My New Favorite Pictures of Zion

Since Gary did not include these pictures on our Christmas card I am just going to post them here! Isn't he adorable? :?)

Family Time Christmas Traditions

One of our more recent traditions has been to add communion to our time together on Christmas Eve. Three years ago my Dad led that time in a good old Nazarene traditional way as you can see by the use of the manual in his hands. Two years ago Jonathan led it. I didn't get pictures that year. Jonathan had us do our communion in the dark...like the early Christians probably had to do it...in hiding. Last year I led it at the dinner table having each one pray for the person to their right as he/she served the person to her/his right. I believe Jeremy will be in charge of this this year. This has come to have great meaning in our home. I know I want to make sure all is clear between the Lord and I so that I can partake of this with a clear mind!
*May this Christmas be one you experience a clear and free relationship with God!*

LOVE

Was not Jesus an extremist for LOVE?...So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.
*Martin Luther King

Oh Be Careful Little Mouth What You Speak

Because those little ears hear what you say!
Even though I don't teach a parenting class anymore I always seem to be on the lookout for additional lessons to be added.
Recently I have been thinking about how young children mirror what they hear. If we are mad at the pastor...They don't like him. If we are mad at their teacher and have bad things to say about the teacher...it gives them the right to disrespect the teacher. If Mom has bad things to say about Dad...The kids have bad things to say about Dad. Hmm...Usually they defend Mom if Dad has something bad to say about Mom. That needs to be studied! :?) Maybe it is true that the greatest gift a dad can give his children is to love their mom! As I was holding my grandbaby after his dedication I was wondering how much of what happened in that service was already having an impact on him. How much of our googooing and gagaing is already having an impact over him? I remember rocking and rocking his daddy and singing over and over the list of people who loved him dearly. Did that give him any confidence as he grew older. Who knows! I do think we need to be aware of what comes out of our mouths in front of our children. They are affected by it. Read scripture to them! Tell them about how good God is!
My parents never gossiped about any of our friends in front of us(probably not behind us either) so that we got to enjoy all the adults in our lives. Even those my parents weren't to excited about. Thank you Mom and Dad!
If your church is looking for a good parenting course I recommend www.biblicalparenting.org

Why Do I come Here?

OK, So this is not exactly my favorite picture! I am not sure which one of my kids took this while I was having my private time with Father while we were in Bend at Jonathan and Sandy's last year. However, I was going to post a beautiful scenery picture to go with this post, but I decided this fit with what I want to post today. Following are two songs that have touched me today. They are on an album by Monty Poe Lover of My Soul

Why do I come here, why am I always in this place. I've become lost in, catching a glimpse of Your sweet face. I hear You knocking at the door. I'm fascinated by You more and more. The fragrance of Your Love is sweet. The melody You sing is stirring me. Just when I think it's time to rest my weary soul, You stir the fire again. Just when I feel my lovesick heart will settle down, I see Your face again! And oh the way You say my name Like a Song of Songs, a true lover's refrain. Come away, come away my love. Come away, fly with me, my dove. Come away, lift your voice and sing. Come away, come away with Me.

Here I am, standing at the altar, waiting in Your presence. Falling down, seeking the Face of the God Who created me. Deep calls to deep, there's a crying, deep in me. I have come, driven by desire, Your Love's a fire drawing me, into the depths of love like I've never seen. I just don't understand what You see in me. You are the Life, pouring over me just like a Waterfall of Love, filling all that lacks in me. You speak the secrets of my heart. So I sing the wonders of Your Love.

Our Visit to San Diego

I have tried to load these pictures several times the last few days and finally today they load!!!

I wish we could have gotten a picture of the little old man on the bike from in front! He had shorts and a suit coat and as you can see long socks and nice shoes. Soooo cute. At the same time we were watching an elderly lady pull herself up from sitting on the beach with her walker and walk into the sea with that walker to enjoy sunset. I think Gary got pictures of her.

We went to Balboa Park. I want to go back and spend several days there! There were many massive trees. We were there at night. I want to go back in the daytime. It is a very interesting place.

Our kids did a great job planning our time there. We watched a movie on this ship's sail! Great Movie Sandy! (yeah, right!) :?)


The Mormon Temple was inspiring. You have to have special qualifications to go inside, but we enjoyed going around the outside!

Unique Art Created Just For Me!

Just think, Jeremy created this just for me! I love flowers and am sad when the cold weather sets in and I have to cut back all the frozen plants outside! Thank-you Jeremy. I am enjoying this!