Award Winning Poem

Congratulations to Katherine for winning the Young Author's Contest for her grade two years in a row. Last year it was a story about spending a week with Jesus. This year, a Christmas poem that I would like to share with all of you.

Merry people
Exciting carolers
Really special holiday
Ready to open presents
You better go to sleep on Christmas Eve!

Christ Jesus was born.
Ho Ho Ho!
Rudolph
Interesting gifts
Snowflakes falling
Trust in God
Many surprises
A Secret Santa
Saint Nick


Katherine promises her daddy that it is a poem even if it does not rhyme.

Naughty or Nice List

As the cousins gathered at their Nana & Pop's house for a Christmas card picture, a knock sounded at the door. The sarcastic children declare, "It's Santa Claus." Much to their surprise it was Santa Claus himself! He came through the front door for fear of a fire and had many stories to entertain about his reindeer and Mrs. Claus. However, the most interesting stories were those he had for each of the fair cousins. He seemed to know each of them by name, as well as their good - and bad - deeds! It was all laughter as he called them each out and declared their areas for improvement. It seemed to have occurred in a flash when Mrs. Claus called the house to summon him home and reprimand him for his lateness. After he left, the children gathered for one more group picture, and they each had the strangest expression on their face (except Rebecca, who slept through it all). These children were not excited, but scared to death. How on earth could they ever make the good list if he really did know them?

This calls to question a thought for us all as we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus. Let us all take the time to reflect that we will have to answer one day for all we have done. I expect not one of us will be blameless. The birth of Jesus Christ led to the sacrifice of the one without fault, for you. It is only through him that we will ever make the nice list. Take a minute to reflect, for there is much more at stake than a present on Christmas morn. There is eternity to consider. What will your response be when your imperfections are brought to judgement?

All I Want for Christmas

I never have been one to receive gifts well. My responses are always so awkward that the person giving the gift has surely regretted it. Perhaps this is because I do not typically want tangible gifts. The same is true now more than ever. There is nothing that I want that someone can purchase or make. This year, I can honestly say there is only one thing that I want for Christmas. This is a gift that only my Heavenly Father can grant. I want my Rebecca to be healed. I recognize that this is a loaded request. I want her to stop hurting and suffering. I want to see her smile. Perhaps I have not updated the website because I want to share the positive with you. However, there has been no change for Rebecca, which actually makes it worse. She is almost 8 months old and has lost her ability to track objects with her eyes and her ability to look at others. We have yet to see any purposeful movement for her. Her brain is not growing, and her seizures and spasms are not stopping. A recent increase in medication is hoped to improve her condition, but it has not as of yet. I expect we will be adding yet another medication for her in January to help ease her suffering and to hopefully stop her seizures. Her doctors give us the expectation for her to function somewhere within the severe to profound range of retardation. Translation, she may never do many simple things such as sit up. For example, right now her "mental age" is that of less than a one month old baby, so she is not expect to do anything that a 1 month old can do. This is why she appears so young to most who see her. I paint a bleak picture intentionally. She was dead for a minimum of 15 minutes, much likely for a lot longer in utero. The doctors expect very little from her. It is a miracle that she is able to eat, and she has been able to eat baby food as well as take a bottle. Everything she does is a direct result of God's grace. Anything she is ever able to do will continue to be a direct result of God's grace. Please continue to pray for this mother's deepest wish. For God is not confined by the parameters of this physical world and all things are possible through Him. May you each feel the full weight of your blessings this Christmas season.