Our New Year's Celebration - 08:12, Friday, January 2, 2009

    It's hard to believe another year has begun! It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming in 2008 and here we are beginning 2009!  Where has time flown?  I remember when I was a young child it seemed like time passed so slowly....... I remember thinking it would be "forever" before my birthday or Christmas....... and now I find myself saying " wow, here it is again!"  Know what I mean?

   Well we enjoyed a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration.  Nothing fancy, just family, but none the less very fun! My sister sent us a huge package full of new games and it arrived on New Year's Eve!! Perfect timing!  She is such a wonderful sister - she is very thoughtful and always sends the kids little cards and games, etc. I am blessed.   We stayed up way too late...... ( I think I crawled into bed at 3 am!) and had fun playing all the new games, listening to music, dancing the conga and eating! 

   Here are some snapshots of our fun evening........ this was taken right after our big huge box arrived! The kids were so excited!  Look at all the fun fun games Auntie Teri sent!!

   We decorated with streamers, party hats, and some noise makers. :) 

Some yummy snacks.........we had some sparkling cider to drink and toast with when 12 AM arrived!

Playing cards........Jacob, Rebekah, Samuel & Paul.....

Playing chines checkers.......rebekah, paul, rachel & jacob.......... haven't played chinese checkers in years!

 The twins playing checkers........

 Peter & Hannah playing  "Connect Four"........

We have a tradition that on New Year's Eve the kids can eat the gingerbread houses we made earlier in the Christmas season........ it's something they really look forward to. :)

Happy dancing kids..........

                                              Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

Something new we did this year, was we made a big list of all the things we were thankful for this past  year........ here are some things that were shared :

Paul :  "I am thankful we don't have to pay the entrance fee to get to heaven -- Jesus did that for us because the price was too high for us to pay. "   * Amen to that, Paul!  Jesus did pay the complete price for eternal life with God! *

Rebekah:  "Our new wood stove that provides such warm heat!"  *  Rebekah loves to stand behind the crook of the stove......there a spot just behind the stove on the tile hearth that she really really enjoys.... we are really enjoying the radiant warmth of wood heat!*

Rachel:  " Freedom to worship"...... * Rachel is so right! There are 54 nations that Christianity is "illegal" and bibles are not allowed to be distrubuted or read.  To read more about our brothers & sisters  in Christ,  who are being persecuted for Jesus go to www.persecutedchurch.org

Jacob:  " Homeschooling"........* Wow! I was suprised when Jacob shared that! Sometimes he complains about the reports I make him type up and all the math he has been doing lately......but I am happy to know he is thankful! Homeschooling is a way of life is so many ways, and our family will be beginning it's 11th year of home education!

Peter:  " Water, food & a roof over our head"...... * Amen, Peter!  Children always remember the simple blessings that many times we adults take for granted.  So many have no access to clean water or food. He knows that first hand from the expierences we tell him of his fellow Guatemalans who live in such dire circumstances. We are thankful for our food our clothing and a warm house to live in. Especially after expierencing a furnace break down in the cold winter!*

Mom:  " For the blessing of being able to pray & worship and also for trials"........ * This year has brought us close to the Lord in prayer and we have learned how to worship the Lord.  I am also thankful for the many trials we were blessed to pass thru this year.  They draw us ever so close to Jesus. *

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I know for many of us this time of year is a time to reflect on the past year and to think ahead and make goals and resolutions for the coming New Year. Our family is no different.  We have our "hopes" and "dreams" and "prayers to be asked and answered" for 2009. 

My heart's desire is to see my family wear out our bibles this coming year........ from continuous use........ for truly the Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path........... I also hope that our voices will be hoarse from all the praising and singing we are going to raise up to our great & everlasting God this year!  I want to wear out our hands in serving the poor, the naked, the afflicted, those in prison and the fatherless and lonley.........for truly "when we do it to the least of these, we have done it unto Him"......

Oh I have so many hopes and dreams for this coming year!  There are many loved ones in my life who do not know our precious Lord and  my great hope is that their hearts will be open and their eyes opened to receive the gift of salvation thru Jesus.  He is the way the truth and light and NO man cometh to the father but by Him!  ( John 14:6)

I hope that each one of you enjoy a blessed year, a year full of JOY in the Lord and a year full of blessings -- remember, trials and challenges are blessings "in disguise" ...... embrace each one of them! They are an opporotunity to draw close unto our Lord and really seek His face!

I also look forward to another year of blogging here at HSB! This will be my 3rd year blogging here and I can honestly say this is a wonderful community! Each one of you are a blessing to me! Thanks also to my wonderful readers, who post publically and privately to me.  Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts here with me.  You bless me in so many ways!

May God bless you &  yours in 2009!

~ gloria ~