Christmas has been a wonderful time this year. I must say...I never thought I would be traveling all the way to Alabama just to be with my family for Christmas, but things change. I think it seems as though things change around here more often than anywhere else? Or maybe that's just me. Chris and I had our little Christmas together this year on Friday night. We went to Red Lobster for dinner and did a little shopping in Lexington and then came home and opened our stockings.



                                         Chris and I...

                                                   Our tree...

                                          My curling iron...

Chris got a ear and nose trimmer! LOL!!! We've had some laughs about this.

Then we got up Saturday morning and headed to Jackson Co to celebrate Christmas with Chris' parents.


                                         Cecil & Bonnie

                                                    The girls...

                                         The guys...

                                         The grandkids...

Sunday morning after Church we loaded the car and headed South. :) I must say I was pretty excited!

                                                    Mamaw & I

 

Once I got to AL the kiddos wanted to stay the night with us at moms house. We built a very big fort and had an old fashioned living room camp out.

 

 

Getting cozy and ready for veggie~tales and bedtime. :)

 

 

Anxiously awaiting their gifts.

 

 

My Father read the Christmas story before we began.

 

 

Matthew & Ashlee

 

 

Chris & I

 

 

My Mother

 

 

 Our serious meal-time prayer!

 

 

 Our handmade scarves...

 

 

And that's a wrap! We had a blast. A Christmas full of fun, laughter, food, and family. There is nothing better! And now it seems like since it has been over that nothing but sickness has plagued our people. Well at least I have been able to blog! ;) I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas too!

Grace

 

 

Grace.......such a simple one syllable word. So easy to roll of the lips without a true understanding of the meaning of such a small word. Dictionary meanings rage from: elegance and politeness to generosity of spirit. Those are all wonderful meanings of the word, but I was introduced to a new definition this week that hit me like a boulder through my heart.

It simply states, "Grace - undeserved kindness."

WOW!  How many times have I given undeserved kindness to someone? How long has it been since I truly felt the effects of offering grace to someone. It is easy to show kindness to someone we love or to show grace to someone who is dear to our heart. But what about those who don't deserve it or those who are not sorry for the pain they have caused?

It hit me hard and all I could think of was a situation where someone had hurt me so badly that I literally felt physically out of breath. I felt the pain like raw flesh. I tried to push the incident from my mind and move on with my life. It seemed like every time I thought of this situation or the person, I could feel the poison seep through my mind and into my heart. It kept building till I had a hatred I had never know. A blackness settled into my heart. I was strangling from the bitterness and hate. It was eating me alive.

I knew I had to pray about the situation and the condition of my heart, but I sure didn't want to. It was easier to hold the grudge than to give it to God. It was the point I prayed up to....and then stopped. It flashed before my eyes when I tried praying for others. There was no getting around it. It had to be dealt with. With God's help I tried my best to forgive, but I was doing it grudgingly. I wasn't giving it freely or with a honest heart. I even sorrowfully admit that I secretly wished harm on this person for the pain they had caused.

After reading this definition of Grace I felt God whisper to my heart....."are you willing to offer grace to this person?" I was reprimanded by the thought of how many times I had hurt God and caused him pain and sorrow. Yet he never put condition upon the his grace. He offered it freely to me and never wished harm upon my life. How could I expect grace when I wasn't also willing to give grace?

This is where the healing begins! I am trying (with God's help) to give grace to those who don't deserve it and those who don't ask for it. I am reminded of Matthew 7:2 ~For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. I don't want to be denied grace because I was unwilling to give grace.

I just wanted to share a little of what God has helped me see. I need to view all things through his eyes and and not my own. I hope you all are enjoying this cool fall weather. I know I sure am. God has been good to us and I thank him for his loving patience with me.

(pics are of some special ladies in my life!)

Happy Fall Y'all!

~Lacey McKinney