Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Merry Christmas from the Farm

"Merry Christmas from The Bauernhof"

Today we celebrated the birth of our savior on our farm. For those of you who don't know, JB is the second oldest of six kids. Four live on this side of the country (East TN, middle TN, Hilton Head and South Florida). And two live on the west coast (Oregon and California).

There are a total of ten grandchildren scattered among those six children -- and today we managed a picture with eight of them. Above you can see the cousin picture. (I added the two missing grandchildren so you can see all ten!)

There is a lot I don't write on my Blog. Some people think they know the "whole story" because they read the words I choose to put on these pages. But those of you who know me personally, know details that definitely aren't written about here. It's so important that as we watch people's lives flash in front of us on social media that we remember that those lives are what people choose to paint.


In summary I will simply state that there is intense grief in this family right now. And grief is hard. Grief is something that comes in many forms. It hits in different ways. It originates from different sources. 

But together, we can have happy moments in grief. That was today for us. Lots of tears combined with lots of laughs and moments that the tears could take a short break.

I wasn't planning on hosting Christmas this year. After our intense year of renovations, I wanted a quiet week here with just our immediate family. But God dictated something else. Grief dictated something else. 

And it was a beautiful thing. It was a needed thing. It was what God called me to do.

1 John 3:17-18 English Standard Version

17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

There are always people grieving. Look around you. Love them. And consider editing your plans to help them wade through the sadness that life is throwing at us. 

This life is hard.

But the promise of eternity thanks to the birth of our savior is such a precious gift.

Merry Christmas,

 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So sorry that you're grieving. I will definitely pray for you and your family during this difficult time.