In this Christmas season when families draw close to share the joy of the Incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us, my family has been blessed with many joyful occasions to celebrate with each other. For those occasions, I praise God...
1. Last Sunday 18 teens from our parish youth group gathered to Christmas Carol at Candy Cane Lane, a neighborhood of about 12 blocks where neighbors all decorate for the entire month of December to raise money for childhood cancer victims. Although it was bitterly cold, every teen had a smile on their face and joy in their hearts as they sang for this cause. The snow gently fell during "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and our finale of "Silent Night". It was a blessed evening, a gift from the Lord for the carolers, the chaperones (Paul and I), and the families who came to enjoy the Christmas lights and were treated to the bonus of Christmas carols. A special praise for my friends Steve and Kathy who organized the whole outing. Praise God!
2. I hadn't been to Midnight Mass since I was in high school, and my children have never gone. This year, my son John sang with the choir and I was scheduled to lector for Lessons and Carols and the Mass. It was beautiful and I didn't fall asleep! Praise God!
3. Paul and I took our three oldest sons to see the movie "Blind Side". It was an amazingly uplifting movie that left us all feeling good. I love a good story and enjoying it with my family makes it even sweeter. Praise God!
4. We took the time to enjoy the winter weather with a family sledding outing. Praise God!
5. On New Year's Eve we watched the movie "Up", from which the above quote comes. This was a movie with a beautiful message that the entire family could enjoy together. This particular quote stood out to me as being quite poignant. It's the simple joys, like watching a movie with the family, brushing my daughter's hair, sharing a joke with my son, or holding my husband's hand that I most treasure and will remember. Praise God!
6. Sometimes family celebrations can include non-traditional family members. My friend Karinann at Blessings for the Day has awarded me with a special "Sisters in Faith" award which I am to share with other bloggers who encourage and help me in my faith. Thank you Karinann, I feel the same way about you, as well as the other wonderful women upon whom you have bestowed this award-Judy at Benmakesten, Colleen at Thoughts on Grace and Mary at The Beautiful Gate! I would like to share this award with so many others, some who are also "brothers in faith". There are wonderful bloggers who have been with me from the beginning, some who comment frequently and others who rarely or never comment, but just knowing that you are reading my words and sharing my faith lifts me up and inspires me tremendously. I pray that I, in turn, lift you up, dear reader, and inspire you as well. I would like to pass this award on to some blog writers whose blogs are fairly new to me and yet, they feel like sisters that I have known for a long time. For these women, and for all of the blogging community, I praise God!
Kindred Spirit at A Trail of Flowers
Emily at Back Bay View
Meredith at Holy Clutter
Booklady at Okiebooklady
Ruth at Dealings with Shadows
Maria at That They May Have Life
To my spiritual sisters named above, please pass this award on to others with whom you share your faith like a sister!
I praise God for my family and the many and varied ways in which we celebrate our love for each other and our faith in God!
(Thanks to Jennifer at My Chocolate Heart for this weekly MEME)
