Every year on the first Saturday in December we gather at the Angel of Hope Garden to remember the children that have gone too soon. Regardless of the age of the child, whether a tiny baby or an adult, they are precious children, and their parents have either had bricks or plaques donated in their memory.
My sister’s plaque is among those on the wall behind the Angel of Hope Statue.
We have been gathering in this same place since 2009 when our Angel of Hope statue was erected. The one placed in our town was actually the 100th statue in existence and the only one in South Carolina.
There are so many thoughts, feelings and emotions that go hand in hand with this time of year. When this should be the “most wonderful time of the year,” the truth is that a lot of people are struggling during the holidays. Our family has a hard time because not only is the Angel of Hope Ceremony the first Saturday in December, but my sister’s birthday follows shortly thereafter; December 13th.
When I first learned of the Angel of Hope all of those years ago, I donated money for the plaque as a way to help our family with the grieving process. It is always so hard and heart wrenching to visit the cemetery, and I actually do not like going out there at all. I will, and I have to take flowers or to talk with her, but the truth is that I can talk to my sister any where, not just at the cemetery. In placing the plaque, it has allowed us to have another location to visit with her in the peaceful surroundings of the gardens that have flowers blooming in the Spring, Summer, and Fall, with Christmas decorations and lights in the Winter.
It’s hard facing yet another holiday season without my sister. It’s been several years since we lost her, but the hole in our hearts is still there. We are missing several family members this holiday season from my sister, granddaddy, and now grandma, who passed in that order. It’s just a difficult time of year for a lot of people, yet few will mention anything about it. They just deal with it the best way they can and often in silence without saying anything to any one. My parents and I have that in common, unfortunately.
My sister should be here getting ready to celebrate her 46th birthday, and yet … she’s not. She should be searching high and low for the perfect Christmas present for her daughter, and yet … it just isn’t possible. She left us way too soon, and we miss her a great deal, more than words could ever say.
Go easy this holiday season. If you’re one that is also struggling, we understand, and please know that you are NOT alone. Don’t push yourself to do too much or to force those feelings aside. You have a right to feel as you do, and you are doing the right thing by acknowledging those feelings and being true to yourself.
Go easy with others this holiday season as well. Every one that walks the face of this earth is fighting some kind of battle. We have no way of knowing what another person is going through so we have no right to judge. I will ask, though, that you consider other families, not just that of my own, that are missing loved ones that have gone on before them. It’s a difficult time of the year for so many, and they are in need of your loving kindness, compassion, and prayers.
God knows who you are and what you are struggling with at Christmastime. Reach out to Him, and He will meet you right where you are. Feel Him wrapping His almighty arms around you providing comfort as only He can.
During a very long drive home, fifteen or so total hours, I had a lot of time to think about the upcoming holidays and how things have changed over the years. I am one of the vast number of people that are alone during the holidays because either their immediately family lives miles away or has passed. I am of the later. Now that my mom and sister are gone, I am left here alone for the holidays.
It can be hard for people to understand how people like me feel during the holidays. I do have some family left, my aunt and cousin. But that is not the same as the closeness you have with your parents and siblings. We get together for the holidays, but I just feel like an outsider. I do occasionally get invitations from some friends at times to join them in their celebrations, but for me it just feels uncomfortable to be there. I know I probably shouldn’t feel this way, but I do. Please don’t get the impression that I do not appreciate the kindness of their offer because I truly do. There have been too many times that I have gone to be with friends and their families when things have gotten uncomfortable.
I am a strong believer in traditions. They give a person a sense of belonging and joy. As I drove I thought about all the traditions in my life that have disappeared over time. I would like to share a few of these with you.
For several years while I was in high school and going to college, I would walk home from the 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service at our church. I would wander the streets looking at the decorations in the peaceful night air. It was always a magical feeling of that special time of the celebration of Christ’s birth. Many times there would be a soft blanket of new snow on the ground which added to the beauty of the night. A special treat would be if there was a light snow falling at the time.
