We had guests last week. Wendy is from Oregon and her son and daughter-in-law live in Indiana. They were really delightful people and by the time they left, I felt like I had known them all my life.
They had come to see the horses. That is itself makes for a good visit. It was cold then as it is tonight. We invited them in the warm house for coffee and some hot soup. There is nothing like sharing a meal with friends to make a day complete. I had made blueberry muffins and had coffee ready as well as a good pot of bean soup.
Of course the talk was mostly of horses and the horses we had just visited in the barn. It is a really good time when people come and admire one's horses. I was pleased to share pedigrees and accomplishments with them. Wendy was very knowledgeable on the breed and shared her stories of riding. It was a wonderful day.
But when it is all said and done we go back to the barn to feed the horses. The last two days have been terrible winter days. I look out the windows and see the rain falling and it is ice. I remember in January and early February of 2009 that the ice broke power lines and tree limbs and we were without electricity for nine days. So one just has to wonder if that will happen again.
Since then the power company has been here trimming trees back away from the power lines. So hopefully it is taken care of and we will be ok.
It is catch up time. There is a ton of paper work to do. Horses to register. Pictures to take. Papers to fill out and checks to write. It is time consumming but must be done. Soon it will be time once again to pull out all of the cancelled checks and receipts to file taxes. But for right now Christmas is just around the corner and pushing at the door.
Everyone ask the question, "Are you ready for Christmas." This year my daughter and granddaughter decided rather than spend money on each other and buy things none of us need, we would pitch in and buy gifts for soldiers that are overseas and away from home and family for Christmas. I think that was a good idea. I have so much that I really don't know where to put anything else. I have nicknack's that are stored away in boxes in the closet. I don't know what else I could possibly want or need.
But I have been Christmas shopping just the same. At church, we have a Christmas store. The members of the church take a shopping bag home. It has the age range of a boy or girl. We are to spend up to $25 for a child that age. The gifts are then placed in a large area and families can come and shop for their child. It is so much easier than trying to buy a gift for Sam or Sue age 12 or 8 etc. The parent gets to pick three gifts for their child. It was really a great idea that some one had to do it that way.
Our Bible study class has some men who come from prison for Bible study. One of them didn't get to put his children's names on an angle tree soon enough and ask for a little help for his youngsters. The class turned out generously for the family. I am very proud of what our class did for those children.
Our class is a kind generous group of men and women. Recently, we lost a member of our class. One of the members sent out emails to let us all know of his death. Soon Gloria had everyone organized to bring food for the family at the funeral home. Right after that, a member lost his mother. Once again Gloria went to work sending out emails and getting food brought for the family.
We get so wrapped up in what to buy for each other and decorating the house and preparing for a big meal that we can easily forget why we celebrate Christmas. Society has tried its best to take Christ out of Christmas. People get offended by someone saying "Merry Christmas" They have tried to get us to use "Happy Holidays". I am offended that anyone would try to take away my right to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
One of the best celebrations I had this year for Christmas was to go to church with dear friends and see one of their own baptized and profess Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Do you know how much rejoicing there is in Heaven when one of the lost is saved. More than we can imagine. We certainly rejoiced over her new birth and her husband's re-dedication of his life to Jesus.
As I write this the dogs are all over the house sleeping. I think my house has surely gone to the dogs. I have been allowing Mike and Natalie's dogs to come in to my house until one of them gets home from work. It is so bitter cold outside and they are more used to staying inside. So Erica is asleep on the couch. I lost that battle and I now just put an old quilt on the couch to save it from dog hair. Tex is at the foot of the bed sleeping on a rug and Cassie is sleeping out in the sun room. It is one of those nights out that Steve will allow his dog to come into the house.
God has blessed me with a nice home. The furnace is running and seems to never cut off but it keeps the house warm and we are comfortable. I sometimes just take it all for granted. Warm place to live in the winter. Cool house in the summer. Warm clothes to dress in to go to the barn. Warm socks and shoes. We have a little heater in the feed room and when we go in the feed room is nice. We can go in to warm up a little from the cold barn. I get into my truck to drive to the barn. It is warm. God has blessed me so abundantly.
If I did not have any of those things in life, I would still be blessed because Jesus died on the cross to cover my sins. If I could do enough good works to get to heaven on my own, Jesus would not have had to die the terrible death he died. But I can not do enough good or be good enough. I am blessed because I have been saved by grace through the precious blood of Jesus Christ my Lord.
St Paul was content where ever he was because he had the assurance of his salvation. So I will be content with whatever God chooses to bless me with. Where ever I am.
God bless and keep you in his loving care. May you pause to reflect on what Christmas is really about.
Regards
Mary
By grace are you saved through faith, not of yourselves, lest any man should boast.
Romans
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