Family Times at Christmas

We were so blessed to have both of our daughters and their families with us to celebrate Christmas this year. Here are a few photos of our time together:

Mark and Maya cutting out gingerbread cookies...
Eli tastes a little dough while Erin and John help him cut out cookies...Jack and John do a little cutting out of cookies, too...It's a gingerbread cookies decorating party!
Sara, Mark and Maya...Erin, John, Eli and Jack...Me, Lauren, Erin and Sara...The JEMS in their new hats, ready for the snow!

Erin, John, Jack and Eli headed for Minnesota yesterday after a 1-day delay due to car trouble. They will get home today, hopefully before another Midwest storm! Sara, Mark and Maya live here, and they are enjoying some family time before Mark student teaches and Sara goes back to school. Lauren is back to work and I am recuperating from a very wonderful time together. We are so thankful for God's provision for us as a family, not only with our time together, but also because of His Son's birth, sacrifice and resurrection so that we may be forgiven and have a relationship with Him. He is our greatest Gift, and by His grace and mercy we are in His family.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Jan Karon is one of my favorite authors, and her Mitford series is beloved by many. I wanted to share a few snapshots of our Christmas books we have collected that she has written.
In Shepherd's Abiding, Jan Karon tells the story of Father Tim and Cynthia and their lives in Mitford at Christmastime. It focuses on Father Tim's discovery of an old nativity scene, and the "gift of giving of one's own heart". I am hoping to find time to reread this lovely book, and to share "The Mitford Snowmen" and "Esther's Gift" with my grandchildren as we snuggle up together for stories and Christmas "yummies", as Maya calls them!

MRI Results

When I started this blog in July, it was to be used as a way to share with family and close friends about an upcoming brain surgery I was to have in August, along with everyday goings-on here at Nana's (and Grandpa's) house. Today, I am so pleased to report that the follow-up MRI I had today and surgeon appointment right after it showed that the cyst (syrinx) in my spinal cord (that had developed due to the Chiari Malformation) look as if it has gotten smaller, and the results of the surgery on my lower cerebellum area are very good. The cerebellum tonsils are no longer on bone and have a good amount of spinal fluid around them - praise God! While it is possible that the cyst may never totally disappear, I am greatly encouraged that it looks smaller. My symptoms seem to be about the same, but have not gotten any worse, so this is good news, also.

I thank my heavenly Father for these results, and for the symptoms I have that actually have drawn me closer to Him. Because of this Chiari Malformation and the resulting syrinx, MRIs are not easy for me. I am not claustrophobic, but lying down on my back for over 1 hour causes me to have a sensation that is hard to describe, but it makes me feel as if I may faint, and I can't move or we have to start all over again. They offer music to listen to, but I think it would clash with the sounds of the MRI, so I just try to focus on music to go with the rhythm of the scan, and God is faithful and brings songs of praise and scripture to help me through it. One of the best scriptures is "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 This helped me so much today when I wanted to move because of the sensation. The technicians were so very patient and after adjusting my knees on a higher pillow, I felt much better. I hope they know how much I appreciated their thoughtfulness.

This morning, I was reading Psalm 62, and it was a great comfort to me... "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (verse 1-2) We all go through trials of a sort,and God offers to be our rest and comfort in all of them, and He alone is the fortress we can always go to; He will never leave us or forsake us. Perhaps these words were meant for you today, too. I hoped you are blessed by His Word today.

Heirlooms...a Christmas Memory

At Christmas time when our daughters were growing up, Erin would play Heirlooms by Amy Grant on our piano, and she and Sara would sing the lyrics in sweet harmony, with me sometimes joining in with them. The words made us all think of my grandmother, Margaret, and we loved the sweetness of those memories. Throughout the years, we have been blessed with creating many wonderful memories at Christmas and all through the year. It is the love we share that means so much, and the heirlooms are a way to evoke the memories we have. Most of all, this song reminds us of "our Precious Jesus being more than an heirloom" to us. It is nice to have nativity scenes, Christmas carols and the sharing of the Christmas story to remind us this most precious gift, God's Son.

Heirlooms
(Bob Farrell, Brown Bannister, Amy Grant)
Up in the attic
Down on my knees
Lifetimes of boxes
Timeless to me
Letters and photographs
Yellowed with years
Some bringing laughter
Some bringing tears

Time never changes
The memories, the faces
Of loved ones, who bring to me
All that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I'm going to be
My precious family
Is more than an heirloom to me

Wiseman and shepherds
Down on their knees
Bringing their treasures
To lay at his feet
Who was this wonder baby yet king
Living and dying
He gave life to me

Time never changes
The memory, the moment
His love first pierced through me
Telling all that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I'm going to be
My precious savior Is more than an heirloom to me
My precious Jesus Is more than an heirloom to me

The New Computer Honeymoon Period

It happened 3 days ago; the old Toshiba died, not without warning, but we kept hoping we could get by a little longer. I started it up Thursday morning and all I got was a black screen with TOSHIBA on it and instructions to press a couple of keys but nothing happened. I called Toshiba and spoke to 2 very nice guys, but nothing worked. So after 2 days of no internet,( I got a lot done at home!!), we took the big step and bought a new one last night. Merry Christmas! Happy Anniversary!(It's coming up soon!) I lost a lot, it seems, although I had backed up quite a lot on an external drive. I thank God that all of our pictures that were on that computer were backed up on disks. I am so forgetful that I will probably forget what I don't have anyway. Any, lets hope the honeymoon period lasts for a few years!! Now it is time to catch up on email and a few of my favorite blogs.

So, life goes on and tomorrow I hope we can get our Chistmas tree up. We got 2-3 inches of snow today and I am getting into the spirit. A few days ago (when the computer died) I got out a few Christmas decorations, movies and music adn children's books, and I think I will pop in one of the movies tonight. It's beginning to look a lot like Chistmas!

A Snowy Day with Lucy and a Squirrel

Just a little mosaic for Maya, Eli and Jack of Lucy playing in the snow! She chased a squirrel, but he got away and scolded Lucy from a tree. The game is on!