looking back at 2009

I just took this picture.
If you look right in the center you can see the Cockspur lighthouse.
It was sixty five delightful degrees today.

So quickly this last year went by.
How merciful God has been to us.

The most important aspect of examining a used up year is to ask yourself these questions;
"Have I grown spiritually in the last 12 months?"
"Have my trials made me stronger?
"Do I crave God's word more and more?
"Am I more content in Him than ever before?"

The answer is yes, a hundred times yes.

I don't know of any other year that has tested me more.....
and these trials have produced in me a deep and abiding trust in my Savior.

The one thing in all my life that I dreaded and feared more than anything else was that my earthly father would reject me. I always did and said exactly what he wanted because that gave me security that he would never cut me off. Two years ago he did reject me because I began to stand up to him. He decided to hate my husband and make life unbearable for both of us. My sister joined him in this crusade and it stands until this day.

He was given a chance to end this a couple of months ago when we made a brief appearance together before my pastor, but he got up and ran out of the meeting.

He sent us a Christmas card with a gift a few days before Christmas.
I called him Christmas morning, thanked him, and told him that I love him.
He said he loves me too.

I've done all I can do.
When he ran out of the meeting, I knew that I would not pursue him again.
Maybe one day he will pick up the phone and restore fellowship with us.

I pray for dad and my sister and her husband daily....
that's all I know to do.
Her betrayal of Bubba and I in this matter is grievous beyond measure.
To this very hour I cannot comprehend why they would do this to us.

The good news is that the above situation has brought us to a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus Christ than if we had never gone through this agonizing time.

I thank Him for allowing us to go through this trial for the spiritual benefit it has brought to us and all of our family.

Praise to God on the eve of the brand new year.

Off to eat shrimp and oysters with friends at the church.
Cathy

blue moon

December 31, 2009 is New Year's Eve.
It is also the night that there will be a brilliant blue moon in the sky.

What is a blue moon?
Well, it has nothing to do with it's color.
A blue moon is the second full moon in a month.
There was a blue moon on December 2nd.

The last time there was a blue moon on New Year's Eve was in 1990.
The next one will be in the year 2028.

I've mentioned before that I am always studying the things in the sky......
mysterious and beautiful things that God hung there with His hands.

I love this time after Christmas.
Everything slows down and there is peace and rest in my heart.
Christmas went well and everyone went home happy.
Nothing much to do now......nowhere to go....no time pressure.
Plenty of time to relax, pray, read, and do whatever comes along.

I had a nice visit with Aunt Dottie at the nursing home today.
She seems better.....more alert, more content.
I am glad. She is working hard in therapy.

"and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."
Acts 5: 40 ~ 42

I read the above this morning.
It warrants sharing with you.

cc

christmas dinner

the children's table

amanda is thrilled by all the good food

happy eaters

still didn't get harry in the picture

daughter and mother

rita and mitch brought fantastics gifts for the kids and it was santa all over again

eli with mitch

lucy reading her new book

the toy huddle

what joy you two brought!

~

That's our Christmas folks.

It was one of the best ever.....

filled with love and kindness and the precious grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

cathy

update

Okay....I just got home and had dinner.

I still haven't talked to my doctor.
I didn't have to have the mri so that must be a good sign.
I have had a persistent cough since early September when I had the swine flu.
Something showed up on my lung on the last xrays and this was a follow-up.
Thanks for all the inquiries.

I will rest a little and then get the Christmas pictures on.......
I promise.

cathy

delay

I will get the rest of the Christmas pictures on later today.
I got into a movie last night and was too tired to download after it ended.
Please pray as I am going to have a third chest x-ray and possible mri at 10:00.

cathy

christmas morning

before the opening (Amanda got hot and had to roll her pants leg up)

first glimpse

christmas morning brunch

" thomas the train" table

Lucy and her new doll chloe

the setting

hard at play

bubba opening his new shoes

amanda got a "Toy" watch.....(Sandra Bulloch wore one in the movie Blindside)

the morning is well under way...

more pictures later....

cathy

Christmas Eve #3 (the story)

Jake ~ Joseph / Lucy ~ Mary / Harry ~ Shepherd / Eli ~ Angel

the angels lit up the sky

barefoot shepherds

beautiful Mary

gazing into the sky at the star

this is very serious

"And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 6:7

Please be sure to see all of the Christmas Eve pictures that I've posted today.

I will do Christmas tomorrow.

christmas eve #2 (the faces)

Don't miss the pictures I've already posted today.

Stay tuned for the ones yet to come.

cathy

christmas eve #1 (the eating)

It is the general consensus of all of us "older" folks that we just can't eat what we used to.

Christmas eve #2 coming in a little while....

blessed

The ten of us a little while ago.
It was a most wonderful Christmas.
Just got the little boys in bed.
Went from 6:00 am until just now non-stop.
Pictures of Christmas Eve and today.....tomorrow.

cathy

Merry Christmas 2009

It's almost time for Santa to come......
the magic is in the air.
David is preaching our service tonight,
most of the family will be there.
After we sing and praise the Lord........
we will gather to celebrate.

We are all filled with the wonder Christmas,
May yours be wonder-filled too.

In Christ,
Bubba & Cathy

after some last minute.....

Christmas shopping, three of us came home to crash.
Jake and Eli are in the bed sleeping and I am blogging.
How wonderful it is to have all of my family together.
Life doesn't get much better than this.

I need to be cooking and wrapping.....so many last minute things to do.
I love Christmas for the sheer frenzy life takes on.
No other time of year compares with this.

Tonight the ten of us are gathering at Wiley's for some of the best bar b que in Savannah.
We tried it for the first time last week and it is truly delicious.
It's where Papa's used to be in case you were wondering.
After dinner we will all pile into the vans and go looking at Christmas decorations around town ending up at Starbucks or the Dairy Queen according to what inspires at the time.

This morning while driving into town I got to hear my favorite argument between Jake and Eli.
"She's my grammy....No! she's my grammy."
Music to my ears as it escalates into a full fledged shouting match.

Merry Christmas my love......
c

everybody's partying

Tonight we celebrated with Estelle to honor her birthday.

Bubba made spaghetti.

She got her red velvet cake.

We had a grand old time....every one of us.