A Busy Weekend Full of Emotion

This past weekend was good. That I can state truely without any doubt. BUT.... it was full of emotion.

This is a time of year with so much going on and so much good will being handed out, but it is so so so true that it is a time of year that congers up so much lonliness. It seems that there is hardly a person alive that at this time of year is not mourning the loss of someone. It is the time of year when you want to be with friends and family and because life is cruel, it sometimes snatches some of them from us.

This weekend Gil's family had a gathering. It was a Christmas gathering and a time to celebrate Gil's oldest sisters 70th birthday. I am so thankful that Gil's family still considers me a part of the family and Jim is so welcomed by them all. We met with them Saturday afternoon around 4. Oh, it felt so good to be with them. Gil's youngest brother was there. I hadnt seen him since Gil's funeral. It was just such a warm welcoming feeling for me. Saturday evening Gil's twin brother and wife came and spent the night with us. Ahhhhhh it was so good visiting with them. They went to church with us Sunday morning. Pastor Steve spoke about the shepards and the angels. The part about the "host" of heavenly angels heralding the birth of Christ has always seemd so "wonderful" to me, and it was. But pastor brought up the fact that maybe the host of angels were not there JUST to annouce the birth of Jesus our Savior and Lord but to do battle as now, with the birth of Jesus, Satan knew that this baby, was here to save the people from him and his distruction. And that the battle in the powers and principalities was going to be stepped up a notch. We know this happened as when Jesus was under the age of 2 ruler degreed that all baby boys under the age of 2 be killed. I am sure that the angels had a part in making sure that Joseph, Mary and the child Jesus was ushered to a place of safety. That whole scenerio really moved my heart and I felt the place for my Lord and Saviour grow.

After we got home from church Lyle and Shirley stayed for about another hour before they headed out. When I closed the door after saying good bye to them, it felt like the scab on my heart had been ripped open a bit and a pang of severe lonliness for Gil escaped.

Yesterday afternoon brought Jim's children over for our Christmas celebration with them. It was a good time. And we heard Merry Christmas from several of them. (^_^)

Needless to say that by bedtime last night I was both physically and emotionally tired and God granted me a wonderful restful night of rest.

I pray that peace and joy will fill all those places in your life that are feeling lonely this Christmas. Jesus came. He gave his life for us and rose again and is preparing a place for us to be reunited with those who we miss.

Blessings
Sandi