This is after we shoveled for about 30 minutes...Tim did the part that was over 2 feet deep and sticky on the bottom, I did the rest, light and fluffy stuff! What a workout!!!Total accumulation: 3 feet.
My ankle works much better now; I've discovered soaking in epsom salts works real well.
Kind of goes against the old, ice and elevate adage huh? It feels better than cold too!!
Tim was trying to look grumpy--but he isn't. He was just up there, working away. We were both being silly--trying for the pitchfork look with the two old people, but alas, it failed..
My brother has not met with his oncologist yet, so we don't know about maybe further chemo treatments. Keep praying for them please.
Our house is half decorated right now and hopefully tomorrow, we will get our tree cut and then up and decorated.
The girls have one picked out up the trail...
Spiritually, I am "ready" for Christmas. I've been reading the two baby Jesus stories in Matthew and Luke to the girls. We watched The Nativity, a DVD we got last year, and wow, is it ever awesome! I cry when Elizabeth and Mary both give birth. Must be a Mom thing. Sunday night, we went to Journey to Bethlehem. It is like the story of Jesus' birth, from Mary's angel visit, to baby Jesus in the manger.There are actors/actresses and donkeys, sheep and the like. We took my Mom and she really seemed to enjoy it. Parts of it were outside, but it wasn't too cold.
I'm just blathering....I've been reading a book by David Jeremiah, who has had cancer twice now, called "Searching for Heaven on Earth" It is a look at the book of Ecclesiastes, and Solomon's outlook on life. He had it all and blew it you know..
Anyhow, he wrote something that really, really grabbed me. I know some of you may not agree with the theology, but that's alright. I still love you.
"We have no problem connecting with that truth(everything happens for a purpose) in the nice moments. What sets the true saint apart is his/her ability to apply it during moments of unpleasantness. When young couples fall in love and get married, they are convinced that God has made everything beautiful in His time. But ten years later, when little children are underfoot, bills are due, a job has been lost, and a medical scare has been diagnosed--we wonder what happened to all that beauty.
Men and women leave their marriages in time like this simply because they're unaware of God's presence in the rugged times as well as the smooth. Our challenge is to recognize that everything has a time, a season, a reason, and to trust God to bring sense and unity on His schedule.
When I was sick with cancer, people would ask me, "Pastor, why did you get cancer? You're a godly man, serving the Lord in full-time ministry." It's true that I'm a pastor. But on a deeper level, I'm just another human being. And human beings get cancer. The game of Monopoly offers a "Get out of jail free" card, but God offers no such card to Christians. We must take the rain with the sun, the dark with the light and know that God is painting a beautiful picture which requires all the tones, all the colors, all the depths of suffering as well as joy."
WOW!!!! I marked that page, let me tell ya'!
Did you catch it?? It is recognizing the presence of God in the nasty moments and realizing His character hasn't change like your circumstances have..Remember the verse that inspired the name of this blog?? God is a refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.." Psalm 46:1
Enjoy the gift of His presence this Christmas! He calls Himself Immanuel--God With Us. God confined to baby skin...amazing...
He is faithful,
Bonnie
2 comments:
"God confined to baby skin" . . . that makes me cry. I have been sitting here today gazing at a baby picture of Teddi that I have on my computer (one of the precious photos we received from the orhanage when we visited). The photo was taken shortly after Teddi's lip was repaired (I think she was about 7-8 months old). I just keep looking at her "babyness", and there is a longing in my heart to have held her then, but "to everything there is a season" and it wasn't our season yet. (Like David Jeremiah said . . . God was painting a beautiful picture and this was all part of it.) So I look at Teddi "confined" to baby skin--a Teddi I never knew, yet the love runs so incredibly deep . . . And then I think of God confined to baby skin . . . and a longing . . . and a love that runs incredibly deep, and I see Him in a very new way.
See how God uses you minister to my heart dear friend? Thank you.
Love the rooftop picture. Good thing you said you were only doing the fluffy stuff. Although wasn't that the title of your last post? The one where you shared your mishap? Hmmm . . . be careful dear. Thought I'd pretend to be your mom for a minute.
Happy to hear your ankle is better.
I need to get The Nativity and watch it, thank you for reminding me! Praying for your brother and his family.
Blessings to you ~
Tina
Dear Bonnie,
It was so good to receive your Christmas letter. Good to hear from you.....but I cried as I read about your ordeal with cancer, and the trials you have been through. I also cried tears of joy, for the faithfulness of your family and friends. You are one of the strongest women I know. Of that, I am certain. I love the quote from David Jeremiah that you posted on this blog. It is so true. I love what you wrote about "thorns" too.
The moment that I saw your family picture in the Christmas letter, I was struck by the "light" from the background sky. To me, it looks like the spirit of God reaching his arms around your family and all those smiling faces. It still moves me every time I look at it.
Thank you for sharing your story with me.
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Love and prayers,
Pam, from Brighton
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