For us, Christmas Day was for having all the grandparents and cousins get together to celebrate with dinner and gifts; Christmas Eve was just for mom, dad, my sister and I. That is the tradition that meant the most to me and which I miss the most. We would sit in front of the fireplace with a roaring fire going. The only lights on in the house would be from the tree and the lights around the fireplace mantle. There would be traditional Christmas music playing on the stereo. At this time we would open family gifts. It still brings tears to my eyes when I remember those times that have long since gone.
This year due to the generosity of some very special friends, I will be able to relive a part of this time that meant so much to me. I had the great pleasure of spending that past week with them. When I arrived, I was greeted with two bags of gifts. I asked if I should wait for Christmas to open these and they said that would be okay. I know that they were disappointed that they wouldn’t see my reaction when I opened them. Some may consider it rude for me to not open them at the time. However, by letting me take them and open them at Christmas they are giving much more than they will ever realize; the chance to experience a part of what I have lost these past years. For on eve of Christmas just before midnight, I will sit down with candles burnings (as I don’t have a fireplace now) and only the lights of the decorations on and open the gifts they have given me. It will be the first time I will be able to touch once again that tradition that I hold dear in my heart and that has been gone for very, very long time. There is no way in the world that I could ever thank them enough for their consideration and generosity in giving me the chance to relive a part of what I had lost.
At this time of the year when everyone is searching for the best Christmas present ever, I found something that you may be interested in. I call this a holy present because iDisciple is the unique gift of the gospel and God’s Holy Word. There is no better gift this holiday season than the gift of uplifting, encouraging, and inspiring messages delivered right to your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
I have been a big fan of the Bible app in the past and downloaded it onto my phone a while back. Then I was introduced to iDisciple by the nice folks at Family Christian on my last trip into their store. I was curious and had to check it out. I have been well pleased with the wealth of information provided with Christian content such as sermons, devotions, and there’s even music you can play with iDisciple.
What is so special about iDisciple is that it is personalized content that is delivered to you. When you first set up your account, you have a whole list of options to choose from. I selected things pertaining to family life, my children, etc. as you could choose 12 topics out of a whole host of categories. You can even choose your favorite author that you’d like to hear from on subject matters in your life that you may be struggling with. For instance, there is content on there for people with various addictions. There is even information on infidelity if that has occurred in your marriage and you’re looking for ways to overcome from the hurt or if you’re looking for ways to safeguard your marriage to prevent it from happening. You will hear straight from some well known Christian speakers on these subject matters and more.
At this time of the year when we’re gathered in our comfortable houses with our family or gathering at restaurants to celebrate the holiday season with friends, think of all those in the military that are unable to be with their family or friends this holiday season. Wouldn’t it be great if they could receive information right at their fingertips to strengthen them in their time away? What if they could turn to passages or articles in their time of need that would deliver messages of hope when they may feel hopeless. What if in troubled times they were able to rely on the word of God to bring forth messages to uplift them when they are feeling down being so far away from home and those they love. When we as humans fail to find the right words to comfort, true comfort comes from God above. There are so many passages in the bible to comfort and bring peace into our souls during troubled times.
I wish there was a way for every person in the military to be able to receive this gift, and you know what? THERE IS!
When you subscribe to iDisciple, Family Chrisitan Stores will give a soldier the gift of one free iDisciple subscription as well as one free MP3 audio Bible! Whether you purchase iDisicple for yourself or a loved one, wouldn’t it do your heart good knowing that a solider some where out there is receiving a gift, too? When they need it the most in the mist of fighting for our freedom and for our great country, they can now be uplifted, encouraged, and inspired by the personalized content found through iDisciple … courtesy of you when you purchase! They are already trained for battle. Consider equipping them with the tools and weapons needed for spiritual warfare as well.
There’s no need to look any further for the perfect Christmas gift. iDisciple has the potential to impact your life and that of a precious man or woman serving in the military. Please strongly consider allowing iDisciple to speak to your heart and also bless a member of the military in the process.
iDisciple brought to you by Family Christian Stores.
