This week with Bah-Humbug!

So I have been struggling a bit with blogger's block.  I have plenty to write about I just don't really know how to articulate it all.  So I decided I'd try to give it a whirl because I'm feeling a bit bottled up and if I don't pour some out I might explode :)

So.....Busy....Tis the Season! 

But it is sort of the fun....relaxed....self-imposed busy that I enjoy.....

We've been busy sipping on hot cocoa! 

YUMMY!

We've been busy hanging out with the Crabtree cousins decorating Christmas Cookies. 

This is one of our Crabtree cousins traditions. 

 I like traditions....and it must be genetic cause so does my Mama....and my sister-in-law :)

Joshua and Gray's other Grandma "Mimi" was in town so she lent a hand!

Everyone loved their creations and chowed down immediately!

Some cared more for style....

and others

cared more for CANDY!

Randy also had his head coaching debut.

I'd say he did mighty fine!

He led the FLIGHT team to a 15-55 win (or something like that)

GO RANDY!  GO FLIGHT!

The guys LOVE Coach Randy!

We've worshiped.

Love the Exalt Band!

We've been to guitar recitals....

and piano recitals....

and receptions...

Best Guitar Teacher EVER.....

EDDIE STEPHENS

He's not only a great teacher...he's a bunch of fun for Andrew (and Randy).

Thanks for posing for your annual picture guys!

We also took advantage of our school break and used our Monkey Joe's Groupon we had been hanging on to!

$20 for all five kids to play as long as they wanted (about 2 hours)

and 4 slices of pizza and 4 cokes.

a good time was had by all

and they were worn out!

We've also been busy hanging out in our PJ's a little more and Jack even rigged up Santa's Sleigh!

So much fun stuff....so many memories...so much to be thankful for....

AND YET....

Here's the bloggy part.

I'm a bit down.

I am a cup is always half full girl....so I don't like to be down.

I do tend to get a little depressed in the winter....BUT NEVER around Christmas!

I'm a Christmas girl. 

 I'm sure it has a lot to do with Randy's job.  It is so depressing.  I'm sure it has a lot to do with some issues in our extended family that I have no control over....yet make me sad and affect our celebrations.  I mourn for lost relationships.

I miss my Granddaddy.

YET I HAVE SO MUCH.

How can I be depressed?

Christmas is just different. 

It's coming. 

 It's going to happen. 

The kids will have memories of it. 

I'm so glad I don't have to live controlled by my feelings.

Feelings do not equal truth.  They are real.  They feel like truth.  But they are not TRUTH.

Praise the Lord feelings change!

Then.....as all this activity and my own inner Bah Humbug are going on...I get word about the Reyner's.

(check out their fb page if you don't know what I'm talking about)

I love the Reyner's. 

I was so excited about their Christmas. 

I am so sad about them being hurt, their plans being disrupted, their pain, their disappointment.  UGH!

BUT OH MY WORD.....

I am sooooo grateful they are okay!

I am so thankful they are together!

I am sooooo thankful this terrible and painful and inconvenient accident was the extent.

I am sooooo thankful they are alive!

I'm  reminded again.....of TRUTH....

I don't have to FEEL happy.  I don't have to be pleased with all the circumstances of our life.  I do want Randy to have a job.  I do want my extended family to be happy. I do wish loved ones (Granddaddy) didn't have to die. I do want to rewind and undo the accident that changed the Reyner's Christmas....

BUT

I can't.

I wonder if Mary was disappointed at the turn of events in her life?  I wonder if she was in pain?   I wonder if she lost relationships dear to her?  I wonder if she was in a strange land with strange people and in extreme pain?  I wonder if she would have written a different script?

YET

Christmas came!

Praise God

Christmas Came!

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.