Holidays... or any day... we love having the "rooms" of our hearts revisited!

Some of you may have gotten my recent e-mail talking about how sometimes after the holidays there is a feeling that I describe as "hollow".

It's not that I don't love the holidays and all the warm things that go with it,

but, sometimes there is just something that is not quite whole, or completed.

I wrote about the lovely traditions of my family that I wouldn't miss, and

Well... this post is about another of those wonderful parts of the holidays that absolutely break over my spirit to make me complete and finished.

It is the warmth of the people who have rooms in my heart... and once again, those rooms hear

your sweet voices and feel your welcome hugs!

The welcome surprise of friends
bringing their "sheaves" with them... in joy!

It's about catching up in person... and seeing where you've been and what the LORD has been doing in your lives... as we know HE has!

It's about little ones doing the same thing.... catching up and reconnecting....
Familiar once again and picking up where we left off...

It's about touching and feeling, not just with our spirits, but with these bodies that,

as Jared says.... have "hungry skin"... I like that Jared!

I feel that often!

It's about not only opening our spirits, but opening our doors and homes and feeling easy

letting you walk in... both places! because there is that permission granted by a trust earned.

Paninis, strawberries, grapes, and "snacks".... oh so many snacks!

I have a real question here Em.... so why is there a dumpster in the Nativity? Have I missed something significant?

Mere makes a great High King Peter... carrying Lucy's shield (that used to roar when you punched the button)... and I really liked the knee and elbow pads with it... ood choice of battle gear!

Below is the END picture... somehow they got reversed in the upload... but maybe the end would be best to know from the beginning.... ya think?

John said that visits to the barber are barbaric... (hummmm wonder if there is a common root word here?)... but with Em in charge of the clippers, and Momma Kristi being the "chair"... it wasn't quite so bad. He even had an audience to cheer on his bravery in his trial of Samson.

I think that they may even go for a shorter look come Spring... This worked out pretty good with these two old friends double teaming a nervous little 2 year old!

Quite handsome if I do say so... Good job ladies! You even won John's admiration in the midst of his skepticism! You, once again were up to the task.

We loved these parts of Christmas... and they are what make the holidays... Holy Ground for us!

We hold you so preciously and carefully within us, and to hold you once again in our arms is treasure we never take for granted!

We LOVE you!

and

for those of you whom we missed....

KNOW YOU WERE MISSED!

until next time..... WE SEE YOU!

Books, Rifles, Bows, and Christmas traditions

what a way to start Christmas Eve????

Yes... he's done this before, and I think I was his first experiment!

Mashed fingers call for desperate measures (no not the huge drill bit that he brought out first,

but the little drill worked fine). All the kids gathered around to watch!

KIDS!!! ??? Will's finger got better with the pressure off!

Guns were the greatest present... KG knew they'd be a hit when she picked them!
Butterflies, treasure boxes and a whipped cream maker like Starbucks... I couldn't have asked for more! Especially the words that accompanied the gift!


On to Nana's for the traditions that will last through generations!

Golden Books... chosen every year for each person...

words inside meaning much more than those of the author!

The warmth of the season was apparent everywhere

A new friend from the Netherlands... Marloes...

Mommies hugging children

Grandmommies rocking babies

Clay gives climbing lessons offering successes for each child...

How many times have little hands and feet found just the right footing to

get to the top?! and then.. the "mountain climber" who

has held his place for as long as I can remember being in this house.

Wasn't he a Christmas gift long long ago?

The children's table is now two little red tables and the big people table is now "tableS".

Nana knows exactly how to entertain...

she is the ultimate hostess, and we see her gifts being passed down and

replicated in granddaughters and even great granddaughters.

Part of her decorations were just too fun to leave on the mantel.

Can we take them home Nana?

Well certainly... in fact, take two!

Then Christmas morning... we started with a cow in the front yard

No, he wasn't supposed to be there!

