Happy Saturday!

We had such a wonderful day! After the loss of Casey we have made some conscious decisions to make new memories. Every memory we have has Casey in it and Bruce and I felt that in order for all of us to heal we needed to do some things differently than in years past. So last year we began a new tradition and have for the second year in a row gone to Terrell to the Walls Christmas Tree Farm and cut our Christmas Tree. We have such a wonderful time. Upon our arrival at the farm there is a big red barn where they serve complimentary coffee and cider. They also sell bags of shelled pecans, cracked pecans and pecans still on the shell. Then a hay wagon ride takes us out to the part of the farm where the Christmas trees are found. We then hike around until we find the one that is just right. Travis cut the tree and we return to the barn where they shake the tree of its dead needles and bag the tree for transport home. I don’t know how many more times this tradition will continue, but I hope to continue it for as long as possible.

Psalm 144:15 “Happy are they whose God is there Lord.”

This morning I had a few moments when I missed Casey quite a lot. I don’t even remember what brought on the memories but there were very close to my heart and I missed that smiling face, blue eyes and his big old kind heart . He loved Christmas so much he would so have loved to go out to the tree farm and be a part of this new tradition we are creating. So if you had asked me this morning, “How are you Gaylene?” My answer would not have been “just fine.” On the contrary, I was quite a mess.

How often does someone ask each of us “How are you?” Our answer is most likely, “just fine.” Have you met other Christians who, when asked this question, never have a response that is positive? I know I have met those people. Their answers are something negative about their health, or that they didn’t get something they really wanted, or they are not going to get to do something they really wanted to do or that they just wanted to be left alone to finish something. Are these folk so focused on what they don’t have they are blind to see what they really have?

We as believers have an eternal home in heaven that no mortgage company can take away and a family that nothing or no one can divide. All of our sins have been forgiven completely and eternally and has been nailed to a tree. We are children of God with salvation that is eternal.

When asked, “How are you?” Our response should be “I am blessed.” What we don’t have is far less than what we do. This is a joyous time of the year and even though the tree might not be near a full as it has been in years past, we can fill our hearts by remembering how much we are loved by the God of Christmas who saw fit to send us His Son to love and cherish so that we could see how to love each other.

Take joy in the journey and wear comfortable shoes. Life is too short to wear shoes that hurt your feet. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.