2 highlights

I had to do one more post before the close of this Christmas Eve. It's been an emotional packed day for me, yet once again, the Lord has carried me through. There were 2 highlights of this day for me:

1. The Lowes showed up at our doorstep. They sang us a Christmas carol and handed us a box of donuts and a little gift wrapped up for the girlies. Later they opened it up and I almost cried. Inside were matching Christmas nightgowns for them! No one knows, but I had wanted that for them. I had heard of a few families who did that for Christmas - got matching jammies. And I thought how special that would be...but it was no more than a passing thought. They were so excited as they put them on tonight and just had to go downstairs and show Daddy. I stood on top of the stairs and watched them walk down, side by side, eyes welling up and treasuring the moment.

Thank you, Lowes! You so made my day. You just don't know how much you blessed us today by stopping by. So grateful for you all and how you have cared for us.

2. An email I received tonight from our dear friends, the Averills. How faithful they have been to care for us. Often I am not as aware of grace, but more so of my tears, the ache in my heart, and all I am not doing or doing wrong. The words they wrote encouraged my heart and highlighted all that I have been thinking about lately...

Dearest Heather & Dave,

Just wanted to email and let you know that we've been praying for you guys and thinking of you much today... I just read some posts on your blog and were humbled and amazed yet again of the grace that has overflowed from the Savior to you both. As I read, I saw you choosing to remember Christ and to trust in Him yet again and remembered a line from Bob Kauflin's message on depression. He said that "progress that we strive for looks like telling the truth to ourselves over and over and over again" and I see you doing that...thanks so much for your example to us. We are humbled to know you and have you as our friends.

We just returned from a Christmas service here and was reminded that Christ came into a sinful and broken world full of struggle and pain because He cared and wanted to help us by making a way for us to have eternal life with Him. Because he did this, we have hope of eternal life with Him in heaven someday and we'll be able to worship the Savior together with Alivia. That will be a glorious day and we look forward to that day...today, we pray that the faith of that certain future will bring you hope...the hope that Christ died to give to His own.

Love you so much and thinking of you,

Brandon & Annie