There's a quiet stillness that settles in at the end of December. Bare branches stretch against a winter-white sky. The pecan trees have long-since shed their leaves, released their fruit.
In the stillness, we look back on a year of counting on the Lord, of continuing to count the ways He has blessed. And we look ahead with expectation. Because the Lord is good. And His unfailing love endures forever.
Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . .
#1603 a walk-through nativity bringing the story to life
#1604 first century costumes leading us to step back in time
#1605 "Roman soldiers" charging up on horses
#1606 donkeys, sheep, chickens, and goats in the "market"
#1607 remembering again that God so loved the world He gave
#1608 the ones who sacrificed their time to tell the story for all of us
#1609 lighting candles and remembering God's gift of light
#1610 a fire in the fireplace during the homeschool day
#1611 oatmeal with pumpkin seeds, cranberries & sunflower seeds
#1612 new friends in unexpected places
#1613 enjoying an evening I didn't expect to like at all
#1614 yummy pumpkin bread a friend baked
#1615 pulling up stools to her counter and sharing stories
#1616 laughing together at funny memories
#1617 lunch with sweet friends
#1618 simple gifts exchanged between the four of us
#1619 an afternoon at the home of a dear friend I've dearly missed
#1620 rolling out cookie dough and decorating cookies
#1621 playing UNO and Quixo with my boy-child
#1622 Grandad home safely from India...and bearing gifts!
#1623 celebrating Gram on her birthday
#1624 finding just the right gift
#1625 chicken kabobs, hummus & tabouli for dinner
#1626 red velvet cupcakes to share
#1627 the Lord shielding us from the car that came careening toward us
#1628 just enough time to make the trek and purchase the gift
#1629 husband and boy-child cleaning out the garage...
#1630 ...and putting together the ping-pong table
#1631 unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning
#1632 a nap on the sofa, Christmas afternoon, holding a tiny newborn
#1633 the calm that follows the rush of Christmas
#1631 watching the sun rise in the Eastern sky as we drove
#1632 arriving safely there
#1633 cousins playing hard all day long
#1634 kids building catapults and popsicle-stick bridges
#1635 fireworks before the rain
#1636 popcorn popping on the stovetop
#1637 cups of hot chocolate and warm apple cider
#1638 games of Jenga around the table
#1639 a new year...and all this hope and expectation...
In the stillness, we look back on a year of counting on the Lord, of continuing to count the ways He has blessed. And we look ahead with expectation. Because the Lord is good. And His unfailing love endures forever.
Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . .
#1603 a walk-through nativity bringing the story to life
#1604 first century costumes leading us to step back in time
#1605 "Roman soldiers" charging up on horses
#1606 donkeys, sheep, chickens, and goats in the "market"
#1607 remembering again that God so loved the world He gave
#1608 the ones who sacrificed their time to tell the story for all of us
#1609 lighting candles and remembering God's gift of light
#1610 a fire in the fireplace during the homeschool day
#1611 oatmeal with pumpkin seeds, cranberries & sunflower seeds
#1612 new friends in unexpected places
#1613 enjoying an evening I didn't expect to like at all
#1614 yummy pumpkin bread a friend baked
#1615 pulling up stools to her counter and sharing stories
#1616 laughing together at funny memories
#1617 lunch with sweet friends
#1618 simple gifts exchanged between the four of us
#1619 an afternoon at the home of a dear friend I've dearly missed
#1620 rolling out cookie dough and decorating cookies
#1621 playing UNO and Quixo with my boy-child
#1622 Grandad home safely from India...and bearing gifts!
#1623 celebrating Gram on her birthday
#1624 finding just the right gift
#1625 chicken kabobs, hummus & tabouli for dinner
#1626 red velvet cupcakes to share
#1627 the Lord shielding us from the car that came careening toward us
#1628 just enough time to make the trek and purchase the gift
#1629 husband and boy-child cleaning out the garage...
#1630 ...and putting together the ping-pong table
#1631 unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning
#1632 a nap on the sofa, Christmas afternoon, holding a tiny newborn
#1633 the calm that follows the rush of Christmas
#1631 watching the sun rise in the Eastern sky as we drove
#1632 arriving safely there
#1633 cousins playing hard all day long
#1634 kids building catapults and popsicle-stick bridges
#1635 fireworks before the rain
#1636 popcorn popping on the stovetop
#1637 cups of hot chocolate and warm apple cider
#1638 games of Jenga around the table
#1639 a new year...and all this hope and expectation...
Come and see what God has done,
how awesome His works in man's behalf.
Psalm 66:5, NIV 1984