Christmas Cookies:Gracie

Lately, all that has been on my mind is all the missed opportunities with my family; all the times I should have and could have spent time and said "yes" while I was cleaning or stressing. So, when Gracie asked to make cookies with just me, I said yes!







With a happy heart, she helped clean up to.

This was sent to me by a dear family member and the words have ministered this morning.....


commit now all your griefs
and ways into His hands;
to His sure truth and tender care,
who earth and heav’n commands.
who points the clouds their course,
whom winds and seas obey,
He shall direct your wand’ring feet,
He shall prepare your way.

give to the winds your fears;
hope, and be undismayed;
God hears your sighs, and counts your tears,
God shall lift up your head.
through waves and clouds and storms
He gently clears your way;
wait for in His time, so shall the night
soon end in joyous day.

still heavy is your heart?
still sink your spirits down?
cast off the weight, let fear depart,
and every care be gone.
He everywhere has sway,
and all things serve His might;
His every act pure blessing is,
His path unsullied light.

far, far above your thought
His counsel shall appear,
when fully He the work has wrought
that caused your needless fear.
leave to His sovereign sway
to choose and to command;
with wonder filled, you then shall own
how wise, how strong His hand!

_p. gerhardt, j. wesley

Dropping My Anchor:1000 Gifts

This post has been hard to start. Words cannot express the deep, deep sadness we feel now. Although sadness is felt, we know that Tom is with his Savior now rejoicing and saying "See...it's all true! It's real! Wait until you see this!"

Recently I read "Choosing to See: A Journey of Struggle and Hope" written by Mary Beth Chapman. In the book, she recounts her life leading up to the tragic death of her daughter. I read this before we lost Tom, and what I can't help but remember is the way they responded in faith. And it wasn't that they felt such strong faith, it was that they believed in the promises of God and that they declared their faith in the midst of their pain. The song that has been ministering to me lately is Faithful by Steven Curtis Chapman. In it he says this, "I will proclaim it to the world. I WILL DECLARE IT TO MY HEART, and sing it when the sun is shining. I will scream it in the dark. YOU ARE FAITHFUL! YOU ARE FAITHFUL! When you give and when you take away, even then still Your name is Faithful!....I've dropped my anchor in your promises and I am holding on, cause you ARE FAITHFUL." This is our faith. We don't feel strong, but we will declare God's promises to our hearts. And those promises are that we WILL see Tom again, that Tom IS alive and well, and although we miss him here, he is LIVING life with Christ.

One of the things God calls us to do is to be thankful in ALL circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18) and that is what I am going to do right now! Dropping my anchor in Jesus, my gratitude list continues....




0096 Tom-You were the BEST father in law a girl could ask for. You gave unconditionally and without regret. I love you and can't wait to see you again!

0097 lighting the fire in the fireplace, Mikey says, "Mama, let me help, PopPop taught me this...." as he blows on the fire to make it bigger






0098 balloons in the sky

0099 dinners brought in the pick up line

0100 facebook messages of love and care



0101 being with Grandma



0102 decorating Grandma's tree



0103 Tom's grandkids--they gave such honor to their PopPop

0104 a dear friend who took pictures

0105 HOPE

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'" John 11:25,26