December, 2010:

A letter to my siblings…

Dec 31st, 2010

Week 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)

I’ve put off doing this one for several weeks– mostly because the letter I intended to write for this one is a letter I’ve already written here before. It’s something I talk about pretty frequently… or someone I talk about, here, pretty frequently. Mostly because this loss is and has been such a major event in my adult life. But… for this ‘letter a week,’ I’m going in a completely different direction. Hey, it’s my blog and I can turn left if I want to. :Þ ← I just really wanted to use that character.

So, on to the letter…

To my church family, my sisters in Christ,

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thanked God for all of you. I also can’t tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you; how much I enjoy your company; and how much you mean to me. I truly consider you to be a part of my family– and having an extended family as wonderful as you all are is truly a God given blessing.

I have attended many churches over the years and have never, ever, felt as welcomed as I did the day I walked through the doors to the sanctuary. I knew, from the moment Brother Philip began his sermon, that this was where I was supposed to be. We may not be related by blood, but you all were meant to be my family.

Jennifer, Betty, Paula, Wanda, Sandy, Christie, Leigh– you are my sisters and you are amazing friends. I learn from you, I learn with you, I grow with you, and I enjoy you more than words can express. My heart is so full– my cup truly runneth over– and I am so very thankful that you all are in my life. (And can I say I am so looking forward to spending New Year’s Eve with the best bunch of chicks a chick has ever known!!) I love you all, truly, from the bottom of my heart and look forward to many many years of friendship and growing. (And your other halves ain’t half bad either… *wink*)

