christmas | Living Life

The Christmas Gift

by dadams8105

Today as I was pondering Christmas I had a whole new revelation of what it really means; The story from start to finish. We tend to think of Christmas being about Mary giving birth to the tiny baby Jesus and how the Wisemen followed the star and brought gifts. How the family had to flee from Herod and all of that. But that is only the start. Now, as a mom whose children have died and gone to Heaven, I see so much more clearly how real Christmas is and the heart of God in it.

Jesus was born with an eternal purpose. He would live about 33 years, have a huge ministry and yet suffer everything imaginable and unimaginable and finally be killed.
I wonder on this day how God must have felt… All the joy any parent feels when a child is born and so much more because He knew a way was being made for mankind… The ultimate gift to the world… A world that God loved dearly.

I can also feel what God must have felt as Jesus was in the garden praying that this wouldn’t happen yet also surrendering to His Father’s will. Oh the emotions God must have felt as Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, the soldiers coming at Jesus and taking Him away to be tried. Just think how we feel at the mere thought of someone making fun of our kids, beating up on them, spitting on them, mocking them, etc.

Through many tears as I was missing our girls this evening, I thought about our loving Father watching all of that happen to his Son who lived a perfect blameless life. At any moment, even when He was pierced and bleeding, hanging and dying on that rugged splintered cross with the nails in His hands and feet, God could have stopped it. But Instead He forsake His only Son. Oh the tears, the grief, the agony that God felt as He watched this happen and saw Jesus laid in the tomb.

Why would a loving God let this happen to his Son? Because God so loved the world and He knew Jesus’ shed blood and death was the ONLY way that we could be saved from everlasting damnation. The Bible says the wages of sin (and all of us have sinned) is death, but THE GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ!
Jesus rose again 3 days later and sealed the victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave. Hallelujah!

When someone gives us a gift it is up to us to accept or reject it. Jesus has given you and me the gift of salvation. I accepted this gift when I was 12 years old. Today He stands at the door of your heart and is knocking. He has a gift for you. Will you accept it? I hope so!

To accept means to ask Jesus to come into your life, to tell him you know you have done things that aren’t pleasing to Him, and to agree to turn away from those things. Ask Jesus to wash you, to be your Savior. And He will!

I hope you find this Christmas gift today and take hold if it and never let Him go! Jesus is the gift of Christmas!
Merry CHRISTmas!!

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Friends, Love, and Christmas

by dadams8105

It’s so funny how one day can leave you feeling down and discouraged because it seems everything hits at once. On the other hand the next day can be filled with so many blessings!. Total opposites. That’s how the last few days have been. The past two days have just been amazing, to say the least.

Yesterday a couple of kids from the neighborhood who were great friends with our daughters came over to bring by a present for Richard and I, and we also had a little something for them. Mat opened his box with excitement to discover the Zip Track from Discovery Toys. He loved it! Maggie received an owl backpack that belonged to Emmarie. I had given it to her just last Christmas. But since she never really had a chance to use it, it was like brand-new. Maggie had asked for it several times throughout this year. But I kept saying no because I knew I was going to surprise her with it at Christmas.

Before they had finished unwrapping their presents, our friends Martha and John came over and brought us some yummy Christmas goodies and other stuff – gifts straight from the heart. Such precious people. We love them and have enjoyed getting to know them since the accident.

My friend Dawn came and we went grocery shopping. So we had fun visiting and shopping. We got back to my house just in time for a group of carolers from Living Truth Fellowship who came to sing beautiful Christmas songs to us. There must have been 20 or so kids and their parents! Words can’t really describe how special this was to hear those precious children singing about Jesus’ birth. Richard and I were very blessed and touched, to say the least.

My friends Kristie and Jessica had been trying to get over this way from Dallas to go see lights and have dinner, but it didn’t work. So I had decided it wasn’t going to happen and was OK with it. I knew we would find a time to meet up at some point after all. Looking at lights isn’t much fun to Richard because he can’t see them that much, but it’s the tradition that he enjoys and the time together with family and friends.

Anyway, it all worked out about the lights and dinner because Mike and Angie had texted me earlier yesterday to see if we wanted to do that!! So after the carolers left, we drove around the Country Club area and looked at the beautiful homes and lights and had dinner at El Chico. I hadn’t been to El Chico in a while. The fajitas were as excellent as always! And the best part of course was catching up and spending time with each other.

Now that is what I call a busy day but an awesome day!

So today Kristie and Jessica were able to come over and visit for a couple of hours. We always laugh and have a good time when we get together, and today was no different! Kristie is determined to help me with getting some needed services. I’ll write about that at another time!

And now, another sweet friend is on her way over as I type!

All I can say is that we are so incredibly blessed to have such great friends who care about us and went way out of their way to make sure we have a Merry Christmas. And I’d have to say that we are already doing just that! I don’t think our family time on Wednesday can top the joy and love we have felt the lat two days. I don’t mean that in a negative way against family. We will just have an extended celebration!

All the while in the back of my head I keep thinking that I cannot imagine what Christmas in Heaven is like, but I know it must be beautiful. I bet they have a “white Christmas” simply from the holiness of God and the purity of everything, from the glory flowing out from Jesus himself. Merry Christmas sweet angels Emmarie and Chloe. We love you bunches!

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Strolling Down Memory Lane

by dadams8105

I had the pleasure of a great friend coming to visit on Saturday. Each month since my coming home from the hospital, she has come and we have had a project to work on for the day. Sometimes other mutual friends accompany her. We always have fun and get things done! Saturday our project was to take picture frame Christmas ornaments and put pictures of the girls in them. It has been her tradition each year since the girls were born to send one of these ornaments for each of the girls. I just had not taken time to add the pictures. I’m not overly talented at crafty stuff and time was so short.

As we went through pictures on the computer we found some that were perfect to crop, cut, and insert into the ornaments. This was so much fun because it let us both look back at past events and activities with Emmarie and Chloe. Oh how I miss them! But how sweet it was to have a good friend to go with me down Memory Lane!

This year’s ornament, which she actually purchased last year, is 2 angels. In the past the ornaments would be different; like a penguin and snowman. But last year she bought 2 angels!! I think this is far beyond coincidence! I’ll keep taking strolls like these until I meet them on the streets of gold!

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It’s The Season!

by dadams8105

Wow! What a variety of emotions the past two days have brought! Several friends have come over and helped on many ways. They’ve helped put up and decorate our tree, went to doctor’s office , grocery store, and pharmacy to bring us stuff so we don’t have to brave the incoming wintry weather. And some just came by for a visit.

You know that Christmas is filled with rich memories of years past. The hanging of ornaments is always a time to remember events and people associated with them. I held up well through the tree decorating . Most of the ornaments are related to work events and gift exchanges and a few given by family. What got me was the angel that sits atop the tree. Emmarie and Chloe picked it out last year. And I just couldn’t help but cry just thinking about how special it is and how it feels like a gift from them.

Then we were listening to Christmas music and this song with lyrics, “Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and take us to heaven to live with Thee there.” A flood of tears just flowed as I sang these words! For I know they are with Jesus and I’m on my way there too… Oh the day of that happy reunion!

The Season is young and many more emotions and memories are to come in this the last of the “firsts” without them.

Let us not forget that Jesus is the Reason we celebrate Christmas. My tree will be pretty bare underneath this year. But it’s okay… because He is here!

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