Christmas 2009

Aurallia new horse trailor

Julie with her cat Romeo and his dress up.

Destiny, Anthony (with skate ramp) Conner and Aurallia.

IT SNOWED!! Hey we are from California so it was a big deal!

Ben with v-smile, Tezz, Sherman, Mary, Joe, Omar, Anthony and Voni.

Christmas this year was a lot quieter than we are used to. Most of our family is in California. We had my daughter Monique, her husband Darin and my three grandchildren over. Food was shared, presents
opened, the Christmas story read from the bible. But it is never over for us that love the Lord.

Every day is a celebration of HIS birth, HIS resurrection and HIS presence in our life.

I have been reading a book You were Born for This by Bruce Wilkinson. It has me deep in thought.
The book says that most people believe that God still works miracles, but He only works through select group of people. The truth is, that we were all created to help people in need. We were ALL created to cooperate with God to accomplish His work by His power. He goes on to say that we have to be open in EVERY circumstance to what God would have us do.
In every circumstance we are supposed to be ready to minister to those in need.

In I Peter 3:15 we are commanded, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

I am a type A personality and this is so..... hard for me. I have a list, I need to get all this done in a certain amount of time and no time to chat. Is it easier to see miracles happen when you are a sanguine personality? For heavens sake I have 18 kids and very little time....

Or is it that every moment of our life has to be surrendered to God? That a hurting person he wants us to minister to is more important than getting my to do list done? Do I have to take time to look around me and discern peoples pain?

I find myself leaving many situations now AWARE that I missed an opportunity to love someone, to follow God's command, because I was just to driven to get something done. Can I just simply say to someone who I can sense is hurting "Can I pray for you?"

Lord I want to be surrendered to your will.... so I will keep trying to see things through your eyes and not my own.