In His Love,
Nickie

~~~~~
Photo credit: federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Bringing in the New Year

Dec 31st, 2010

by Nickie.

2 comments

Twenty-ten is almost gone… my how time flies.

Usually, at the end of one year and beginning of another, I take time to reflect on things that happened throughout the year– good and bad. This year, the end of 2010, I’m adding blogging to that list of reflections… because, for better or worse, I am a blogger.

This year has seen so many tragedies and so much loss in this, our blogosphere. I don’t intend for this post to be sad… I only want to remember those who we’ve lost, those who have suffered through tragedies, and those who are left behind. I want to celebrate those who have been called home, those who are standing strong in their loss, and those who have leaned on faith to bring them through the year’s tragedies.

As I write this, a very wonderful blogger is facing a heartache I can’t image. Penny at Living Above Ministries and Seeds of Faith lost her husband in a tragic accident yesterday. As a woman, my heart aches for her. As a wife, my heart is bursting in agony for her. I can not imagine the pain she is feeling; the overwhelming grief. And the children… those sweet little babies. Being a mother myself, I can’t even allow my mind to imagine how excruciatingly hard it would be to have to tell my babies that their daddy has gone home to Jesus. Even the thought of it is crushingly painful. I know that there is celebration in our returning to the Father. But I also know the magnitude of the pain we who are left behind feel having experienced tragic loss myself. Please take a moment to lift Penny and her two young children up in prayer. They are in great need of the comfort of our Heavenly Father.

And let’s not forget our other friends in this world of blogging who have experienced devastating tragedies. Now, on the last day of 2010, let’s take time to remember those we’ve lost, and pray for those who have experienced loss:

Jill at The Real Life of a Redhead lost her sweet baby Joshua on October 6th.

Kirsten Michelle at Team Ewan and Lattes & Rainy Days lost her darling little Ewan on October 4th.

Terri at Forward Motion lost her precious little Jake on September 28th.

Kristi at Creative Kristi lost her adorable little niece Olivia on December 29th.

Erika at The Ivory Hut lost her home to fire on October 31st.

Edie at Life in Grace lost her home to fire on December 21st.

And these are just the tragedies that I know of, losses that happened in the last quarter of the year. There are, I’m sure, so many more.

As you reflect on your 2010, please take the time to thank God for all that you have– as all of the ladies above have done in the face of their own tragedies. May God’s love, grace, and blessings surround you in the year to come.

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★ • Wishing You a Happy and Blessed New Year ● ★
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I am constantly baffled by how nasty people are…

Dec 29th, 2010

by Nickie.

4 comments

We are a dog loving family. I am a huge dog lover. I have always had a dog… for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I’ve found myself being partial to Labs. I like big dogs, and Labs are my favorite breed. Small dogs are good too– I once had a Pug. But Labs capture my heart with their sweetness, playfulness, and loyalty.

Like this one. She stole my heart the minute I saw her. Bella, I named her. Isabella actually, but we called her Bella.

Yes, I am writing about her in the past tense.

Someone– some despicably horribly vile person– poisoned my Bella. How someone can be so cruel is unfathomable. But then again, look at how cruel we are to our own kind.

This pup, 9 months old, never did anything to hurt anyone, or anything. Well, except for our water hose– which she chewed into pieces about 1-2 feet long; long enough for her to tote one around in her mouth, waiting for one of us to throw it so she could fetch it. She loved to play fetch. Water hose pieces, baseballs, tennis balls, even sticks. If it fit in her mouth, she’d bring it to us.

Well then there’s the beer bottles too. We never have figured out what neighbor she got them from, but every couple days she’d pop up with two or three beer bottles… waiting for us to throw them so she could fetch. Needless to say, the farthest those things were tossed was the trash can. I thought it was rather kind of her to clean up the neighbor’s mess… even if she was bringing it into our yard.

But someone… poisoned this sweet, playful pup. And sometime during the night, last night, she died. It’s hard to understand how people can be so cruel. Not only is my heart broken, but so are the kids’… they can’t understand anymore than I can.

Our yard wasn’t quite the same today without our white ball of fur running around with a ball in her mouth. It’s not the same when we walk out onto the front porch and aren’t nearly knocked down by a wagging tail. Her baseballs, tennis balls, frisbee, and pieces of water hose are sitting there where she left them last… untouched.

All because some uncaring, unkind human being decided to end our beloved pet’s life.

I will never understand some people…

Look what I got for Christmas!

Dec 25th, 2010

by Nickie.

7 comments

The snow is actually sticking!

And coming down pretty good too!!

It’s time to make a snowman!

It’s Redneck Frosty! With hair!

She’s so proud!

That’s a lot of snow for these parts!!

This is the first time, in my nearly 37 years, that I’ve ever seen snow on CHRISTMAS DAY! Needless to say, I’m like a little kid today… all I wanted for Christmas was SNOW. And I got it! A white Christmas!!! I love it!

Jesus, Our Love

Dec 23rd, 2010

by Nickie.

1 comment

“I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38

Why did Jesus come? Why did the Creator decide to clothe Himself in creation and enter this world through a young girl late one night in the company of livestock? We know the answer, of course. The Bible is very clear: Jesus came to save us. But His incisive declaration in John 6:38 should tell us something about the will of God: It is good. Jesus defines it for us: “This is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (v. 39).

For everyone who has ever wondered how God sees him or her; for everyone who has ever doubted God’s love when a prayer has gone unanswered or a life has become broken; for everyone who has cried out to God, “Are You there?” or “Do You care?” Jesus has this answer: He has come to do God’s will, and His will is very, very good.

The goodwill of God is a natural, theological belief for those who hold to 1 John 4:8– “God is love.” But as a practical belief, we often fall short of affirming this. Causing us to doubt God’s love is one of the enemy’s most frequent points of attack and one of the flesh’s most devastating points of corruptions. In fact, everything but the Bible itself sometimes seems arrayed against this belief: circumstances, moods, relationships, and the harsh words and deeds of other people. Nevertheless, it is true. Hold out for it. The Bible promises that if we will only believe, God’s will toward us is a cause for celebration, not despair.

Jesus came into this world as an act of divine love, not vengeance. When we’re suspicious of His agenda, we need to remember: There is nothing of judgment in His work until He comes again. So relax. We need no clearer illustration. He is here by God’s will, and it is God’s will and great pleasure to love us.

“Love came down at Christmas.” –Christina G. Rossetti

I can’t honestly say I ever remember a time when I’ve doubted God’s love for me; but I have questioned how He could love me. He– pure and sinless– loves me– corrupted and sinful! How can this be? I know this to be true not only because He tells me so, but because I can feel His love. I can physically feel His love and I can physically see His love. He created all of mankind in His image. He sent a Savior– His only Son, Himself in the flesh– to save us from our sins; to give us a chance to live in eternal glory with Him… because He loves us. Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself on that cross at Calvary because of His love for us. That is, quite literally, unspeakable love. How could I ever question such a love? When satan tries to convince me that I am unlovable, all I have to do is look to the cross and remember the loving sacrifice that happened there. There is no greater love. None.

~~~~~
Devotional from:
The One Year At His Feet Devotional by Chris Tiegreen
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
http://www.tyndale.com