Please pray...

Dave and I are at the Flames House with Rachel tonight.  Our respite workers are grieving the sudden loss of a family member. Please pray for them. 

This world can be so unbelieveably ugly and cruel.....

And in the same world - there can be incredible beauty too....

Rachel has been SO happy today.  I don't think I have EVER seen so many smiles in one day. This morning in church, she was just beaming - she must have loved the worship music.  I admit, there are so many Sundays when I wonder why I go to so much effort to get to church.  I sometimes feel like all I did was look after the kids (and doing that would have been much easier at home!).... every conversation interrupted...and any significant meaning lost because I couldn't concentrate.  But today was different.  Thank-you God for the glimpses I saw of You this morning.  In the beauty of my daughter's smiles. In the faces of those who choose to trust you even when the way ahead is unclear.  In the songs and the scripture that was read.  The reminders of the Big story we are a part of...

I'm really blessed too by wonderful friends who have been helping me get the kids in our van Sunday mornings! (and ride with us) Since Rachel's "spells" I have been too scared to drive with her by myself. And Dave needs to be at church earlier now.  I have been blessed too by friends who help out with our kids in church too.

Dave's parents are out! Yay! We're so glad! And they came with loads of Christmas cheer.  Presents and lots of food.  The kids are so thrilled about Grandpa and Grandma being here! (and I don't think it's just the gifts sitting under the tree..)