Back in April of this year I went on a mad search on a country website looking for farm animals. I developed an obsession, okay?! At least I’m honest! I just had an accident on a green horse (meaning one that was not suitable for a rider, yet the owner was not honest with us about this fact until after the accident!), and I was unable to ride for a while. I would still go outside and love on the horses we have, but I was watching my family live my dream of owning and riding horses! They were getting to enjoy the way it felt to get on the back of a horse and let all of your cares fly away as you were free under the vast sky on one of God’s greatest creations: a horse! Until I was able to ride again, I set my sights upon a little dwarf goat.
Oh, he was the prettiest little thing having just been born. Instantly when I saw his picture, I knew I had to have him!
He was three hours from us, but the miles between us meant nothing to me. He had to be mine, and so we drove those three hours, my family and I, to meet the little goat. Considering that I was taking both of my children with me, I knew that I would not leave there with ONE goat but more than likely two.
And … we did!
While the little gray goat wrapped my oldest daughter all the way around his little hoof, my youngest daughter begged and pleaded for a little black and white goat that was tugging at her heart strings that day!
Tony and Angel were a sweet little pair of pygmy goats. These baby goats filled my daughters’ arms as each picked up their chosen and immediately began loving on them. It didn’t take long before these little goats filled their hearts with such joy, happiness, and love.
The drive home (remember … three whole hours) was filled initially with lots of volume from the goats as they were being separated from their mother. We forgot the earplugs, too! But alas, we suffered through it and thankfully they settled down about halfway home. ~Whew~
When we arrived at home, we got them all settled in and poured the love over them even more so. The girls would have stayed out there forever if we would have let them, but they needed to sleep some time!
These little baby goats required milk at first, and nothing is sweeter than bottle feeding a baby goat! They were absolutely adorable! But, it didn’t take long before they no longer needed bottle feeding and were able to eat … everything … in … sight!
If you’ve never been around the little pygmy goats, you don’t know what you’re missing. If you start early with handling them, they will sit in your lap just like a dog or cat. They will follow you around, affectionately calling out “Ma … Ma …” after you. So many times my daughters sat outside holding and cuddling with their little baby goats.
At others times, they would run through the yard with the goats closely behind them kicking their heels and bucking ever so often as they ran. They were frolicking and playing just like my daughters!
Tony was the cuddle bug out of the two. He would let you hold him like a baby, although on occasions he would yell a very loud, “MA!” which would send my girls into a fit of laughter. My oldest daughter loved doing this to Tony. It was hilarious! He wasn’t hurt, and trust me when I say that he was loving every minute of being cradled in our arms. He would tuck his little head under our chins and snuggle as closely as he could to our necks.
I cannot ever call an animal by their given names. I always have to make my own version of their name, which my daughters think is cute in a weird and crazy sort of way, but they’ve grown to love that about me, too! Tony became known as Tone Loc around our house, thanks to me. At other times, he would be referred to as Tony The Tiger, although he is clearly not a tiger. Don’t ask. lol The only thing I can think of is the cereal commercial where the actual tiger says that Frosted Flakes are “Grrrrrrrrr-eat!” Yea, I know you’re still shaking your head on that one.
Anyway …
Out of all of our animals (all 15 of them … five horses, four dogs, two goats, two rabbits, and two cats … I TOLD you it was a farm! lol), Tony was my oldest daughter’s favorite furry family member. They truly aren’t just animals, they aren’t just our pets either. They are family! We take each one in to our homes and into our hearts, where they stay. There simply is no other way to do it. If you’re going to have any kind of animal, make sure you’re dedicated and devoted to giving it the best life you possibly can as a member of your family.
My daughter would take “selfies” with Tony and post them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Members of the bands that she loves knew Tony by name as she shared his picture with them as well. Tony became famous that way!
Sadly, this past weekend Tony became ill. We noticed that Angel was still roaming around getting into everything and making us laugh as she tried to come inside the house. However, Tony was laying in the sun. We thought, at first, that Tony was just soaking up the sun as it had been so cold here with rain as well, but last weekend it warmed up and was really nice outside. Then we realized that it might be a bit more than that as Tony wasn’t himself at all.
My youngest daughter went out to lay beside Tony and cuddle with him where they both ended up falling asleep. I still tried to explain it away by saying he’s just enjoying the warmth of the sun and the love she’s giving him. In my heart, I wanted to believe that was true.
