and playing in heaven and sees the beautiful streets of gold that we can only imagine.  We hurt for the family that lost this little angel, but we rejoice in knowing that we'll see this sweet girl when we get to heaven ourselves.  As we pray for their comfort and strength, we also pray for all our own family and friends to know the assurance that comes with knowing our wonderful savior, Jesus Christ.  May we continue to show His love in all that we say and do.

I hope you had the Merriest of Christmases ever.  Please, remember the reason for this season and take the time to let Him give you the greatest gift of all, His love.  Have a great day, Susan