Christmas

Ok, this post is not in any way shape or form to have you feel sorry for me and our family but to show you the power of prayer and putting things into God's hands.

Back in September, due to circumstances and situations, we realized that Christmas was not going to happen for our family. Although it hurt and made us feel badly for our kids' we understood that we had to put this in God's hands and if it was meant for us to have a Christmas it would happen.

We sat the kids down and told them that there was just no way that we could do it. The oldest three were disappointed but took it very well with only a few questions. The youngest two didn't grasp it but I figured we didn't need to upset them so we left it alone.

Thanksgiving came and both of us were starting to get discouraged over disappointing our kids but yet still knowing that God has never disappointed us nor let us down. I must be honest in that I wasn't even praying for there to be a way to buy presents but praying that God would just do His will and if it was meant to be it would happen.

A little over a week ago we got a call from someone that said they'd found out about our situation and had taken up a little collection and were sending it to us. A few days later we got $400 in the mail. Christmas cards started coming in and we were amazed over and over with the amounts of money that we were getting. Late last night someone showed up at our door from a distance away with $700 in an envelope from different ppl. This morning we woke up to an email from a congregation that felt we were a family they needed to help this year and they are sending us a gift.

My heart is bursting with thanks to a loving God and gracious God for taking this little issue in our lives and turning it into such a testimony for the kids to see how HE takes care of His children if we just trust in Him. Our kids are yet to know that we are shopping for them. I was able to go out Sat and get numerous things for them that was needed and a few "un-needed" items :) Tomorrow my mom is keeping them so that Troll and I can go out and finish up. We hope to wrap things up and have stuff under the tree the morning they wake up thinking that we are still not having a Christmas. :) I'm looking forward to seeing their faces.

Again, this post was not for you to feel sorry....we don't want that. There are so many ppl out there that are struggling. But I wanted to give you a bit of hope and strengthening of faith in reminding you that God provides. To date...we have received close to $1,500 to buy the kids gifts and take care of some bills. Only by God's providence and love for us was this even possible. We decided it would not be a known fact but we would just place it on the alter of our hearts and watch to see what God had in this for us. My faith has been strengthened. Did we need to buy presents for our kids? Not necessarily. We woulda been fine had it not happened. Its not about presents...our kids know that. But you as parents know how you want to do things for your kids. And God gave us a way to be able to do that.

So from the bottom of Troll and I's hearts (and the kids' when they find out) we greatly appreciate this and trust that each of you that were involved in giving money or presents to the kids are blessed richly and more than you could ever imagine for blessing our lives. God used you to allow us the opportunity once again to prove to our kids that He is in control and will take care of us.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours. May your new year be blessed with His love and care. We love you.

Bday

Well, due to my schedule yesterday, I didn't get to get on here to post about a wonderful woman I know :) My mom!!

She had a bday yesterday and I wanted everyone to know that I love this woman so much and thankful that she is a part of my life. She's a giving woman beyond what anyone could ever imagine, has so much knowledge about babies, health, cooking, practical thinking and etc., works herself way beyond the average woman..... because she is NOT an average woman. Everything my mom does is over and above what she needs to do and yet she still does cause she wants to and wants to make those in her life happy.

I love her so very much and trust that her bday yesterday was terrific. So glad that God chose her to be a part of my life :)

Changes

Sometimes life has such a way of taking us and saying, now just you wait a minute. Its in those times when we find out just how truly weak/strong we are, how deep our faith goes and how truly blessed we are.

Today was one of those such days. I was going about my daily routine of working on laundry and picking things up so that I could start canning the deer that Austin got on Monday when a friend from church called and with the words, "Did you hear about Ted?", my day quickly turned into a totally different reality.

You just never know from one minute to the next. One doesn't have the guarantee of even breathing another second of life for that matter. We all know this and yet we still run rampantly through our days and lives...squeezing every second out of each second that we possibly can. And then BAM...along comes a brick wall and you slam headlong into it and as you stand there reeling from the blow and asking yourself how is this even possible...you realize that you knew all along that it truly is possible as it has just happened.

This morning was one of those brick walls. And I am even on the side of it where its not as fatal a blow as it is to the family of Ted...but still a blow - a wound - a will we heal from this?

Blows like this come out of nowhere. You're rushing headlong thru life, seizing every opportunity to do better, to give more, to laugh more often, to be more thankful and yet, as one man at church said this evening...you sometimes forget that those right around you need you the most to let them know that you appreciate them, love them and are happy to be a part of their lives...until that blow happens...and they are no longer in your life.

Such a blow has come to our church just outside our town. Ted left this old world to become a part of a much better place. We so loved his humor, his love for life, his willingness to be in church "every time those doors were open", the way he laughed out loud when he appreciated a story from the pulpit, his telling the kids there was candy in his truck for them, taking his fake leg and turning it upside down to make the kids laugh and we adults smile, his summer and winter seats in church, his stories he'd share about farming, his testimony of how God was always there for him....in a nutshell...he was loved o so very much and he let everyone of us know that he loved us and was always there for us.

I know that there are reasons. God doesn't just do something to do something. He could if He wanted to cause He IS God. But He doesn't...there is always a reason. Its a bittersweet moment to say, ok, Lord...You know the why and I'm going to have to rest in that even though at this moment in time it hurts and it hurts to see Ted's family hurting so badly and his friends so sad and knowing that there are going to have to be changes made now.

So tonight, as I sit here in the living room by the Christmas tree, the family in bed asleep, I'm just going to do my best to thank God for the time I had to get to know Ted, for the laughs I got to hear, the "Howdy, Mrs. Preacher" that I got every time we were at church, the way he'd tell Troll on his way out the door, "Good message, big fella", or just the way that Ted was Ted. I know that my life was blessed immensely to know this humble, jolly, simple living farmer and I don't ever regret the opportunity that I had to meet him and be a part of he and his family's life.

Center Union/Newport has lost a truly wonderful man and friend....but Heaven has gained a big laugh and a heart full of gratitude and love for His savior...in the man we called.....Teddy.