The next day we were calling the vet to see if there was anything we could do to help Tony. We desperately wanted to help the little guy. The vet was booked that day but gave us several things to do at home to help him. We did just like the vet instructed, and for a brief while it seemed as if Tony might be on the mend. We left to go to a concert only to return to find Tony laying there shivering. We touched Angel to see if she, too, was cold, but she wasn’t. We quickly ran into the house and got a baby blanket to wrap Tony in, and my oldest daughter carried Tony to the house. She sat out there with Tony cradled in her arms, and Tony’s little head tucked under her chin as he always did. Suddenly it was as if he lost control of his little neck and could no longer support it at times.
And she began to cry.
She rocked this little guy, holding him as close as she possibly could with the love between them so apparent to all that witnessed it.
And then my youngest daughter began to cry as well.
We sat out there with Tony until well after midnight. My girls had school the next day, so I told them that they needed to give all of their love to Tony and then get ready for bed as it was well past their bedtime. We couldn’t deny them this time with their beloved Tony, though, as we did not know how things would progress through the night/morning.
I checked on Tony around 1 a.m. before turning in myself, whispering a little prayer as I stroked his little face and looked into his eyes telling Tone Loc that he had to pull through.
We awoke the next morning to the news from my husband that Tony did not make it through the night. Our hearts were broken as tears streamed down our faces.
It was hard to get ready for school and work after news like that.
We did the best we could, but we were all late for work as we had to bury our beloved family member. In the morning fog, my husband made his way out to dig a grave for Tony, complete with a cross as the headstone.
We forced ourselves to focus but ended up giving in to random tears here and there throughout the day. My youngest daughter told her class what happened, and the teacher immediately made a sympathy card complete with a picture my daughter had submitted a few months earlier of her and Tony in the pet contest at school. That was so incredibly sweet of them!
My oldest daughter tried to be so strong and act like her heart really wasn’t broken, only for me to find her later curled up sobbing over the loss of little Tony. She asked me why this had to happen. She said Tony was so young at only ten months old. She said he hadn’t gotten to live really in that short amount of time, and she did not understand why something like this had to happen. There are no words that will soothe and comfort a broken heart; none. I curled up with her and hugged her while doing the only thing I knew to do; pray. I prayed for comfort from God above; for Him to wrap His love around her and comfort as only HE could at a time like this.
What a little goat taught us in the short amount of time he was here on this earth was that it’s all about love. Because it is …
There is no greater gift than the gift of love. It doesn’t matter if it’s love from two legged family members or friends, or whether it’s love from four legged family members. Love speaks to all. I firmly believe that.
Just as my daughter displayed her love for and to Tony throughout the entire time she had him in her life, Tony gave that love back to her as well with every cute little sound he would make and every time he yelled “Ma …” From every nibble as she fed him out of the palm of her hand, to every tug she felt on her heartstrings from the very first day she saw him … He taught us that it’s always been about love.
Hold tightly to the ones that you have in your life. You never know when their time on this earth will be no more. As much as we would like to have our family and friends with us throughout our entire lives, some times that just is not possible. God calls them home – and we never know when our time will come either.
LOVE … all. It’s really that simple.
There’s no time for holding grudges. There’s no time for hatred. Make having peace and love in your heart a priority in your life. Nothing else matters. Not what this person did or what that person said. It is all irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Don’t waste a single minute more holding on to things that you need to let go of.
The only thing that truly matters is time spent with those you love. Don’t cut people out of your life or spend more time focusing on things that should not hold more value for you than your family and friends.
Take time to show those that you have in your life the love you have in your heart for them. Take time to snuggle, to bond, to be close, and just be together.
Take time to show love!
Just as we all did with Tony.
Forever in our hearts … and forever grateful for the time we did have with you, Tone Loc.
Last night was the Jim Brickman concert, which has become a holiday tradition in our family thanks to Gregory C. Johnson, aka The Quiet Computer Guy. Greg was able to attend with us again this year, and he surprised us with front row seats! Our girls were thrilled!
