Great JOY-Part 1 of 3

The JOY was delivered in my heart!

This whole month I have been surrounded by every kind of reminder that JOY comes from the Lord. My circumstances affect my mood (though I do try to keep that in a healthy state!!), but JOY is something deeper that comes from the Holy Spirit living in me and the HOPE I have in Jesus of one day living in perfection with my Maker. JOY!

God blessed my socks off in the past couple of days with our Christmas celebration. After all the tears cried over the past couple of months from our loss of the adoption, etc. my heart really didn't believe that I'd experience any happiness or joy this season. So very blessed in my heart that I was wrong and that He provided and I am ever grateful for the gift.
Christmas Eve in Texas never involves snow, but lo & behold if didn't come a little blizzard from mid-morning on through the evening! Due to PandaPop's need to be at our church's Eve service and work this coming Sunday, as well, we needed to stay at our own home for Christmas this year as opposed to traveling to see extended family.

While we were waiting for PP's parents and sister to arrive, I was preparing lunch, PandaGirl was watching some "holiday" show on TV and PP had gotten our very aromatic chimnea going with a strong fire that wafted in the front door with the most wonderful fragrance of.....winter and all it's charm. I know there were people waaaaay up north who were stuck in their cars earlier in the week for THIRTEEN HOURS due to the "charming" winter blasts, but in this moment the falling snow, smell of the chimnea's smoke, looking at our own decorations, all the gifts under the tree, the yummy food waiting for us and the anticipation of family and the day's events to come were just....magical.

There were so many squeals from me and PG! I really was a giddy girl and enjoyed every minute of it in awe and thanksgiving to the Lord for his provisions.

I don't deserve ANYthing, yet He blesses still. JOY.
This doesn't look like much snow, but it's still early on in this pic and it snowed ALL day. For Texas, that is a big deal. I have NO memory of a white Christmas----ever. So fun to see look out the windows of our cozy home to the powdery white fluff falling everywhere!!



Our church has two different Eve services. PandaPop, of course had to attend because he was reading Luke 2 for the services, but the rest of us stayed in the house. More so than snow, we get ICE on Texas roads and that is very dangerous.

PG and I had run outside for a moment when I saw the Jeep lights coming down the street and I knew it was my Man so I snapped this fun pic of him arriving home from the first service.

Part 2 of 3 pics tomorrow!!