Hallie & Harper

The rocker has been in Renee's family for many generations. Her grandmother was rocked in it.  It was just yesterday that i was holding a tiny Hallie in my lap and doing the same as she is with her cousin. I like to think my face held the same wonder, concentration, and awe as I saw in Hallies. And the love pouring out from her over Harper, it was as though it filled the whole state of Texas!

Ten Years Ago Yesterday

In China our daughter was placed in our arms. And then a little over a week later we met back with our good friend who was in China to recieve her daughter. Before coming to our room to meet each others daughters she warned us that her daughter didnt really like to touch or be touched by new people. Well that first picture is Bailee reaching out to grab Hallies finger! She is from far northern China ( almost Mongolia) and our daughter Hallie from far southern China. Across that great distance they were allready connected, even as we their parents were connected to them.

What a glorious gift from God.

And thats their hands from just yesterday, Bailee on the right and Hallie the left just like their first meeting.

Have a Glorious Christmas filled with God's Peace and Love!
Jim

on a swing

Not the Tree

you might be expecting. And not what springs to mind for me either- as we enter the season of Advent. But then as we are assulted earlier and earlier every year with with the commercialization of christmas and the "true spirit of christmas" has become time spent with family, not the coming Birth of Christ, I found this display of  bloody, battered, tormented Christ's- nailed to crosses more Christmas-like than all the decorations going up, the cheery songs, the fevered shopping, and the red and white and green. Strange?

So when you touch a branch of your christmas tree this season, feel its soft needles, delight in the lights and beautiful ornaments, smell its sweet fragrance remember how un-yielding the wood became, that the smell was of spilled blood, soured wine and darkness came on the earth. I will.

And Rejoice! For the same gift we are about to celebrate in the Gift of the Birth of Christ is offered to us eternally in the Gift of His Death!

a small note to many of my friends of faiths other than Christian. I find it very interesting, and refreshing, that most other faiths ( or society?) have yet to "commercialize" their more important religous celebrations as Christianity has with its two most significant ones.

Advent Begins!