How we are celebrating this time of year

It had been my goal last December to celebrate entirely the Festival of Lights this year.  But we are finding our seeking of YHWH and His ways to be much slower than I'd anticipated.  Yet, we are moving forward to a fuller understanding of Scripture.

This year, for us, we've pared down.  The santas are gone from our decorations, as are all glass balls from the tree.  To my T.O. friends, don't laugh, but we have only German Handcrafted ornaments up this year. We did throw away the last of my hand painted eggs and Ishtar bunny linen John had put in the holiday decoration bins.  We'd considered saving them for our children for their future, but after looking at them again over Thanksgiving weekend, they had to go.

I spent years stitching the family's Christ-mas stockings and we've elected to hang them on the mantle this year.  Its a tenderness in our family between all of us that means a great deal.  I'm thinking of other ways we could use them in our home throughout the year as the children grow.

We continue to seek nothing but Truth in our home and have enjoyed a few of Jim Staley's sermons this year.  Especially the one on Threshold Covenant.  Powerful stuff.  It's been ruminating in John's heart and I enjoy seeing John lead our family.

So this year, we are taking a long weekend vacation!  I can't say where we are going as it's still a surprise for the kids, but they are all going to love it.  For now, they think we are going to WA state to dig Yukon Gold Potatoes during a 2 hour super window we have for free potatoes from coupons this year I've collected.  It's been a great teaser the last couple of weeks and kept our minds on being together as the most important and not the commercialization of spending money in December.

YHWH continues to bless us and provide so many daily miracles and all of our Hope is found in HIM.

Here are a few ways that we continue to count our blessings and realize that ALL is GRACE.

Lyndsay passed level 3 in nursing school and is truly on tap to graduate this May!  Bring on level 4!

All charges dismissed against our beloved prodigal.  We are done with the court system after 30 months of attorneys and judges and probation officers!!

SATs and ACTs taken, Girl Scout giggles, family pictures for the first time in years, making home made pie crusts, pumpkin-butterscotch cookies, morning glory cookies, blueberry muffins warm, new computers, retirement planning, hugs of reunion, iPhone-FINALLY!, growing children, successful school semester at home, Precept Bible Studies that reveal Sukkot in my heart when the rain ruins the celebration this year, planning for the future with John, only 8 more years of homeschooling ahead, girlfriends growing in YHWH with me, cards in the mail, taking a meal, receiving a meal, new bread recipes, baptism desires for one of my children and girlfriends who pray for my heart to absorb all He has for me when I don't know how to-ALL of those prayers have been answered-THANK YOU!

So much to be grateful for.  So much to praise Him for.  So many ways we are blessed.  Have a great long weekend.  I'll post pics on Tues.

Shalom!