Sometimes the Holidays Are Just Hard

God is good. All the time. But sometimes the holidays are just hard.

Thanksgiving is never my best day. I do try to be more grateful and express my gratitude on a daily basis. But having a miscarriage on Thanksgiving Day years ago makes it a tough thing to get through.

This year, on Thanksgiving Day, I faced Dad's grave and the new gravestone for the first time. I have not processed losing him because I was in chaos with Mom's broken leg at the time. And of course, she broke her leg at my sister-in-law's funeral, so that's another thing to deal with entirely.

So, here we are on the Sunday after the holiday. And we've spent most of the day dealing with the fire at my mother-in-law's house this morning. This event changes so many things. I'm certain we don't have a grasp on just everything that must be done.

Yet, God is good. All the time.

My mother-in-law and niece were in the house at the time and got out safely.

Prayer: Dearest Father God, thank you for Your watchful eye over my extended family. Guide us in the days to come as we make a mountain of decisions. Give us wisdom and patience. Grant us peace over what was lost, and let us not lose sight of what could have been taken from us.

Being Deliberate in Faith

As one year rushes to an end, it is my habit to begin preparations for the next. (I am, by the way, the Empress of Planning.) I am determined to become more deliberate with my faith. So I'm toying with various ways to do that. I've located several online groups that may prove helpful:
1. His Kingdom Come
   This group has a WEEKLY Bible study planned called Take Me Deeper.
   They also have a "One Word" program called Logos365 - a YEAR-LONG focus.
2. Documented Faith
    There is to be a focus word each MONTH.

Advent Update

No pictures of the advent progress today, but I will get some up this week. The weekend was very arty for me. I now have angels on Mom's advent calendar - the basic scrapbook paper shapes anyway. Yes, a different angel for each day. Next I'll paint their hair. Then I can move from the table and start the outlining, doodling, embellishing... Remind me why I decided to do this...

Because of Christ Jesus I am...

I also finished 3 more backgrounds for the 2015 calendar I'm making, and did a challenge page in my art journal:
 I used watercolor pencils in my Dylusions Journal and finished with my waterbrush. I don't usually do pages this quickly, but the prompt really spoke to me.

We had a great service in church this morning, and now I've got a dozen ideas for pages and such swirling in my head. There is not enough time in the day! 

Hubby and I also got a special word from a church member: his - he will see the doors that have been closed come open because he has FAVOR from God; mine - I have a destiny that will be fulfilled; I was almost destroyed but I have come through.

Wow! I have come through a bunch of stuff, and that was the message today: coming through the storm & that God has a destination for us.

Prayer: Beloved Jesus, because of You, I am alive, saved, loved, free, healed. I am a child of the King, forgiven, made clean and heaven-bound. I am at peace. I am whole. There is no other who can offer so much to one so unworthy! Help me to live each day in full appreciation of the marvelous gift Father God gave us - YOU!

Just a quick update

While my advent calendars are still works in progress, here are a couple of things I've been working on lately...

I've been learning how to make She Art Girls from Christy Thomlinson's class online.

This was my 2nd girl. She reminds me of my daughter Beth.