Little Reid was so inconsolable last night as lots of family was all gathered in relatively tight quarters.
Packages were unwrapped with paper, boxes and clutter everywhere.
Children were running and laughing and crying as Nerf machine gun battles took place….
And at the same time Mario race car WII was turned up full blast!
Carbs were being consumed through pizza and cookie consumption…and you know how carbs can bomb you down!
Family that don’t see each other often, were having multiple conversations of small talk….. football games, how is your job going, what did you get for Christmas?, etc. Turning my head from side to side, like watching a tennis match, trying to listen to all the conversations so you can connect with people and hear all the news can give you a headache!!!!

Little Reid was not happy about much of anything…..which is very, very unlike him. He is usually the happiest little thing you could ever imagine. He was totally over stimulated! He needed to pull away from all the activity.

So, his wise mommy, who knows her little one well…placed him in the hallway next to all the chaos.

Bingo, the crying quickly subsided and squeals of delight soon began.

Little Reid had the right idea….crying out to be placed in the hall, by himself in his little bouncy seat to
Focus on his little overhanging light toy.

He would grab for a handle and the light would come on and quiet little happy tunes would start playing.
BIG SMILES AND COOS SOON REPLACED FRETTING FROM ALL THE ACTIVITY THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON AROUND HIM.

This morning, I am having a good time, sitting in my quiet time chair……focusing on the LIGHT.

Thank you ,Lord , for gift of family…..but most of all, thank you for quiet moments to focus on YOU.

Thank you , Lord, for a quiet, rainy day to be still. Well, for a few hours anyway…..as there are friends I love very much coming tomorrow. But for now…..time with my best friend, Jesus, is settling me down too.

Thank you Lord for our little Reid.
A little baby can teach an old grandmother life lessons!!!!!!

EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFTS

What an encouraging weekend.
An early Christmas gift.

Going to a workshop to paint and learn new art techniques, so I thought!
God had a creative way to open up my heart and answer some of my prayers.

People I had heard about but did not think I would ever be able to meet……He brought them to me.
I have been “feeling” discouraged lately. I found fellowship with likeminded ladies whose way to draw close to the Lord is similar to mine. They connect to Him through creativity in the arts. Photography, painting, writing, dancing, music, drama, etc.

The Counselor can paint pictures of healing in my heart without my even having to do a thing…..Katie, just obey and go when His Spirit woos me to not be afraid.

Trust Him. Follow His leading. Do not be wrapped up in control and trying to figure out my way, just follow the Spirit and hold His hand.

If I seek Him with all my heart, He will reveal Himself to me….He sees my heart, He knows my needs,
He will be my best friend who delights in the things that delight me and what delights me is connecting with
Jesus in the ways He has made me able to see Him…..through art.

Another gift was going to a neighborhood Christmas party where stories about Christmas memories were told….only to have one written and shared just for my encouragement…a gift written by a dear, godly friend who thought the story from her childhood was about her life, but had been orchestrated long ago, about 58 years ago, in God’s perfect plan to be written down on paper last week to encourage my heart.

Yet, another blessing from the week-end was going to church with my family and seeing that my ABBA, FATHER was there to speak to me. I felt He was speaking just to me, to some woundedness in my life. Affirming that my desire for deeper fellowship with HIM is the gift he offers me.

It is not about me doing things for Him, following laws made up by man or even the 10 commandments. It is about me receiving more from Him in relationship to HIM. I have been adopted by Him. He adopted me as an adult, fully knowing my past sins, my future sins, and all the ways I have and will let myself down because I think it is all about performance. I may promise myself and others I am going to perform certain ways, but of course, I am human and not perfect. Instead of beating myself up, all I need to do is receive my position IN CHRIST. He has redeemed me. I just need to receive and walk in His mercy and grace daily.

He loves me with all my faults. He is faultless and because I am His child, I am accepted! Receiving a teaching that told me I was valuable to HIM. Hearing and really receiving this time that Christmas was for me. CHRISTMAS WAS FOR ME! It is not selfish for me to believe it was just for me. Until I really believe this, I can not share this truth with others. It was just for them too!!!!

I have been a Christian for many years….but I am still growing up in truth, HIS TRUTH and erasing false teaching, words that I have allowed to direct my paths and color the way I “feel” and “see” myself and others.

So I have opened up an early Christmas gift…cracked just a little light on some healing truth to my heart.

Yes, I did go to a fun party with neighbors that filled my heart with encouragement. I did find a group of women who love art and Jesus too…….. but it was the party with JESUS, MY ABBA FATHER, WHO BROUGHT GIFTS TO MY HEART. Christmas as a child of the King…who came to redeem me and reveal Himself to me. He shed a little more light into my heart this week-end and I received it!!!!!

So, this little picture I drew to illustrate my friends Christmas story, well it was for me!!!!! You won’t understand it because you did not hear the whole story, but Joyce and I understand it!

Be washed in HIS LIGHT. Covered in TRUTH…..tasting HIS GOODNESS and let it nourish your hungry heart.

HE IS CHRISTMAS.


Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I’ll go with Him, with Him,
All the way.


P.S. How can I overlook ackowledging these other encouraging gifts. A memory of spending a day with two of my precious grandchildren, walking in the woods at MacIntosh Reserve…a real live picture of God's creativity.

AND A PICTURE OF REID AT THE CHILDRENS WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS PLAY AT THIER PRESCHOOL.
KISS KISS TO THOSE ROSY CHEEKS AND LOVE THOSE BLUE, BLUE EYES.