Blessed and very much so!

We spent Christmas week with my side of the family at Mom and Dad's house.  It was wonderful.  It was a bit loud at times, because there were two babies, one toddler, a 3 1/2 year old and a 5 year old--not to mention the rest of us who are very capable of being noisy ourselves, but it was marvelous! :)  I am so incredibly grateful for my family.  We are not perfect, but we work at loving each other perfectly.  And while I know it is not Thanksgiving.  I feel like I have so much to be thankful for.  Here's my list of reasons why:

They love me inspite of all of my idiosyncrasies:

I wish I weren't so sensitive to noisy, chaotic events.  

I wish I didn't tend to be so blunt sometimes.

I wish I was a little less "driver's seat" and a little more "ride in the back and enjoy the show".

They encourage me: 

How wonderful to receive encouragement about healing, about how I've dealt with the whole "surgery for the 3rd time" thing.  

What a blessing to receive encouragement from my mom and sisters about being a mom that desires to do the best that the Lord can enable me to do.

They challenge me: 

Thanks, Mom, for the shared challenge of reading through the Bible this year together. 

Even on this busy week, my folks still had their time at the YMCA, and Stan still jogged. Thanks for setting the example and challenging us without saying a word.

They inspire me: 

Dad, I so enjoyed your sermon Sunday--I want to allow Jesus' story of love to be reflected through my life. 

And how absolutely inspiring it was to stand on the lawn in the back yard and watch you open the package that had your soon-to-be-published book inside, Dad!  

Abby & Andy, talk about two persons who are living lives that inspire!  We are so proud of you and we are inspired as you serve your Corp.  

Will, if working the Olympics in China this summer isn't inspiring, I don't know what is! I'm so proud of you for achieving that goal and I am always amazed at how much you know and are learning.  Your awesome book of pictures you made for each of us also was inspiring and moving.  

David, what a blessing to hear you've asked Jesus into your heart!  I was inspired by you!

They keep me laughing and laughing and laughing:

Will, I love it when I'm filming the family singing the Doxology before a meal and as I pan over to you, you're giving me the dead-pan-don't-even-try-to-make-me-smile-look. 

Will, I love it when we get you going on regurgitating lines from some old movie; my personal favorite recitation you made this visit came from Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Summer Vacation. Hysterical!  Will I also loved the Apples to Apples game.  You are the master defender.  What is that magical power you wield over the judge?

Thanks Abby for bringing the Catch Phrase game, and Mom, I can't believe you passed on "Baby Got Back"!

They love my husband like a true brother or son: 

Thank you for the many words of encouragement you gave to Stan regarding his music ministry. Thank you for wanting to know about his life and what's going on with him, personally, professionally, spiritually.

They love my kiddos so generously and sincerely: 

CB, you were too kind to let Olivia shop with you at the after-Christmas sales so that we could have a little shopping time ourselves.

Abby, Olivia will never forget "Momma-Told-Me-To-Eat-My-Grits!"  I don't know that she'll be a percussionist if her Daddy has any sway, but if she does, she'd have an excellent role model in you!

I am blessed and very much so!  God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me....Thank you Lord for times of refreshing with the ones we hold so dear.  May I remember I'm blessed to be a blessing.