MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope you all had a wonderful day of celebrating our Saviour's birth! Let us join with Mary in saying...

"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done to me

great things; and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him

from generation to generation."

Luke 1:46-50

Blessed With A Safe Trip Home!!

We are home safely after 48+ hours on the road. Not always moving mind you, but on the road.

A blizzard came through Virginia shortly ahead of us resulting in many accidents (yes, we lost count) which kept traffic moving slowly, and for hours at a time, not at all. Cars and transport trucks abandoned on the side of the road were a common sight. We spent from 4:00 PM Saturday to about 6:00 AM Sunday in this kind of slow moving situation. We did keep the van running...more for heat than for moving though. In one place the interstate was a parking lot for at least twenty miles. Mom was congratulated when she was able to drive a whole five miles in three hours!!

During one of our long delays, Josh decided to walk up ahead and see if he could find out what was holding up the traffic. When he got to the beginning of the line he discovered that some truckers had fallen asleep waiting and had not noticed that the line was moving again. He knocked on the windows of about twenty trucks and cars to wake people up and get things moving once more. That lasted for a few miles before we were in another line up.

Most resturaunts in that area of Virginia were closed because people couldn't get to work, so we didn't eat supper until 7-8 the next morning. In spite of it all, it was a wonderful trip. We were blessed with safety and lots of good fellowship with a family friend who "hitch-hiked" back with us from GA. Many memories were made. We even enjoyed some good snowball fights with our friend who hadn't seen snow like that in years. Certainly a trip I will not soon forget!

Thank you all so much for praying for us, we certainly felt God's hand keeping us safe.

Heading For A Wedding

Well, this morning we got up really early to go and visit some friends about 40 minutes from the hotel. We had a great time with them. I especially was glad to see my life-long friend, Ruth.

The early afternoon was spent at my Aunt Debbie's with the rest of the extended family. The later part of this afternoon was been spent getting ready for the wedding tonight. I am all ready to go. We are leaving in about 15 minutes. It's going to be an exciting night! :)

We are leaving tomorrow morning to head back home. Please pray for safety as we may run into a big snow storm near Pennsylvania. If all goes well, we will be home sometime late Sunday/early Monday.

I'd better go...it's off to a wedding! :)

Family Togetherness

Well, in case you were wondering, we did arrive in Georgia safely at around two o`clock Wednesday morning. My grandparents and Auntie Tandy arrived at the hotel a few minutes before us. It was so great to see them!

I have had a wonderful two days here visiting with family. Uncle Larry & Aunt Karen arrived a few minutes ago, so all of my Dad`s siblings are now together for the first time in about twenty years. Right now we are all getting ready to attend the rehearsal dinner for Daniel`s wedding tomorrow (my Auntie Tandy did my hair for me) and then we are heading to Aunt Debbie`s for some family time. Somehow, I think it is going to be a late night again tonight!

Well, I am glad I found time for this short update, but I`d better go! Until next time...

Thanking the Lord for Safety...

Well, we got a late start on our trip yesterday, but we are now at our cousin's house in Pennsylvania.

We had planned to leave our home early in the morning yesterday, but some things came up the night before that delayed us. Also, Dad was concerned about the icyness of the roads, so we decided to get some sleep and leave mid-morning. Shortly after we left home, we heard on the news that there had been a multiple car pile-up on the highway we were supposed to travel on. Thanking the Lord this morning for safety.

We're getting ready to leave Pennsylvania. We should be in Georgia tonight.

Georgia, Here We Come!!

Well, my suitcase is packed and in only a few hours I will be on my way to Georgia! I am pretty excited. Tomorrow we are planning to have lunch with my Grandmother in Vermont. Then supper and a visit (possibly staying the night) with my cousin, Ruthanne, in Pennsylvania. Then it's onto Georgia on Tuesday!!

I am really looking forward to see my Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles & Cousins. This is the first time that all the siblings in my Dad's family have been together at the same time in twenty-one years. We'll be enjoying time with them Wednesday-Friday, then it's back on the long road home on Saturday.

Well, I wish I had time to write more. Please pray for safe traveling and that my cousin's wedding would go smoothly! Bye for now...

Busyness...

These last few weeks have been busy ones for us as we continue working on the home renovations as well as getting ready for the Christmas season. We also had to make a big decision about whether or not to attend my cousin's wedding in Georgia on the 18th. We have decided to go!! I am really looking forward to see my Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and my cousins. We will probably be leaving around the 14th or 15th and returning around the 20th. This makes these last few weeks before Christmas very busy for us.

In other news, I would appreciate prayer. For over a month I have been having stomach-related problems. Pain in my upper stomach which is sometimes accompanied by back pain or nausea. I had an upper GI and an ultrasound done on Wednesday and we should know the results sometime this coming week.

Tonight we are getting ready for what could be a big winter storm. I love the snow, and I am enjoying watching it fall, but I also know that our porch roof isn't finished yet! So I am hoping that will be done soon so that I can truly say, let it snow!

Well, I guess that's all for now. I may not be able to post much in the coming days, we'll just have to see how things go.

Who Is He In Yonder Stall?

Well, it is that time of year again. The time we set aside to remember our Savior's birth, and why he came. A Christmas song that has been one of my favorites for the last couple of years is, "Who Is He In Yonder Stall?"

WHO IS HE IN YONDER STALL?

Who is He in yonder stall,

At Whose feet the shepherds fall?

Who is He in deep distress,

Fasting in the wilderness?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! The King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He the people bless

For His words of gentleness?

Who is He to whom they bring

All the sick and suffering?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! The King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He that stands and weeps

At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?

Who is He the gathering throng

Greet with loud triumphant song?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! The King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Lo! At midnight, who is He

Prays in dark Gethsemane?

Who is He on yonder tree

Dies in grief and agony?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! The King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

Who is He that from the grave

Comes to heal and help and save?

Who is He who from His throne

Rules through all the worlds alone?

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! The King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all!

I hope you all enjoy your Christmas season as you celebrate the Lord, the King of Glory!