While cameras were not allowed in the auditorium, we were allowed to briefly take out our phones to snap shots to enter contests that Jim announced in the program we received last night. While this picture is dark, you can see the smiles on my daughter’s faces with the piano in the back before Jim took the stage.
Anne Cochrane was there singing along and dressed so eloquently all night in her evening gowns and fancy dresses. Tracey Silverman was also there rocking out on his electric violin. You wouldn’t think that “rocking out” and violin would go together, but once you hear Tracey, you’ll understand! He is quite talented and amazes us with all he can do on his electric violin.
Jim played so incredibly wonderful as he always does, and he sang to a few of his songs as well. Last night he told us about how he got Kenny Rogers, the legendary Country singer, to sing for his album. If you haven’t heard it, check it out!
We always enjoy how Jim, Anne, and Tracey kid each other on stage. They are a lot of fun to watch together.
There was a special guest last night as well. Clay from Savannah, Georgia, was the winner in our region for the “Sing With Jim Brickman” contest. Clay is a preacher, and he talked of how his wife encouraged him to submit a youtube video for the contest. He sang Love of My Life by Michael W. Smith live last night. This is one of my most favorite songs as it talks of an amazing love and having found the love of his life. This song speaks to my heart and soul and brings me to tears when I think of how I have found the love of my life and how thankful I am to God above! Clay also sang with Jim, Anne, and Tracey on a song toward the end of the program as well. AND as you can imagine, Clay had his crew from Georgia there supporting him and cheering him on. They actually sat on the row directly behind us, and it was nice to see the support that they poured out for Clay.
At the end of the show we were ushered over to meet Jim. We have met him on occasions in the past at his concerts, but my daughters always love taking pictures with him and chatting for a minute or two. It is exciting talking to America’s most romantic piano sensation ever. 😉
Be sure to check out Jim’s site to see if he is performing On A Winter’s Night in a city near you. This is a concert you won’t want to miss. Be prepared to let all of the stress melt away as Jim’s music soothes your soul.
We have definitely been getting into the Christmas spirit! While Greg has been visiting with us, we’ve gone on several adventures which we’ve already told you about. Well, Saturday night Greg took us over to Charleston for a dinner cruise with The Plantation Singers. What a treat that was to be on board with the beautiful women and men singing a variety of songs from Christmas tunes to gospel music. My youngest daughter even requested a song, I’ll Fly Away, which they were so happy to perform for her. They also sang some of their toe tapping, hand clapping music which we all enjoyed. They kept us well entertained on the two hour cruise around the Charleston Harbor. AND … the food was delicious! They had a variety from shrimp and grits to a pork loin complete with brownies and chocolate chip cookies for dessert (notice how I am just mentioning my favorites although the entire meal was delicious!).
Sunday we went over to see The Royal Gala of Horses! If you’ve been following along for a while, you know how we love our horses! Before the event, we rode our royal horses around our house – at least we think they are royalty! 🙂 I will have to say that as much as I enjoyed the show with the beautiful horses and their dressage training, there’s nothing like our very own horses that we ride almost daily! While they put on a heck of a show, we remain devoted to our own horses. I have said a long time ago that my horse, Sugar, is a little princess. I even had a tiara for her at one point.
Stop laughing …
Okay … you can laugh!
BUT you have to admit that she is beautiful and deserving of being treated as royalty. My friend, Debbie, (God rest her soul) used to joke about how we thought owning horses would be so glamorous, yet there we were out there grooming the horses getting dirty while our horses soaked up all the attention and all of our time and money, too! While this is also true, they give us so much joy. There truly are no words to describe how we feel when we are with our horses. It sounds strange to those that have never caught the horse fever, but to those that have, they know exactly what we speak of as they feel it, too. There is just something about these majestic animals submitting to you willingly, and believe me, if one did not wish to submit, you would know it. However, these gentle giants willingly give themselves to you as they trust you completely to do no harm to them … and the greatest bond of all time forms between horse and rider.
Ah, but I’ve gone on and on now about my horses once again.
