Up Up and Away, We're Off....

......to see the Forty Fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama inaugurated on Tuesday January 20, 2009. I thank God for being able to witness such an awesome, historical event in the life of our nation. I can hardly contain my excitment.

I have prepared myself for a rigorous day of events since we will be lodging in Philadelphia prior to leaving for DC early Tuesday morning and getting to the site of the inauguation which will include a bus there and another shuttle. We will do the same getting back after the swearing in.

I don't know how much sleep I will get between leaving Texas EARLY Monday morning and arriving in Philly early afternoon of the 19th. We get our rental car and go to DC to pick up our inauguration tickets at the Congressman's office there before 6 p.m. Afterwards, back to Philly that evening. We then go back to DC at 2 a.m. by bus for the event on the 20th (gates open for ticket holders at 9 a.m.), then finally that evening back to Philly. We will be there the rest of the week. I already know that the best seat in the house is at home in my cozy chair and heat. But, we wanted so much to be there and the Lord opened a door and we were one of the 250 who won the ticket lottery offered in South Texas. It took us a week to finally believe we actually won.

I wanted so much to meet a couple of my blog sons while in the area but so far it is not looking very promising. I hope something works out though. You have my cell phone number, call me.

I'm asking my blog family to please be in prayer for my husband and I along with our son Pastor Kevin and his wife LaTonya as we travel by air, bus, shuttle, car, and possibly a train (lol). I am in great hopes that this will be an unforgetable experience, one that we will not soon forget.

Matthew 19:28-30

Blessings to each of you.

A Kraig's kind of gift? Yeah, sort of.

Well, it's been a while since my last post. I have been pre-occupied with many things and preparations for the holidays. I do hope and pray that your holiday season was a blessed one and filled with family, friends and all the wonderful blessings of life that are "free" Happy New Year to each of you. Thank you Pastor Rhone for your concern and for checking on me.

My husband and I were riding along in our Escalade truck reflecting on our 2008 Christmas blessings yesterday afternoon. We always end up reminiscing on one of our Christmas' past and remembering our 3 young boys at home and how excited they would become. As parents it was a blessing to see them at times wanting to do more giving than receiving. I must admit that one (Kraig) was more prone to this than the other two at Christmas. This is really kind of strange since one of the other two (Kevin) that didn't have an overall giving spirit at this particular time of the year, was the one most giving all the rest of the year. Kevin is known as the "benevolent one" in the family. My son Keith? He LOVED getting new toys but would be upset if Mama didn't get what was to his approval like a puppy or pet snake (lol).

My husband asked during our conversation "do you remember the gift Kraig would give to you every year"? I chuckled and said (to his amazement) "I still have it in a box on a shelf in my closet, I will always keep it". Kraig was about 5 to 7 years old at the time. We had ordered a book entitled "Women of the West". Every year for my birthday, mothers day, and without fail Christmas for about three years in a row, he would pull it off the shelf, gift wrap it, and present that same book to me each time with overwhelming joy. The thing that was most amazing to me was watching the anticipation on his little face wondering how I would receive his gift, if I would like the gift, how proud I would be of the giver, and most of all anticipating my physical response of appreciation to him. Of course, each time my responses to his gift was exactly what he had desired. Although, at first I worried...is his memory so lessened that he doesn't remember from one event to the next that he gave me this SAME gift before? Then I would wonder, of all the hundreds of books we own, why THIS particular one? My husband asked "I wonder why he insisted on giving you this same book each time you had a holiday?" I thought about it and answered, there could be multiple reasons. Maybe he saw a need, or he was so pleased with my response and appreciation, he wanted to witness the thrill his mother would get by receiving the same gift I seemed to love each time before.

Just think about it. Those of us who exhort the true meaning of Christmas should NEVER become anesthetize of the joy and celebration of the "gift" that is represented in our Christmas season. The Master has made it possible for us to be offered this same gift over and over again because He sees the need, He is blessed by our appreciation, and it is a manner of praises to God when we are thrilled through our words, deeds and physical responses of "The same Gift"

I anxiously look forward to Christmas of 2009, and all the days and seasons that preceed to rejoice in "The Gift" and it's Benefactor.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness;

and many shall rejoice at His birth.

Luke 1:14