Snapshots......

Please don't pass out if you happen to check in here.......since my last post was August 31, I thought I would try and muster up a post or maybe a few and maybe more often.  Today a few snapshots of life from the last few months.

It's been a very different year and I'm going back to August for a few minutes.

Two friends and I have birthdays close together and we always try to get together for a joint celebration.  Literally some years, it is the ONLY time we see each other......even though we all live in the same town. This year we had a wonderful overnight trip to the beach, compliments of Sharon on your left.  

We had a great time together.......see you next year girls!  

But with the sunshine there comes rain and we had another death.

This beautiful, intelligent, sweet young woman who was like a daughter to my sister and part of our family for many years, died suddenly and we will always miss her.  

There were the constant flow of birthdays that come with a big family.  

Our dear friends departed for Uganda to spend six months as missionaries with the goal of being full time.  This picture is from their Farewell for Now Party.

Thanks, Mark and Laura for all you do in service for the Lord.  Man do I miss you!  

September went by in such a blur........at the end of the month, we had a family reunion.  Now not nearly all of us were able to be in town, but here are a very few of the first cousins.  My daddy was one of ten children, so you can let your imagination run wild with how many of us cousins there are.....unfortunately many live too far away and couldn't make the trip.

It was strange not having mama and something of a shock to realize with the exception of two aunts, we are the oldest generation in our family.  



After the reunion, we had a sisters/friend get a way

The beach was absolutely breathtaking and we had a great time of refreshment and bonding except for that one part where someone told me my hair was scraggly!  Thanks to our sweet nephew and niece for making this happen!

We proceeded to speed through the month of October.  We had a few more birthdays.

Then the Superhero and I loaded up MIL and our dogs and headed down to spend a few days with the little grandchildren, oh, and their parents of course.  

Back home just in time to celebrate our 19th anniversary!  The Superhero didn't want to take this picture......said it was cheesy......but, oh, well......it's not like he reads my blog and I love this picture!

I have to say these years have really gone by so quickly and not to be cheesy all mushy, they've been wonderful!  

Now it is just a little more than a week until Thanksgiving and already the Christmas decorations are everywhere.  I like celebrating my holidays one at the time so my Christmas decorating will have to wait until December.  

As Thanksgiving nears, I have to say with all the trials and troubles and sadness that has been part of this year, there have also been blessings and I am thankful for many things!  

Whew!  I either have to blog more often or quit!  

Yes, Virginia, life is not fair.....

.......but God is Sovereign.

All the bloggers that I know are kind, compassionate people.  We are all heartbroken at the recent events.  I know I have cried many tears during these last few days.

More than one person has said "Where was your God?"  He was right where He always is......He's omnipresent.  Matthew 1:23  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).  He was there....We are saddened by such an enormous loss, but Heaven is too wonderful for us to imagine and being in the presence of the Almighty is so much better than being in this present world. 

Psalm 139:16 tells us that our days are numbered.... 

Psalm 56:8 tells us that He keeps a record of our tears..... 

Tonight, we went to a performance by Tim Zimmerman and the Kings Brass along with the Bay County Christian Youth Choir and when they played Away in a Manger....it struck me that Jesus came to earth as a baby, was hunted by those who wanted to kill him and finally hung on that cruel cross at Calvary in our stead, the good news is that He overcame death and the grave and lives and because He lives, we can face tomorrow.  God knows our sorrows and bears our burdens along with us.  We who know Him are never alone.  Never.  One of the verses particularly struck me in the wake of the loss of these dear ones.....

"Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and fit them for heaven to live with thee there."  

God is not surprised at the things that happen on this earth.   We live in a fallen, sinful world.  One in which terrible things happen.  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble....Psalm 46:1 Cling to Him who is our only comfort during this and all terrible tragedies!

The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  Deuteronomy 33:27

May He fold all who lost loved ones in those everlasting arms and may we all take comfort in the sure knowledge that this is NOT our home.

I've turned off comments because there really are no words.