Missing our family tonight!

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring but...3 little girls were certainly stirring, running, jumping and playing all through the house. The stockings were hung...well, there is a story for that too. I was suppose to finish Audrey's stocking this year and then one for our new son-in-law Nik. They are almost finish, so I was waiting to put them all up at once, but as you see that didn't happen. I am hoping I get them done in January 2015!

This morning at 7:15 our youngest son Lee got his 4 Wisdom Teeth out...Merry Christmas to him. He actually slept most of the day and was even mingling with us after dinner, for our little Christmas eve program we did. I am certainly glad that he is doing well, I was so afraid of ruining his Christmas.

Below is a photo of the girls putting all the people and the animals in the Nativity as we read the Christmas Story from the Bible! All Audrey wanted to do was keep pushing the Angel to hear the music and she did chew on a few of the main characters.

So grateful that our newly weds are doing so well. We are going to miss them for the Holidays!
But they are truly enjoying life! Grateful for that.
Brad, Krystal and Kai have family in town for the Holidays!

 

So glad that they have family there with them, but oh I am missing all of them tonight!
Here they are with their Christmas Jammies on Kai and his dog Keeva!

Gotta get to bed ...it is way past Christmas and I am sure Santa still sees my light on. Better head to bed so he can stop by!
Good  Night dear friends!

Creative Woman

"Being Creative is not a single act, but the act of living itself. The creative Woman is on fire with imagination, ignited by the certainty of her relationship with a living God and her surety of purpose. She lives in freedom, not measuring herself by the lives around her. She takes calculated risks, understanding the value of going beyond the horizon of the known and coming back to report what she has discovered. She tackles life’s challenges, with heart, hands and faith."  ~Author Unknown

 I love this quote.. when I feel really creative, it does make me feel happy. I do think it is important to see the talents that we have, are God given. I really do believe they are. I am grateful for the talents I have, as well as my children's talents. I am still trying to learn though how not to measure myself up against others, that is a hard one for me. But the longer that I work at the Quilt Shop; the more I appreciate all of our differences and talents. That is what makes the store unique and great, because we are all good at totally different things and that reaches out to more people; because we all have different talents and tastes. 

I do feel blessed that for 30 years I got to be a stay home Mom. And during those 30 years, my talents are something that kept me grounded and some times... sane. It was the one thing that didn't get undone by the morning. No matter how hard I tried, the dishes, the house, the laundry and so on, ALWAYS got undone, messy or dirty again before the next day; and that is when I would start all over again! So yes, developing different and creative talents really made a difference in my life then...and still does.

Today was a work day ( at home ), I really love to create new ideas and sew new things...it makes me happy and it makes me feel fulfilled and grateful! It also makes me happy when I see my own kids developing and using their talents ...to better the world. I am truly blessed!

 I believe the parable in Matthew 25 about the servants being given talents, is important for us to remember. We need to remember "where much is given, much is expected". I think that we are to develop and us our talents to bless the lives of others.

 “God has endowed us with talents and time, with  talents, abilities and with opportunities to use and develop them in his service."  ~ Spencer W. Kimball 

 “Neglect not the gift that is in thee” (1 Timothy 4:14).

Amazing!

Someone sent me this story of NOAH'S ARK, it was simply amazing!

Working Replica of Noah's Ark Opened In SCHAGEN, Netherlands ..
Man Builds Noah's Ark to the exact scale given in the Bible

The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was opened the first crowd of curious townsfolk to behold the wonder. This replica of the biblical Ark was built by Dutch Creationist Johan Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.

'I knew the story of Noah, but I had no idea the boat would have been so big ' There is enough space near the keel for a 50-seat film theater where kids can watch a video that tells the story of Noah and his ark. Huibers, a Christian man, said he hopes the project will renew interest in Christianity in the Netherlands, where church going has fallen dramatically in the past 50 years.

I wonder if Johan knew before he under took this project, what type of criticism he would get and how far his testimony of the Bible would be spread by such a project? The article does not tell that he had conflicts, but it is never too far away especially when someone is trying to do good. I would love to travel there and see it. I have to give Johan my respect, for sharing his testimony and beliefs with others. In a world where people are constantly denying the reality of God, I am grateful for someone who would be so bold, so brave and so committed to the mission that he was doing... that he did it any way. If it is true that he did it, to simply share his believes, I would say that in and of it's self is amazing. How many of  us would stand up and share our testimonies of Christ like that?  Yes, it was an amazing story, I hope that many, have been able to enjoy and learn more about the scriptures and about God, because of this man's commitment to this project.

https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/12acb32249ee8c47

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around  you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Maryanne Williamson

"Though our feeling come and go, God's love for us does not."   ~ C.S. Lewis

"People see God every day, they just don't recognize him."  ~Pearl Bailey