Sunday, December 05, 2010

much...

Much on my mind tonight... and my gratitude list continues...
... decorating the tree last night found these fragile glass balls ... given to us on April 23, 1994.  Precious and fragile... protected and cherished.  Thus it is with my marriage... the marriage I often take for granted could just as easily shatter in a zillion pieces as these glass balls could.  Tonight I am so very thankful for a marriage that has withstood storms and gales and a man who puts up with a very messy me.
...joy in the journey.  For the first time in 41 years, I went to cut down a Christmas tree and for the first time in 11 years, we don't have an artificial tree in our living room.  The joy was in the journey driving to a tree farm aptly named Kreiter's singing carols along with the radio and enjoying the moment... the joy came after a morning where this mom was anything but joyful and actually prayed "LORD, I need some joy because I can't seem to find it anywhere".
... Christmas decorating takes on a whole new meaning with big people around.  I watched in awe as my children set up our winter village over our kitchen cupboards, strung lights, carried up boxes, put boxes away, hung ornaments, etc. all without my help.  Very enjoyable, I might add!
... so thankful for the things that I so most take for granted... like internet at home.  After several days of schlepping all to a free wi-fi spot to work on Christmas gifts, I am once again grateful for working internet at home.

and adding more...

... listening to my new sister in Christ, Katie, tell me her redemption story today
... a God who gently peels and then heals layer after layer in my sinfully damaged heart
... a family who forgives me again and again
... a day with a friend
... a reminder of the incredible friends that I have been blessed with
... a God who challenges me and stretches me beyond what I think I can handle and handles it for me
... a life that looks NOTHING like the life I envisioned I would live where I have been stretched and changed beyond recognition... sometimes
... snow... beautiful, beautiful snow!
... the joy and giggles of sledding children right outside my kitchen window
... the wonderment of God coming as a baby to be "God with us"
... another Advent season to celebrate with my family

#251-#265 in my pursuit of 1000 Gifts.

6 comments:

  1. What beautiful glass ornaments! I hope to be able to take my daughter to cut down a Christmas tree some day. I have fond memories of doing that with my Dad and sister.

    For now, we'll just happily put up our fake tree. ;) It is completely different when the kids get old enough to take on some (or all) of the decorating.

    Have a blessed day!

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  2. You have a wonderful list . . . and I, too am so thankful for a God who heals my own damaged heart and for a life that looks nothing like what I imagined, but what I need.

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  3. Heidi,
    How thankful I am, too, sweet friend, for a husband who puts up with and loves a very messy "me." What joy in cutting down your own tree and to have those big helping hands decorate it. I've been blessed by reading your list!

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  4. A real tree???

    Love the photos of the tree cutting down, we went to a really cool tree farm called Lowes this year:)

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  5. We got a real tree this year too. We haven't had a real one in like 7 years. I think the older my kids become, the more fun Christmas is too. They are now playing Christmas carols on the piano, singing along with the songs, really wanting to give presents to each other. It is great!

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  6. What a beautiful list! I love those glass ornaments, and they do look fragile. Yes, life is like that. Sometimes it does shatter into a million pieces, and you think you can never put your life back together. Then God goes and puts more fire on you. What the heck?! And then suddenly you realize that you're whole again, and that you're more beautiful than ever. It's a miracle, and you realize that the pain wasn't wasted.

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Thank you for your kind words!