One of these days, I will get Greg on the back of one of our horses. He hasn’t ever ridden a horse before, so we must do something about that ASAP! Until I’m able to snap a picture of him on horseback, enjoy these pictures from the show (We apologize in advance for the poor picture quality, but we did not know we could take pictures so we did not take our camera. Instead, we were forced to use our phones.):
After the horse show, we ventured over to Michael’s Café & Catering. We showcased them on our site many months ago when they held their grand opening, so we thought we’d stop in to see how they’re doing. They were actually doing quite well as the café was full to the point that we were offered a table in their banquet room. It was really nice to have the entire room to ourselves. They went all out with the decorations, and my daughter danced around the room going from one tree in the corner to the other. I think it is safe to say that she enjoyed herself that evening. We did, too, as you can tell by the pictures below:
And the fun continues as tonight Greg is taking us to see Jim Brickman in concert with guests Anne Cochran and Tracy Silverman! This has been a holiday tradition for us as Greg started years ago sending us tickets to Jim’s show as our family Christmas present. At first we had no idea who Jim Brickman was, but it didn’t take us long to come to know and love his piano music. Now our ten year old can even recognize when Jim’s songs come on our iPod or on the radio. He IS a piano sensation, and we encourage you to look into his tour this holiday season. We highly recommend his music any time of year but there is something that makes it even more special around Christmas.
Whatever you do this holiday season, please remember the real reason for the season: Christ Our Lord!
We had a very special guest arrive in town this week. It is none other than the mastermind behind our site here at Light Love Hope, Gregory C. Johnson, aka The Quiet Computer Guy!
He arrived with a big bag of goodies, and when I say a big bag, trust me it had to be for this baby to fit inside!
After we recovered from our sugar high, we went over to a little town that we have been frequenting lately as it’s known as Horse Country! Aiken has a lot to offer with little shops down town. While we weren’t really shopping for deals on Black Friday, we just meandered down the street and made our way through little shops here and there just looking around. We ended up having the best time by taking random pictures, laughing and giggling at the silliest of things (okay, that would be me … I’m the silly one in the group, but I’m perfectly fine with that!)
Yes, I made them suffer through these pictures. There might have been a few groans that were heard, but they did it any way … because they love me! 🙂
After horsing around a bit, we went to dinner at The Willcox. This is actually a hotel that was featured in the top 100 list in Travel Leisure Magazine. We were surprised to learn that the little town of Aiken, South Carolina, was mentioned in there and actually this hotel has won many awards for their service and excellence! You can stay there, of course, or you can just join them for dinner. We have only been once before, but we liked the atmosphere so we decided to take Greg over to see what he thought.
We walked in to find a fire burning in the fireplace, and shortly after we were seated, beautiful piano music began to play. I looked around and directly behind Greg was a beautiful tree that they were putting the finishing touches on. As soon as they stepped away, I snapped a few pictures. They are dark since we were basically seated close enough to the fireplace to feel the warmth and hear the sound of crackling coming from it.
After dinner, we went over to The Aiken Community Playhouse to see It’s A Wonderful Life … because it is. It truly is.
We encourage you, especially during this holiday season, to take time to be silly with your friends and family. Take time to slow down a little and just enjoy the moment surrounded by people you love and who love you. Savor the moment, have fun with friends, laugh and play with your family, and make precious memories together. That’s what it’s all about!
Today is the day for Black Friday Shopping!! I’m sure you’ve checked the ads and some have already been shopping in the wee morning hours. Then there are others that were camped outside of the stores that had the biggest deals. They are the real die-hard Black Friday shoppers! Wow. I can tell you that certainly isn’t me, but to each their own! But never fear if you’re not a Black Friday Shopper like myself. Cyber Monday is on it’s way!
A few years ago, we purchased a Little People Nativity Set from Family Christian Stores for our youngest daughter. I used to play with the little people, although not this particular set, when I was growing up, so when I saw this set, I had to get it for my daughter. Not only did it allow her to play with the characters, but it also helped to teach her with a visual aid all about the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. I enjoyed sitting with her telling her of the Christmas story and seeing the delight in her eyes as she set the manger scene up just right.
Right now Family Christian Stores have a lot of deals for the holiday season. Be sure to take advantage of the sales for Black Friday & Cyber Monday!
