Sunday, December 14, 2014

Road Maps and Pause #3

 I'm pausing in appreciation of my life navigation map (my BIBLE) today.  When I met Bill, I noticed his current Bible and I was fascinated by it.  He is left-handed and has squiggly handwriting, but I could tell he poured over God's Word.  Years earlier while breakfasting at a childhood friend's house, I spied her dad's Bible on the top of the refrigerator.  I was amazed at its beautiful worn pages.  Every single page looked like it had been turned.  My mom's Bible was a New Testament Good News for Modern Man.  It was very worn, very marked.  She loved that version and used it to share with us when she was my Sunday School teacher one year. My dad's Bible was red and had a hard cover.  He had such slender fingers and I remember how his hands looked when he held his Bible.  I love seeing our kids' Bibles around their houses.  I'm thinking about asking my friends to bring their Bibles when we meet for coffee.  I'm so blessed by the way other people use their road maps.







 I am grateful that I am feeling very loved this December.  I feel calm and I am noticing the favor I have with people.  I shall try to be extremely responsible with it. 
 I like the Christmas tree lights and the shiny things hanging on the branches.  Christmas trees can be a lot of work, but we do it to honor Jesus and His birth.  I am more than willing to work for Him.
 Tonight when we have our family Advent celebration at Jeff and Christie's we are bringing these jingle bells that Bill bought at the grocery store.  I have to tie ribbons on them so the grands and Christie's niece and nephews can roar around jingling the jingle bells!
 I'm thankful for cards that people take the time to order, address, and send!  Today I am going to write some cards to our supporters, people who donate to Bill's ministry.  
 Last night Kelli and Bryan hosted their employees for a Christmas party.  Bill does some book work for them and Jenny's Scott and our Jeff also work for Bryan, so it was fun to be there with three of our darling four kids! I was so proud of our girl.  She is a people person and she is so beautiful and gracious.  She doesn't "care about the wrong things".  She simply provides a lot of good food, and sweetly acknowledges people.  It's hard to host a big party but she makes it look easy.
 And now it is snowing here in our land.  It's a good day to think about people.
 It's a good day for tea, hot chocolate, or coffee and a cookie or two.

I think it's sweet that we adorn our homes with greens and berries, candles and lights.  Amy from Love Made My Home suggested the film"Christmas with the Kranks" so I watched it and I liked how the neighbors noticed that the Kranks weren't decorating and they were VERY bummed out!  Our decorations have the potential to please others.  Isn't that nice?
Amy also suggested the Downton Abbey Christmas album and I am LOVING it. Thanks, Amy!

And speaking of thanks, I have to tell you that both our daughters-in-law write beautiful thank you notes.  I have so many of sweet April's kind notes and Christie is a wonderful thank you note writer, too!  We are the blessed recipients!  Bill gave Christie his old iPad (I didn't want you to assume we go around purchasing iPads for everyone!  Ha ha!) Doesn't she have lovely handwriting? I save the girls' notes.
 So, here's my "me-specific" pause and I hope you don't mind.  Hop over to Angela's if you'd like to read additional pauses.  I like all of them!

17 comments:

magsmcc said...

You are highly favoured xx

Maggie said...

Lovely to read your post. We've not had any snow yet but they keep forecasting it. Take care and keep warm. X

Kezzie said...

I love your pauses!!!! All those Bible verses are wonderful - Isaiah is SUCH a comfort! I love all your cosiness adn thank you notes too. The Lost art of Gratitude is not lost with your family.x

RedSetter said...

This is such a lovely Pause Pom Pom. I can feel the warmth of your Christmas season from here and you are indeed highly favoured.

I particularly love your snapshots of your bible and how I love the notes, scribbles and highlighting. I've always felt writing on a book was akin to heresy and even when studying I could not bring myself to pencil notes in the margins. Yet I see such joy and pleasure and 'lightbulb' moments in yours. A lesson learnt for me I think.

Julia said...

Wow, I can feel the love and the gratitude.
Have a lovely Advent time to prepare for Christmas.

It's all about getting ourselves ready for the Savior's coming.
Hugs,
jB

Farm Girl said...

Just lovely and I love seeing the pages of your Bible. It is so nice you remember your Dad's hands like that and the versions your family liked to read. That is nice.
It sounds like your weeks are just filled with lots of lovely things.
I am so glad it was snowing. Now it can feel like Christmas.
I hope you have a wonderful week next week. Full of lovely things

Nancy McCarroll said...

I do like your road maps and the well read passages you have marked over the years. What a nice Advent pause.

Lisa Richards said...

Such lovely thoughts and images. Thanks for sharing your insights, Pom. They always bless me so much. :) Merry Christmas to all at your house!

NanaDiana said...

What a wonderful post. I found you by back-tracking from a comment you left me this morning. I am your newest follower.

I love old Bibles and am always fascinated by them, too. xo Diana

ann said...

You are an inspiration, Karen. Merry Christmas.

eclectichomelife said...

We have a common blog friend in Amy. Just had to stop by to say how much I love your blog name, Pom Pom. Will keep stopping by. Sending warm regards. I like nice people too. X

Anonymous said...

A wonderful thought filled pause. My father has read through his Bible almost 4 times this year already. It will be a fun fight amongst my 7 siblings who will inherit his Bible! That handwriting is fabulous.

Amy at love made my home said...

What a wonderful post. I only have one thing marked in my bible - let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Thank you for the mention, I am glad that you liked the suggestions! xx

Sarah said...

Love the photos of your Bible pages! I have an old Bible, much marked and falling apart. I have a 'posh' one for church, but I cannot part with my old Bible, it's filled with so many memories.

I love Christmas decorations too. I know some people say that Jesus wasn't born in December, but for us in the Northern hemisphere it's so nice to have a good reason to bring light into a dark time.

Hugs. x

M.K. said...

Thank you for this good reminder of the real, heart-deep warmth of Christmas, and how important family and sweet, loving relationships are. Your family seems so dear. And don't those cookies look good! I love to see sugar cookies at Christmas -- so sparkly, so pretty! What are the other ones with the pieces of candied orange? I've never seen that kind of cookie before!

Anonymous said...

I love your thoughtful pauses too Dear Pompom, You cant beat a handwritten note and letter. blessings to You and yours sweet lady xxxx

Attic Clutter said...

HI POM..good to visit you again ..great posts here
love the background and
Have a wonderful Christmas !!
hugs,Patty

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