By: Chuck Swindoll

"Grace is positive and unconditional acceptance in spite of the other person.  Grace is a demonstration of love that is undeserved, unearned, and unrepayable...."

"Grace doesn't look for things that have been done that deserve love.  Grace operates apart from the response or the ability of the individual.  Grace is one-sided.  Grace is God giving Himself in full acceptance to someone who does not deserve it and can never earn it and will never be able to repay."

"What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"  Micah 6:8



"Find You On My Knees"

Troubles chasing me again,
Breaking down my best defense,
I'm looking, God, I'm looking for you
Weary just won't let me rest and fear is filling up my head.
I'm longing, God I'm longing for you

But I will find you in the place I'm in, find you when I'm at my end,
Find you when there's nothing left of me to offer you except for brokenness.
You lift me up, you'll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I'll find you on my knees.

So what if sorrow shakes my faith,
What if heartache still remains,
I'll trust you, my god I'll trust you.
Cuz you are faithful and

I will find you in the place I'm in, find you when I'm at my end,
Find you when there's nothing left of me to offer you except for brokenness.
You lift me up, you'll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I'll find you on my knees, my knees.

When my hope is gone, when the fear is strong
When the pain is real, when it's hard to heal
When my faith is shaken and my heart is broken and my joy is stolen, God I know that

You lift me up, you'll never leave me thirsty,
Find you in the place I'm in, find you when I'm at my end,
Find you when there's nothing left of me to offer you except for brokenness.
You lift me up, you'll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I'll find you on my knees.

God's amazing work in the heavens from the eye of the Hubble telescope!

Our family is a little under the weather this week.  It became necessary to postpone Matt's birthday celebration to later this week, hoping everyone will improve.

Drew has been dealing with a cough, thought to be an upper respiratory infection at first, but it turned out to be strep too.  His fever spiked to above 104 degrees this morning, so he has now been put on antibiotics.

Amber and Emma had been dealing with cold symptoms themselves, but Amber's symptoms worsened last Saturday.  Now that she is on the mend, Emma began vomitting today.  So much is going around everwhere.  My fear is, these viruses and infections, will make the rounds within our family, for a few more weeks.

For me, the foot is mending.  I'm guilty of pushing it though, trying to walk without the boot, while inside the house.  I became so use to rolling my foot out for so many months, I can almost hobble around without the boot, much the same as I did before the surgery. 

The bottom of my foot is swollen, and much of it is numb in certain areas.  So when I have the boot on, it tends to increase the swelling, and then it presses on the incision area quite a bit, which smarts.  So I need to stay off of it as much as I can...and obey doctors orders, for another couple of weeks, or so. 

I guess we're keeping the physicians and pharmaceutical companies in business!

Happy Birthday, Matt!

Wonderful Father

Wonderful Uncle!

Man of Integrity

A Loving Son and Brother!

Most Importantly, A Wonderful Husband

and Leader of Your Family!

(The apple didn't fall too far from the tree!  I am proud of you and I know your dad sees you from heaven and smiles.)

Balloon Launch in Celebration of Papa She-She's 56th Birthday!

Monday the dressing was removed from my right foot and the stitches were taken out.  I am suppose to be wearing a walking cast for the next 5 weeks, although I'm having a little swelling, and that is making it uncomfortable right now.  So, I'm spending a lot of time with "toes above the nose."  I return to see the surgeon in February.

The Christmas decorations are down and put away, thanks to Glenn, Matt and Zac.  So Amber's birthday party looked liked I had hoped it would, and she seemed to have a nice celebration.



It gets a little hard around this time of year, for me, when so many celebrations are happy ones.  But sandwiched in the middle of Amber's and Matt's birthday, was Mike's, which this Saturday would have been his 56th. 

I read in the news today where this married couple, who celebrated six decades together, died within 12 hours of one another.  Neither, needing to learn to live without the other, for too long.  I'm so grateful for them...even though it makes my heart a little sad, at the same time.  Learning to go on, after losing Mike, has been really rough.  The only reason I have been able  to, is because of those faces in today's post.

Last night I had the incredible privilege of babysitting two of my four grandchildren, while their daddy celebrated their mommy's birthday with a night out.  These little ones are growing up SO fast!

Both Jill and Amber were experiencing challenges with the four of them yesterday, and listening to them share what the four of them have been up to, made me recount those early years of my own children's lives, and how many days I wondered if I would ever make it through them and keep my sanity in tack.