Recently when we were in our local Family Christian Store, we came across an audio of the Jesus Calling devotional book by Sarah Young. While I enjoy reading out of a book that I can hold in my hand, or one that I can view on my Nook Color, my husband enjoys the audio books that he can listen to on his long commute to work and back. This audio book was just perfect for him, especially after he had expressed an interest in it just a few weeks prior to us finding it in the store. This would make a perfect Christmas gift for someone on your list!
If books aren’t high on your list of gift ideas for your friends or family, Family Christian also has a wide variety of prints to choose from. I love art, beautiful pictures with moving quotes, inspirational pieces, etc. Look at a few that we found at our local store:
Here’s to you and your Black Friday & Cyber Monday shopping! Enjoy!
From all of us here at Light Love Hope, we wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!
As you gather around your table for the big feast today, think of those that may be struggling at this time of year. Pray for them and lift them up before our Father in Heaven.
Be sure to thank God for all of your many blessings in life. God has been so good to us and has blessed us all much more than we deserve. Yes, there will be trials and struggles in this life. But, God will never leave you nor forsake you. Rest in that comfort and reassurance.
If you haven’t already done so, think of all of the things that you are thankful for – write them down if you would like to have something to reflect back on later after Thanksgiving Day has passed. Take time to thank God and show your gratitude for the multitude of blessings that He pours out into our lives. Then, keep on doing this long after the holiday has come and gone. Better yet, keep that attitude of gratitude all year through!
Blessings to you and your family from all of us at Light Love Hope!
The world is so quick to tell us that something is wrong with us and that we are deeply flawed. But, you know what? They are wrong. God formed us with His own hands, and we are exactly as God intended for us to be. Each and every one of us have unique gifts that God has given to us, and it is up to us how we use them and if we do so to glorify and honor Him. When we do so, I believe that God smiles a very wide smile indicating that He is well pleased.
When we stop fighting all that the world tells us that we are not and focus on all that God says we are, we will truly be content with ourselves in this life.
With that thought in mind, I have begun to explore all the wonderful things that God says about me in His word. In doing so, I thought what better way than to document this journey as all writers would do. I’m sure you can imagine my excitement when I received the Becoming Myself journal, and already I can tell that this little jewel will be a constant companion.
In this day and age where we have every gadget and piece of technology you could possibly imagine, it is refreshing still to me to pick up that pen and a crisp, clean piece of paper to write until my little heart is content. Writing is a passion of mine, and truth be told, it is a form of therapy as well. I enjoy writing so much, and it is wonderful to be able to type your thoughts out on the computer. However, there is just something about putting my thoughts down on paper that seem to give them more meaning at times. There is just something about jotting your thoughts down as they come to you. It seems to mean so much more when you take time and are intentional with every journal entry that you make. With every stroke of your pen, your thoughts have a way of flowing freely through you and helping you to reason and analyze along the way.
What is so special about this little journal is that it has passages of scriptures as well as quotes from Stasi Eldredge’s book. These offer plenty of opportunity to reflect on what she has offered within the pages of this journal alone, or it can go hand in hand with her book. That is what I like so much about this little journal is that just because she has written a book doesn’t necessarily mean you have to use it together as it’s perfectly fine as a standalone journal with scriptures and quotes to get you thinking. And in doing so, before you know it, you begin again by pouring your heart out on the pages of this journal.
Stasi certainly has provided thought provoking quotes all on becoming the person God intended for you to be. Just be open to what she is offering to you and allow them to speak to your heart as well. She writes beautifully as evident by the quotes within the pages of this journal, and her words are full of reassurance of God’s unconditional love, mercy, and grace that He extends and has for us ALL. The truths that she shares reaches into your heart and speaks to your soul.
Truly embrace God’s dream of you … become the woman God created you to be!
Becoming Myself can be found at your local Family Christian Store, and it is also available online.
I see you there. Sitting in the corner of the restaurant hoping that no one will notice you as you pretend to look through your phone while you avoid eye contact. A true introvert, no doubt. You’re not anti-social, you just choose to quietly observe the goings-on around you. Soaking it all in, yet often times getting overwhelmed by the increased noise level as children become restless or coworkers laugh loudly at the next table.
