Bountiful
Blessings
December 2nd, 2012
Good evening Yes,
I am getting a little late start. Busy weekend. Roll Tide! Family reunion. Awesome!!!
Don’t you just love Christmas? I do. You get to see everyone. People (as a
general rule) are nicer. Strangers speak and hold the door for you. People open
their hearts – and their wallets – to others. (A big thank you to my
Russellville family. For our Christmas gifts this year, they brought three
boxes of stuff to send to an organization to give to homeless vets – hand
warmers, socks, hygiene products, etc…) The spirit of love is in the air. More
people turn to church and to the Bible. Reminds you of what is really important
in life.
I was riding back in the car yesterday from Russellville.
It was me, Mom, Summer and Chad. Mom told us stories about growing up. About
her dad picking each of them up a Pepsi and her mom fixing something to go with
it. They would all sit around as a family in the evening with their glass
bottle and snack. Hard for Chad-o to
comprehend a treat such as that. Mom told us about picking on Aunt Louise about
the look of her (delicious) chocolate cake. Oh wait a minute, that stinker!
That was yesterday! Laughter and love shone from my mother’s eyes. She had us
laughing. She had us cringing. She had us teary-eyed. We pitied her
sisters until she shared stories of
things they did to her. They gave as good as they got. Mom sang a couple of
songs to Chad that she had written. Until then, he had no idea. Her voice isn’t
as strong as it was. You can hear her taking breathing breaks but she has the
voice of an angel. Makes you want to close your eyes and just soak it in. From
pennies for biting off the heads of bugs, to cow patties for moisturizers, to
running from the bull, to driving the truck down the dirt road, to homemade
panties to Pepsis with the family, I could sit and listen to her all day. The
whole get-together, well, it was a blessing. To get to hug an aunt or tell an
uncle that I love him. To laugh with a cousin or share a hug with a younger
one. Those times are priceless. Times that cannot be taken back. One of my
cousins lost her grandmother/mother this past week. As I age, more and more of
my family has gone forward to their heavenly home. My grief and my loss is
their gain. They get to spend eternity with God. A true reason for celebration.
But it is hard. So hard for us to lose them. We are selfish. We want to hold
them in our arms forever. But aren’t we giving them a wonderful gift by
releasing them? Allowing them to go where there is no more suffering and pain.
Where they can look down and watch us every day knowing that one day we will
join them. Sigh. So sad and yet so beautiful. Not a day goes by that we don’t
think of someone special in our lives that we lost. A mother, a father, a
daughter or a son, a cousin, a grandparent, a close friend… So what is really
important in life?
- Spread the word
of God. Help someone else to learn of his mercy and grace. Show them the
way home.
- Spend time with
someone special. Tell them that you love them. Laugh. Love. Live.
- Read your Bible.
Study the word. Immerse yourself in furthering your knowledge of our Lord
and Savior.
Oh, the list goes on as I always do. But you get the
picture. At this time of the year (and really, all year long) remember what is
really important in life. And then treasure it. Thank God for it. Truly, each
day is a bountiful blessing.
Bible Verse for the week
We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19
Prayer for the week
Dear Lord,
How may I thank you? There are not words to express my
gratitude. I am so blessed to have received the gift of endless love. You
shared your love with us and taught us to love one another. A gift that I
treasure with every breath.Thank you for my family - those here with me and
those who have gone ahead to join you. Lord, I am so thankful. I love them so
much. From Russellville to Idabel to Port St Lucie, distance does not diminish
the love. It grows with each passing day. Thank you. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
Bible fun for the week
Unscramble
On nam llash eb labe ot dnsta beerof oyu lal eth sady fo
ryuo eilf. Stuj sa I saw thwi sseom, os I lliw eb whti you. I will ton aeevl
uoy ro seakrof you.
Love you!!!
Terri
Terri
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