Merry Christmas!  

It's been a long time since I  have posted! So sorry!  Good news though - it seems my life is getting more caught up than it has been in a very very long time!  It is feeling so good! I have hope of being organized again!  Don't get me wrong - life has not calmed down in the least!  But I have been focusing more on God and his plan for me each day - trying to eliminate some time wasters - and changing my thinking.  

God is good.  He continues to show Himself to me daily.  I am always amazed.  In a way I hope I am always amazed by seeing Him work in my life and in the lives of those around me.  But in another way I hope to get to a point where I can say - Well of course God came through - He always does!  

Let me just list a few things God has been at work at for our benefit the past few months

God created a job for Bobby - seriously, the job posted in June or July, it was a brand new position.  The job description could not have fit his qualification any more to a T than what they did.  It was like they new Bobby and designed the job description around his skill set and experience.  He applied for it is August I believe and started working in September.  

The existence of this new position within his employer has brought much resistance to pending change.  Bobby has had to do a couple of presentation and then take rapid fire from anybody who wanted to question him.  Bobby prayed (God at work) and came through for Bobby in an undeniable way. Let me tell you - having your man being led by God is a HUGE benefit to any marriage!

As a result of getting this job our finances are improving.  We have a lot of ground to make up.  God is stepping in and taking care of some of our debts.  He is giving us clear direction on how to tackle our finances with baby steps.  We even made a ridiculous mistake due to the chaos in our lives that could have been very expensive - have you ever forgot to pay your utility bill? - It could have cost us close to $500 and this mistake could have easily created a HUGE argument between us.  But we chose to seek God, ask for forgiveness of our oversight, and for His favor when Bobby went to the utility company the following day.  Let me just say - we did not have to pay anywhere near $500.00 and what we did have to pay - God provided the funds to just about cover it that day.

Brandy is doing great!  In February we will have made it two years without a break.  On average she should have had about 14 in the past two years.  My God is the master physician.  She got new braces this month.  They are drastically different than her previous braces due to some advances.  She can actually put them on and take them off all by herself - something she could not do before.  

My folks have moved here from Washington.  God protected their travel the whole way here.  They had a blow out on one of the trucks that was hauling a trailer - fortunately no significant damage and even more importantly no accident or injury.  The tire that needed to be replaced was an old out of date tire - but God had seen ahead and provided.  There were two tires at a chain tire company that dad just happens to have used for many years!  They were able to call head, find the tires, and the shop even stayed open late until they got their and took care of them.

My older girls are both active in leadership roles at church! What a humbling blessing to me.  Thank you God. 

My oldest is going to be a mommy!  Another humbling blessing.  I am praying I can help her to be a better mom than I was to her in her young years.

Allison is receiving scholarship offers to cheer in college - answer to prayer.

I love my job!  I love my coworkers.  I have not doubt God placed me here with these wonderful women.

There - that's just a very few things.

As Christmas is upon us I think about how much my thinking has changed in the past 22 years.  22 years ago was my oldest daughters first Christmas.  We always went as big as we could or as much as credit would allow us with our older two.  We set a very high gift standard - with the focus totally on Santa and the gifts.  The past few years - basically since Brandy - we have shifted our thinking.  We still do the tree and gifts but we focus on this being a celebration of Christ's birth.    We prepare a birthday cake for Jesus.  We discuss the Christmas story. We set up a nativity scene and discuss it.  Our focus is more towards Jesus.  We put up a tree - I always will.  I don't "worship' the tree.  I enjoy it and it does lead my thoughts to Christ and to blessings.  

That's my post for today.  I pray you have a very BLESSED holiday.  I pray many wonderful memories are made!  Please don't get stressed just allow yourself to be blessed!

Much love to all,

D. J.