Where Have I Been???

I can't answer that question! I have no good answer! There is a lot I should have written about, but I just have not been at the computer too much. My sister, Donna, had a birthday last week, I made my first cake from scratch, I've been doing the whole shopping thing, and I am even working on a CHRISTMAS letter! I recently told you about my friend, Kathy, and her sister dying. That was just about a month ago. Last week, her mom died. We called her "mamaw" around here. She lived in Kentucky, but came to visit often when she was younger and her grandchildren were younger too. She simply adopted my children as her grandchildren and they loved when she came to visit. Since my kids spent so much time at Kathy's, they got in a lot of visiting time. God took her very quickly, and we are thankful for that. This time of year has become bittersweet for me. I love the season, but I will forever be reminded of my last days with my own mother during this time of year. Not long before mom died, I found a new author that has become a favorite, Donna VanLiere. I've read all her books, and I decided that I would go back and re-read all of them. I just finished "The Christmas Shoes" the other day and something stuck out to me this time that did not before. It is a quote from her, and I have really pondered it since finding it. Here it is:

Death's power is limited---
It cannot eradicate memories
Or slay love
It cannot destroy even a threadbare faith
Or permanently hobble the smallest hope in God
It cannot permeate the soul
And it cannot cripple the spirit
It merely separates us for a while
That is the only power death can claim
...No more

So, during these last few days when death has been on my mind a lot, these words have also stayed close. I am dwelling on those memories, remembering lots of love, thanking God for threadbare faith that found new strength THROUGH death, and praising Him for hope and a spirit that has known new strength because of the journey. I'm so thankful for a sweet baby that came to this earth to give us life, and abundantly!