December 6, 2012

Six days into the month of December and I've got nothing, except a very full plate.  It seems my health is on the mend--I'm finally feeling better but then a tooth decided to abscess.  It will get taken care of tomorrow. . .sigh.  A week ago tomorrow, I got a call that my right hand woman during Ernie's ordeal had broken her shoulder.  It is painful and my mom is not used to not being on the go.  Should make for an interesting six to eight weeks. My poor mom: (

In better news: Ernie got the thumbs up to drive.  My chauffeuring days are over (thank God).  I'm going to let him get right back in the hang of things by letting him drive to Janessa's appointment with her orthopedist tomorrow at UCLA.  Another long car drive, I'm sure she is going to love it.  I kid. . .Also, Ernie will start some occupational therapy next week closer to home!!  He also was fitted for some compression gloves--these he will need to wear for six months to a year to help with the graphs staying smooth. . .He is looking so good he may be able to return to light duty in the next two weeks or so. . .God is GOOD!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here.  The decorations are minimal , but it feels good to be so centered on Christ's birth and joyfully giving versus trying to make everything look so perfect.  Because let's face it:  no matter how hard I try, perfect doesn't exist.  I'm at this point where my life is a perfect, beautiful disaster.  And I'm thanking God for it.  All of it. Seriously.  My heart still overflows with gratitude because He knows what I can handle and He is good to dole it out a little at a time so I don't become completely and totally unglued.  I may have had a moment where I cried to my mom, but it was just a moment and the day wore on in all its glory.  A meal was delivered for dinner every night this week, and my dad made one of the drives to LA where I got to be a passenger, and people helped out in getting my kids since my mom can't. . .and I may have conversed with a couple friends from my internet bible study world who showed their realness and  lent an ear or a dish, or a prayer. . . blessing, upon blessing, upon blessing, I tell you!

And as the Christmas season approaches, I just want to be still and feel His presence in my life.  I want to hear Him speak words of life and love so I can then utter them to others.  I want to do--because that is what love does.  Tis the season to put it in action.  Love.  

We've written to Santa, decorated envelopes to pass out to the needy, colored nativity scenes to deliver to homes that display them in their front yards, strung lights in a certain boy's bedroom because he was disappointed daddy couldn't get outside to hang them this year. We're reading and discussing our Advent devotional from Dayspring and counting down the days until Christmas with a fun little activity and random acts of kindness.  We made Christmas bark with friends, our nativity set gets played with and moved about daily, and our advent wreath is lit after dinner each night to reflect and enjoy.

And it's only December 6th.  Most importantly, we are together.  We may have had a rough November. . .a couple bumps in the road, but we will always remember the miracles that transformed us during this season of waiting for the celebration of His birth.  We are blessed.