Jill had posted on Facebook:
"As an only child I am completely unprepared for these sibling squabbles. And I realize they are just beginning."

and Amber:
"So far today Ethan almost choked his sister because he put her in a head-lock and picked her up off the ground and then Emma just grabbed a knife from my table and ran it down my arm. So thankful for dull knives."

Both Amber and Jill are wonderful mothers.  I'm so proud of all the hard work they put in each day trying to instruct them, and raise them to not only be polite and thoughtful, but also how they are instructing them in their relationship with God.

Last night I listened to Ethan praying for his Uncle Bob, who happens to be in Africa for a month sharing about Jesus.  Ethan carefully and thoughtfully selected each word, and it just melted my heart.  Drew is the same way when he's been asked to pray at meal time.  Both moms are really doing such a beautiful job laying the foundation for Drew's and Ethan's faith.

On days like yesterday, I know it must be hard for Jill and Amber to see the ground work they have laid, but I know their hard work and dedication will be a blessing to them one day, and they will witness the fruit of all of their hard work.

Today was a new adventure for me, almost as fun as the one I had on Monday. 

Glenn wanted to go grocery shopping, but really felt he needed me to come along because it had been awhile since we last went. 

I had made up my mind to wear myself out on my crutches, and just sit down on Wal-mart's spiffy little benches, placed nicely around the store, but Glenn had another plan in mind.  He gave me the choice of a scooter, or a wheelchair attached to a huge basket in front of it.  I should have just dressed up as a clown to call anymore attention to myself.

But all joking aside, what stood out mostly to me today, in this position, was how many people are suffering in this store, in this town, in this country, in this world.

I saw many people with visible obstacles, they were trying to live with, using a scooter or wheelchair; but I saw many others who obviously weren't taking the easier away around by standing.  They were fighting with all of the energy they had in them to get around the store walking.  It made me want to hop out of my scooter, and hop the remainder of the way around the store.  I was more embarrassed by this, than my initial concern.

Having had a husband that fought cancer, it isn't hard to spot someone fighting for their life.  I saw so many fighters today.  I also have a dear family member, who looks healthy... but who is daily fighting cancer with constant discomfort. (Tomorrow, she is scheduled to have a tumor removed at 1p.m., so please pray for her.)

Some times I think many of us need to slow down and look around us, more than plodding through life, gripping about everything that doesn't go exactly the way we want, or for some temporary discomfort, or inconvenience.  It certainly gave me something to think about......that was...when I wasn't trying to steer clear of displays or other people.

Today is day 11 with this new foot/leg cast on after surgery Dec. 23rd.  Because it isn't a walking cast, I am on crutches most of the time...although I did get a wheelchair ride yesterday at Hobby Lobby!  It is frustrating, wanting to move around, and not being able to....unless a lot of strength and energy are involved.  I'm thinking I need to go on a diet very soon!

Glenn and I had his twin granddaughters over yesterday to celebrate their birthday's which were Dec. 31st.  We took them to Chick-fil-A and then to Hobby Lobby to find a craft to do with them.  We found a couple of suncatchers to paint with them.  They are 6 now.  It was quite a site being rolled around the store by Glenn, Haylee and Katie.  I tried to stack as many coats up in the basket in front of me, to hide behind.

I need to get out my citation pad and use it on myself this year.  I am usually one who takes down Christmas decorations no later than New Years, and jokingly say, while driving around town, that I'm going to leave a decoration citation on homes who still have theirs up.  But it still looks like Christmas at my house.  Oh well....I guess I will just enjoy the scenery of it all a little while longer!

It is a new year and a fresh beginning.  I thought I'd begin this new year out by explaining my other blog, "May You Dance With Fireflies."  This blog was created to be a continuation of my grief journey. 

See, life still isn't the same for me.  There have been so many changes in my life, so many failed attempts, that most days all I can celebrate....

is sitting up and putting my shoes on.

But I want to dance again.  Mike would want me to dance again. 

It just isn't coming to me easily.

The love I shared with Mike was a once in a lifetime kind of love, and I was so blessed to have it for so many years.  But it's hard not to keep looking back, longing for it, and move forward too.

So at times, you may see a link to this other blog of mine on this page, that will share that personal journey. 

On the "Sonshine's Haven" blog, I intend to bring some wonderful links to things I have uncovered that I thought might be a blessing to some of you too.

It's a fresh new year and it's time to dance!