It's been a while...for a lot of things!

December 2012 has nearly knocked me down.

Yes, I had a lovely Christmas with my family in person and enjoyed many phone conversations with daughter Libby and her family and my sisters and their families far away, but through it all my heart ached.  The ache was always there, just underneath my happiness and gratefulness for my many blessings.

Dear, special friends lost loved ones this month.  Sam and her precious girls are forever without Abe.  He left us quietly and suddenly.  Cinda and her family lost her Dad.  He left us fighting the good fight.  He really was that Timex watch!  So many more of you have struggled with family members in and out of hospitals and rehabs.  So many prayers for so many people and that's what binds us all together.  But like many of you, Newtown, Connecticut, broke my heart.  I continue to pray for the entire town and especially the families who lost loved ones.  Those sweet little faces are forever imprinted upon my heart as well as the adults who gave their lives hoping to save others.  God bless them all.

God has been on Facebook a lot lately.  Have you noticed?  I'm not sure how I get these posts, what I did or "liked" or didn't "like" or became a friend with someone else but several times a day I receive posts from "GodVine", "Walk with Jesus", or "Let's join forces as Christians..."!  Do you get these too?  Someone will probably respond to this post and tell me the people behind these postings are in some far-reaching country baiting me to give them my social security or credit card number!  But I like these sites and the thoughts or the music they provide.  (Now someone reading this is thinking I'm some old and lonely woman with nothing to do!  Not so!)  I believe along with many of you that every time the Lord enters our lives, it's a good thing!  I hope he is always popping up in front of me...and you too!

And here we are on the eve of 2013.  Seems like just yesterday, it was the eve of 2011, and I was completely astounded I had survived 6 months without HC Baker.  And now I have survived 2011 and 2012!  As I reflect (oh boy!), I have made a few decisions that should have required a bit more thought, but all in all, I have survived.  My family has stood by me through it all (TR Baker literally some days), and made sure I landed on my feet.  Some friends have become dearer while others have drifted away.  And I have wonderful new friends.  Life goes on and it's only better or worse because of what we do.

I'm not much for "resolutions" but I do absolutely love to count my blessings.

I am grateful for my family.  Libby, Emily and TR Baker make my life happy.  I am blessed to watch them live their lives.  Brett Lindgren is the best son-in-law in the world!  And of course, I have the most perfect 6 grandchildren ever born!

I am grateful for my sisters, Linda and Mary.  They too are always looking out for me!  And I am excitedly grateful Linda is a cancer survivor!!!!  And their families are a blessing to me too...Bill, Joseph and Seamus!

I am grateful for terrific cousins who even though we do not see each other very often, we certainly do love each other.  When needed, just call and we'll get there!  

I am grateful I have amazing friends who are like family to me.  We are always praying for each other and each other's families.  We have weathered many storms and are in the midst of some of those storms right now.  And still praying!

I am grateful that regardless of our political affiliation, we all CAN AND MUST pray for our country and realize whatever happens we still live in the best country in the world.  We are FREE (even if it is expensive to be free - shut-up Jo Ann)!

And I am grateful the Lord blesses each of us every day.

I saw an interesting post on facebook the other day, and I'm gonna' do this.  The post suggested we start the new year with an empty jar and as the year progresses, we fill the jar with notes about the good things that happen to us throughout the year.  Just imagine this time next year...won't we be havin' fun?

I love each of you!  Happy New Year!  2013...come on down!  xxoo    

        

What I Want for Christmas

It's simple...

I want President Obama and Senator Baynor to come to my home for a visit.  I have plenty of room for them to spend the night because I think we'll need more than a few hours to talk.  I'll be happy to cook for them while they sit in the kitchen and listen to me.  And I need them to explain to me why they can't compromise and avoid the cliff.  Have they not noticed the word "promise" in compromise?  We have all learned to compromise.  We do it with our spouse, our children, our friends, our supervisors, the people and companies we do business with everyday, and ourselves.  The only person we cannot compromise with is our God.  We know what he asks, what's expected of us, and we work hard to accomplish it.  We are his servants.  As elected officials, aren't President Obama and Senator Baynor our servants?  Don't we pay their salaries?  Don't they take orders from us?  I am comfortable as I speak for most of us...we are all afraid of the direction our country is headed, we are all afraid of the status of our families lives, we are all afraid for our children and grandchildren's futures, and the list goes on.  I know I'm not politically smart.  I know I don't understand how the stock market works.  I know I need to pay more attention to my own personal fiscal status.  But I do know I don't spend money I don't have!  I vote in the hopes of my voice being heard.  Unfortunately I really wonder if my vote makes a difference any more.  So here's what I am going to do.  I'm going to put a home made sign in my front yard today that says in huge letters PLEASE PRESIDENT OBAMA AND SENATOR BAYNOR!  I think everyone who passes by will understand.  I'm also going to post it on my fb "wall".  I have some friends who will understand.  I love the United States of America.  I am blessed to have been born in this country.  I am proud to be an American citizen.  The US Constitution is a very important document to me.  I honestly believe there are a lot of elected officials who have totally lost sight of our country's best interests.  This isn't about your political party or who won the election or personal egos.  It is what it is, we've got who we've got.  This is about people.  "We, the people".

Help me understand...

I once thought the older you got, the easier it was to understand things.  Did I hear that or dream it or what?  Just a week ago we celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday and I know all of us were thankful for the many blessings God has given us and we told Him that day just like we tell him every day.  I believe myself to be a pretty good christian and do spend more and more time in prayer every day.  I never pretended to understand everything but I'd just like to understand a few things.  And I wonder if I'll get the answers to my questions once I leave this earth and hopefully am blessed to live forever in the Kingdom of our Lord?  So here's the question I need help with today.  Why do wonderful people die and bad people continue to walk this earth?

I received a call from dear friend Jack Saturday morning telling me one of my very special friend's son-in-law had passed away Friday of a massive heart attack.  Abe was 41 years old.  He was married to beautiful Samantha or Sam as most of us call her, and father to absolutely precious twin girls.  The family was getting ready to have an incredible Christmas celebrating not only the birth of our Savior but the final paperwork that will complete the adoption of the princess twins.  

As soon as I got off the phone with Jack I started to pray.  My prayer began, "Dear Lord, I'm having a problem with this."  My prayer continued of course asking Him to surround Sam and the girls and the entire family and stay with them and stay with them and stay with them helping them to understand what has happened (because I can't believe I'm the only one wondering).  And I also know it's pretty normal to have these questions.  Been there, done that!  

But we are saved by His grace and it's our faith in Him that keeps us trusting in His decisions, His timetable, His love.  

It's not easy though, is it?  Please pray for Sam and the sweet girls.  

Thanks for listening!