Then there’s the ones that long to be the center of attention, often cracking jokes to make those around laugh wildly. Not necessarily full of yourself, rather, you’re just an outgoing individual hoping this facade will hide the pain inside.
And like Kate’s post on writing and pouring your hearts out, all of my fellow bloggers sit wondering if they’re making a difference or reaching anyone out there. There is a famous saying, “Build it and they will come,” but I say, “Write it and they will come …” They will. Rest assured. They may not come in masses, but that is okay, too! I feel down deep within my soul that if I reach one person – if only one person stumbles upon my site and finds the information that it contains beneficial – if it helps to turn one life, one heart, and one soul to God above – it is completely and totally worth it! If I ever feel like no one cares what I have to say, I turn my focus on God and know that HE cares. He’s watching, He’s reading, and He’s often times giving me the words that I write. If I ever get down about the lack of comments on posts on my blog or on my Facebook page, I am comforted in the fact that I pour myself out to my readers in hopes that they will come, that they will take something that I’ve said with them to ponder throughout their day and that maybe, just maybe I’ve made a difference in their lives in some small way. To me, it’s not about hundreds of comments, although I appreciate every single person that takes the time to post a comment, it’s important for me to get the words out in hopes to help someone out there that may need exactly what God has spoken to my heart to write on that particular day. If I help one person, it will all be worth it!
This post was inspired by the prompt word of Notice for this edition of Five Minute Friday.
The countdown is on. The week ahead will consist of everyone finalizing their Thanksgiving menus as well as their travel plans. They will gather with family and friends for the big Thanksgiving feast with plenty of leftovers!
And then … it will happen.
Black Friday Shopping.
Immediately following the day in which we all give thanks for all of our blessings, we hit the stores to snatch up those bargains.
But, is it truly worth it?
Sure, you may get through the massive crowds of people to get a few dollars off of this or that, or maybe there will be really huge discounts. However, do we all really need to do this?
I’ll be honest and say that my family and I decided to see what all the hype was about last year. With several stores opening at midnight, we decided to venture out in the middle of the night in the crisp, cold air only to find an extremely long line wrapped completely around our mall. It didn’t take us long to realize that this just was not for us! So, we turned our car around and headed back to our house! I did check out a few items online, and the store with the long lines waiting outside actually had the same deals online! To me, it was worth just ordering with a few clicks of my mouse and having it delivered to my home instead of fighting that crowd!
I guess the real problem I have with all of this is the fact that the holidays are supposed to be about spending time with the ones that you love, NOT the deals you can snatch up or from each other in the stores. People actually get angry with each other, and we’ve all heard horror stories of fights breaking out in the store over the last hot item as everyone wanted it but only one lucky person was able to get to it first.
I realize that you don’t want your children to wake up on Christmas Day without any presents, so it is important to shop. I do understand that. I just don’t want the true meaning of this holiday season to be lost, and sadly, it gets to be more about material things than family, friends, loved ones, and all of God’s blessings in our lives.
As I walked through a medical building yesterday, I noticed that they already had it decked out with a huge Christmas tree, garland and bows on the railings going up the stairs, and wreaths hanging on doors. Then, upon entering a store, they seemed to bypass Thanksgiving altogether and focused solely on Christmas with deals marked every where and even Christmas tunes playing!
And speaking of Black Friday again, one of my Facebook friends asked if she was the only one that hasn’t already started decorating for Christmas. No, she’s not. My family and I haven’t, and we won’t … until the day after Thanksgiving. We want to give this holiday all we have – making sure to give thanks for all of our many blessings. We intend on savoring this holiday. Then, when everyone else is trampling over each other on Black Friday, my family and I will get our Christmas decorations down to begin decorating. We like to put on Christmas music and everyone picks their favorite decoration to add to the Christmas tree. With hot chocolate in hand, we step back to look at our beautiful tree with all of the bright lights and sparkling ornaments, and then we put in a movie and snuggle together.
This is what it’s all about – quality time spent together! Let’s have more of that and less focus on material things this holiday season.