He escaped thinking that the deer blocks looked too tempting, and

besides, there were great friends, the kitties just begging to play!

Jim hats were a hit! even though we will need to take off the bow? what were the designers thinking anyway?? boys, bows... NO!

I love stockings... I love the fun little things that you have to search to find...

I love... welllllll

I just love Christmas!

and probably the common theme of this Christmas was

"Tools of a Warrior"

rifles,

knives (with the real blades super glued in place)

bow and arrows

hammers and nails...

tools of a warrior...

wonder what that means???? or if it is simply

Christmas 2008?

Thank YOU Jesus for choosing to clothe your glory in flesh!

Thank You Father for giving us a choice too!

Thank You Father for always being Who You say You are...

and Thank You Lord for choosing me,

even before I chose YOU!

It's the giving that matters, not the getting!

Today's lesson precious ones will be one that must be learned by every human being at some point in time...

It will be...

"it is more blessed to give than to receive".

This new generation of mommies leaves NOTHING to chance. They are raising this Joshua generation to be one of mercy as well as justice.

As most of us know, a two year old's SECOND favorite word is, "MINE"...

Today's lesson would be "others".

As the mommies gathered around a new recipe (soon to be posted on the recipe blog) for banana yogurt pound cake, the boys began their daily work of

building and rebuilding the entire play room! ....

amidst the sounds of, "The Black Stallion"...

(you can bet some sort of horse movie will be the first choice of this crew!)

Signs of the season were all over the home, and the reason for the season was
unquestioned in these families about to embark on a new adventure in giving.

Each of these mommies brings a wonderful gift to the table when they work together..
I LOVE IT!
It was an important lesson for 2, soon to be 3, VERY 2 two year olds that it is good to share...
all 3 cousins agreed to reinforce the concept with ALL the children.
This can't be too reiterated at these young ages!
So Em holds forth in her regular form.
Line up on the benches and let's get ready for some good things.
Boy scouting was never in her repertoire, but she knows the motto by heart (and indeed),
BE PREPARED!
I guarantee, if you are under this one's "wings", you will be set up for success...
She prepares the WAY well!
Today's question???
"Now what are you gonna say when you give your gift to the children?"
and the implied "what are you NOT going to say to the children?"
(one never knows what will come from the mouth of some of these precious ones :)
*see quotes on my side bar*

Any first hesitation was replaced with... "don't we have any more?" by the end of the experience! The children to whom the gifts were given gave a wonderful gift back... the surprise on their faces were replaced with smiles and sometimes even a big hug.
Other young mothers got to share hearts with these three precious mommies... all of them wanting to be the best they can be for their charges.


I think Hannah's idea will become a tradition for this family.... and...
some of the families they met may even be trying this for themselves.
Cool... maybe next year there will be several little secret santas offering
homemade gifts to unsuspecting "friends" in holiday gathering places like
the mall.


It began with 20 little cellophane packages, and ended with
"let's do it some more"
I believe the lesson in giving was a success!
Way to go you wonderful moms!
You inspire me and bless me more than you could know!

The Wise men came bearing gifts!
These wise moms came sharing gifts!

Signs that you just can't pass by! LAST DAY ... means more than just one thing!

Today is a significant day in my life... for many reasons, it is a day for signs from a loving Father Who has let me know that HE sees, HE knows, and HE oversees all that goes on in this earth and the life He has allowed me and all of us who share in His "breath of life".

Today was another day He gave me signs....

Arrows that point the way and a nest that says to my heart...

we are safe and the nest we are in was prepared just for us...

just as the wings with which we've been allowed to fly.

Every place we walked today... there was evidence

and none of it was placed by human hands...

even though it was our physical eyes that discovered the spiritual gifts

http://bethlehemstar.net/ (what about signs???!!! thanks Di!)

It was time to offer a prayer of thanks... it was not simply the last day of school until "next year",
... it was the LAST DAY for other things.... and soon to be the last day of 2008...
I think I'm already hearing what my "word" for my birthday and 2009 will be...
and
I'm blessed!

The kids found signs that even I missed... under every big cedar, there were tiny new red oaks just waiting to grow (as soon as what was casting a shadow over their lives was removed! as soon as what was choking them was taken away!)... pretty red and green... perfect for this season.

There is nothing quite like the freedom of an adventure walk...
a trail where who knows what you will find???
and.... we surely carried big sticks
(not much help should the mountain lion PopT saw yesterday decide to make an appearance) YES>>>> I tell you the truth!!!
I think the tree eater has disturbed his territory, and perhaps he's decided to frequent other
places... nevertheless... we were wary of his presence!


I believe, that just as God gave signs all through the scriptures... He still does!
He gives me warning signs, be aware signs, and go this way signs...
I just pray that I become more and more aware of just when it is His voice,
or hand that speaks or places those signs for me.
I thank Him for His love for me that He would want me prepared for whatever will come in this life He's allowed me.
He is a good Father; He doesn't play hide and seek; He wants me to know; He wants me prepared, and I know He loves me.
Lord, let me see Your signs, and know just what they mean for me!

My Lord loves me, inspite of my sometimes stubborn will... He understands me and knows the steps I will take. He watches me like a Father and knows that my heart desires His way.

These kids are so absolutely and unconditionally loved that they will have safe places to learn those lessons. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all knew what unconditional love looks like? feels like? is like?
I think I do!
Thank YOU Jesus for family!

The Tree Eater Commeth.... Thank you Troy for my Christmas... I CAN SEE!!!! my trees can breathe.... I LOVE IT!

Christmas came a bit early this year, and it was brought, not by a large bearded man in a red velvet suit, but by 2 handsome guys in camel carharts! Yes, it certainly is those Denson brothers, Michael and Marcus.... and man oh man did they make my heart sing!!! (yes, that's Cody too.. he knows this machine up close and personal!) I just had to put several pictures here, so I won't put many words... JUST LOOK at what my wonderful husband did for me for Christmas.... Those yucky old cedars (although I do like their color) were absolutely choking the life out of my oaks, redbuds, sumacs and even my mesquites (YES, I like mesquites and their very individual ways of growing!!)

The cedars are literally covering up the beautiful long lived native grasses and trees!
I know the deer love to hide in the thick evergreen, but Marcus tells me that they will also love the mulched cedar that is left after the TREE EATER comes! (I think it must kill the parasites that linger on through the winter... cedar oil is good for that!)

You can just see the tops of the red oaks as the cedar tries to invade the area!

THEN>>> THE TREE EATER COMES, and all that is left is what you see here....

MULCH!!! leaving the native grasses in tact and ready to come back next spring!

Amazing huh???? remember the big cedar that was right here at the corner and was allowing only the crown of that red oak to peak through??? NOW LOOK!

We left the mesquites... they don't drink as much water as the cedar since they are deciduous and dormant in the winter months... BUT wait till Spring and their sweet spring green leaves are able to be seen!

The kids just had to pose on the "sleigh" of our "Santa Clauses".... funny... no bells, just teeth!

A walk back to the prayer chapel always passed Eric the Red... Troy had clipped out some of the shinery below, but look what the tree eater did! CLEAN!!! HE CAN BREATHE!!!

This is a look just west of the prayer chapel... this area had been filled with cedar so much that you couldn't even see these oaks that we knew were there...

This is a look from the far west fence line up the road that goes to the house... I CANNOT tell you the difference, but those of you who've walked this place, or played capture the flag, or hide and seek back here... you KNOW the difference!

This picture is walking down the road with the chapel on the left.... remember Matt that big old oak that fell when you were working out there, and you worked forever cutting it into pieces... look at this now... and what took Dwayne Dacus weeks to clear took this amazing machine only a few days!

Thank you Troy for one of the BEST CHRISTMAS presents I could ever have had!